The very beginning
Adéla Jergová was born in Bratislava, a city located in Slovakia. As far back as she can remember, the slovenian girl had a very clear dream: to be on stage. Although this reality seemed very distant from her perspective as a young girl coming from a small country, this never stopped her from seeking countless ways to pursue her goal. Throughout her childhood, she did not have many strong musical references coming from her home country, being greatly drawn to Western artists, who dominated the mainstream at the time. Some of them, such as Beyoncé, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears, are still major references for the Slovak artist today and already offered some hints where the singer’s aesthetic and musical style would eventually lead to.
Although the music scene in Slovakia was not very extensive, dance was a very strong aspect of her surroundings. Adéla joined the world of art at the age of three, practicing classical ballet at high-level Russian schools. By the age of eight, she began studying English on her own by watching American productions – such as Hannah Montana – and listening to music in the language, and by the age of nine, she was already fluent.
Dream Academy Era
In 2022, at the age of 18, Adéla decided to move to Los Angeles, leaving classical ballet behind and transitioning into the professional pop music scene. There, drawing on her experience in the world of dance, she had the opportunity to audition for a reality show called Dream Academy, which Adéla joined. The contestants underwent two years of intensive training, during which they had to “survive” the challenges imposed by the team in order to qualify for a spot in a global music group, which is now known worldwide as Katseye.
However, Adéla’s journey on the show was short-lived. In the first challenge, which included elimination by public vote, the Slovak contestant ended her participation as the first contestant to be eliminated. Despite the sudden departure, the 2024 behind-the-scenes documentary Pop Star Academy: Katseye gave more visibility to her talent, confidence, discipline, and stage presence. Being phased out may have been difficult to process, but it was through this process that the singer was able to turn the engagement she received into a turning point for her solo career.
The reinvention
After the show, Adéla appeared in music videos for other artists and actively practiced dance. Then, in September 2024, she officially debuted as a solo artist with her single “Homewrecked”, which was well received by critics and featured in Out magazine. She subsequently released “Superscar” and “MachineGirl”, the latter produced by Grimes and accompanied by a music video starring actress Sofia Wylie. The tracks, which were praised by the public, opened new doors for the Slovak artist.
In 2025, Adéla signed contracts with Capitol Records and Polydor Records, major record labels in the music industry. Following this partnership, she released “DeathByDevotion” and “SexOnTheBeat”, which, together with her other releases, later made up her debut EP: “The Provocateur”.
Completely diverging from the aesthetic that Katseye adopted at the time, Adéla chose to embrace extremely bold, provocative, and mature visuals, both in her song lyrics and in her choreography and outfits. The entire visual concept featured styling by Chris Horan, known for working with major names in the industry such as Charli XCX and Christina Aguilera.
As a result of the EP’s unique production and the attention generated by comparisons between Adéla’s image during and after the reality show, her work began gaining streams and finding a loyal audience. In a short period of time, she achieved a fanbase who felt connected with her artistic direction and believed that her potential would lead to even greater results.
“The Provocateur” gave the singer the opportunity to finally establish herself as a solo artist and almost completely distance herself from the first impression she had made on Dream Academy. As part of the promotion for the project, she had the opportunity to open shows on Demi Lovato’s most recent tour and later announced her own tour, the Red Bottoms Tour.
PRIMA’s birth
Following the reception of her first tour, Adéla began promoting the singles from her upcoming era and preparing the ground for the arrival of her debut album: Prima. The first singles to be released to the public were “KGB” and “Red Bottoms”, the single that gives the tour its name. However, it was the release of “Ain’t in LA” that made things chang drastically, for the better. The song broke through the artist’s existing fan bubble and, in a short time, reached the seventh position on the Spotify Global chart.
Following the singles and the huge success that “Ain’t in LA” became, expectations grew among critics and the public that an even more unique and personality-driven creation from Adéla was on its way.
With the album’s release, this assumption was confirmed. The 11 tracks, blending electronic music, electropop, and R&B, feature the boldness, provocative nature, and unique visuals that the artist introduced in The Provocateur, while now carrying a more personal side of the Slovak artist’s life.
In a review by Pitchfork magazine, the album is highlighted for its production maturity, vocal delivery, and lyrical depth, addressing themes such as desire, insecurity, personal identity, success, and toxic relationships. In this way, Adéla establishes herself as a unique artist, with an individual and autonomous voice within her place in the pop music industry.
With the support of her record label and sponsors, Adéla is now able to experience an artistic and expressive freedom that she would not have had while working for a rigid company with predetermined aesthetic plans, such as Hybe the company responsible for Dream Academy and the current group Katseye.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The article above was edited by Melissa Fernandes de Melo
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Cásper Líbero home page for more!