2026 has been the year of the prodigious popstar blow-up; from the sudden explosion in the careers of Olivia Dean and Slayyyter to Zara Larsson’s inescapable Eurosummer. And while it’s not exactly hard to pinpoint why we need constant uplift from the world’s troubles at large; we’re thankful that at the centre of this carnage, a pink-haired pop supernova has been serving up a potent antidote to the madness, waiting for just the right moment to cut through the noise.

It’s been a momentous year for Slovakian singer ADÉLA, whose first taste of fame was competing on the 2023 reality talent show Dream Academy (the series’ six winners would ultimately form girl group juggernauts KATSEYE). She delighted fans with bolshy, squeal-laden tracks like ‘Supercar’ or ‘DeathByDevotion’ in the interim, but 2026 has seen ADÊLA emerge as a performing powerhouse, as well as dominate the summer with ‘Ain’t In LA’, her infectious paean to the sleazy pop magic of early Kesha and Bangerz-era Miley Cyrus.

‘Ain’t In LA’ is largely an anthem of anti-escapism, a celebration meeting yourself wherever you’re at, whether you’re holding it down in Bratislava, Leipzig, or, erm… Reading. Here, ADÊLA weaves an irresistible web of girlhood musings into choruses full of chopped and screwed vocal hooks, also showcasing her Eastern European heritage and weighty vocal belt. It’s certainly a graduation from the frenetic hyperpop that filled 2025’s ‘The Provocataur’, setting a stratospheric stage for her debut album, ‘Prima’, to unfold on.

The album’s title literally translates to ‘first’, but also nods to the pinnacle of performance in her own training as a ballerina. As a self-confessed student of the pop greats – ‘Ain’t In LA’ namechecks Madonna and Destiny’s Child – the project distills the golden era of noughties pop into a series of assured and introspective hits, including ‘Marjuana’ and ‘Boys’. The latter channels The Pussycat Dolls with its valley-girl-club-toilet-gossip vocals and tinkering, Timbaland-esque club beats, while the former takes shape as a no-frills, EDM anthem that could serve the sprawling crowds at Tomorrowland.

Stark is the difference in pace compared to previous projects; on ‘Prima’ the singer’s attempts to take stock of her sudden climb to the musical big leagues feel palpable. ‘Nicole Kidman’ – an ode to effortless cool of the Hollywood actress – is one of the project’s few misses, not quite managing to strike a chord with its slow, cruising beats and heavy horns. Other balladic, lighter-in-the-air moments like ‘Hitachi’ and ‘Therapy’, however, perfectly capture the turmoil of first heartbreaks or eschew the bravado of the album’s racier tracks to dive-deep on the singer’s inner consciousness.

ADÊLA’s star shines brightest while winking and nudging to pop’s cheekier attributes, both on stage or in the studio. “I was, like, eight, working the nightshift to learn English / I’m like a spy, I studied this shit, call me the K-G-Bitch,” growls the star on the pastiche-laden ‘KGB’ over pounding house beats. Vocally sharp and ravenous with ambition, it’s these delights that provide the beating heart which makes ‘Prima’ so enthralling.

Details

  • Record label: Capitol Records
  • Release date: September 4, 2026

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