ADÉLA Takes Over Billboard: Chartbreaker Status & Exclusive Photos Reveal Her Rapid Ascent

ADÉLA, the 22-year-old Slovak music sensation, has rapidly ascended to stardom with her September debut album, PRIMA. Her breakout single, “Ain’t in LA,” is a 2010s-esque pop anthem that critically examines the romanticization of fame in the City of Angels. Ironically, as ADÉLA herself points out with a giggle, the track was recorded in Los Angeles, embodying a contradiction she acknowledges. Further highlighting this self-aware irony, she mentions having another song titled “Nicole Kidman.” Both singles have achieved significant chart success, with “Ain’t in LA” becoming her first Billboard Hot 100 entry in August, later peaking at No. 27 on the chart dated October 3, and “Nicole Kidman” surging to a No. 11 peak the same week.

Growing up thousands of miles from Hollywood in Bratislava, Slovakia, ADÉLA’s childhood was steeped in American pop culture. Her bedroom walls were adorned with posters of stars like Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, and Britney Spears. Driven by an innate desire to perform, she dedicated herself to intense training, studying as a ballerina by day and taking English lessons at night to hone her craft and prepare for a global stage.

Her journey took a significant turn in 2023 when she competed on HYBE x Geffen’s Dream Academy, the YouTube competition series that ultimately formed the group KATSEYE. Following her elimination from the show, ADÉLA pivoted to a solo career. In 2024, she released a series of electrifying dance-pop singles, including “Homewrecked” and “Superscar,” and subsequently signed with Capitol Records the following year. Her momentum continued to build in the spring when she was chosen to open on tour for Demi Lovato.

The buzz intensified with the July release of “Ain’t in LA,” further stirring anticipation for PRIMA. The album, propelled by this hit and “Nicole Kidman” (which was released as its fourth single on the same day as the album), debuted impressively at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. This year alone, ADÉLA has accumulated more than half a billion global on-demand streams, according to Luminate. Her co-manager, Sam Jacobson from Good World Management, remarks on her widespread appeal, stating, “She’s become somebody everybody really wants to root for... people got into the lore and realized, like, ‘Oh, s–t, she really built herself from the ground up and got herself to America, and [“Ain’t in LA”] is a song that speaks to her mom and her family and to everybody else who has big dreams.’ It’s an amazing message that a lot of people can relate to.”

The inspiration for “Ain’t in LA” was deeply personal. Prior to the studio session, ADÉLA found herself reflecting on her roots, particularly after discovering an old photograph of her mother as a teenager, who also harbored dreams of moving to Los Angeles and achieving stardom, sitting in front of her own collection of pop-culture posters. After hours spent on other material, ADÉLA, still moved by the photograph, proposed one more idea to her co-writers: Theron Thomas, Blake Slatkin, Dylan Brady, and Billy Walsh. “Ain’t in LA” then came together effortlessly, with the picture even inspiring lyrics such as, “Madonna on the wall next to Destiny’s Child.” Theron Thomas contributed a distinctive chopped-and-screwed intro, intentionally calling back to Miley Cyrus’ 2013 hit “We Can’t Stop,” which he also co-wrote. ADÉLA recalls discussing the 2010s aesthetic, noting, “I told them how much I’d love to [emulate it]... I was also listening to a lot of early A$AP Rocky. Something about that era excited me. I was, like, ‘We need to bring that back.’ ”

The release of the song, however, faced initial friction. After witnessing an overwhelmingly positive fan reaction to her performing the then-unreleased track on tour with Lovato – notably in pointe shoes, a poignant nod to her ballet background – ADÉLA was eager to release it as a single immediately. Her team, though, expressed uncertainty. She recalls, “I remember I had this feeling, like, ‘Man, this song means so much to me.’ ” She called Jacobson, expressing, “I made this song. No one’s that stoked about it, but I’m super stoked.” Brandon Creed, Good World founder and co-manager, clarified that the debate wasn't about the song's quality but rather “rollout tactics and what’s the right timing and what’s going to come after. The rollout game has changed. There’s a lot of debate and discussion around every move.”

Ultimately, ADÉLA’s team trusted her instincts, and the decision proved immensely rewarding. Since its official release, “Ain’t in LA” has been used over half a million times on TikTok by fans worldwide. A notable endorsement came from Nicole Kidman herself, who used the track for her first-ever video on the app and has since publicly praised ADÉLA, especially after the confidence-boosting namesake track arrived in early September. ADÉLA humorously acknowledges the surreal nature of the actress’s support, stating, “It’s just wild watching [her] movies, being like, ‘This person, for some reason, is doing charity work and supporting me.’ The fact that she embraces me is such an honor — I have trouble processing it still.”

“Ain’t in LA” forms the emotional core of ADÉLA’s ongoing tour across North America and Europe, a demanding schedule that involves nine-hour rehearsals and constant press engagements. Her current success stands as powerful validation of her journey since her tearful exit from Dream Academy, where she shared a vital message with other hopefuls, captured in the Netflix docuseries Pop Star Academy: “If you get it, that’s great, but you don’t need it. You’re great on your own.” The fact that ADÉLA’s chart success now parallels KATSEYE’s serves as further proof of her belief, though she states she never doubted it. She confidently asserts, “I don’t know if that’s conceited to say, but… I feel like I have heart, and I have something to say.”