Shivani Ojha
Breakout pop sensation Adéla Jergová, better known by just her first name, came out with her debut album PRIMA on September 4, 2026. After selling out Emo’s Austin as a stop on her tour a couple weeks ago, I knew I had to give her album an in-depth glance.
Adéla was born in Bratislava, Slovakia and was an outspoken, anti-authority middle child, as she tells Teen Vogue. She dedicated her formative years to ballet, revealing the album name PRIMA is a hint to the term “prima ballerina”. At 19, she entered Netflix’s Popstar Academy, a competition docu-series searching for talent to make a new girl group called “Katseye”. Although she did not make it to the final six, she continued to pursue her solo music career, releasing EP The Provocateur with popular songs like “Superscar” and “Sex on the Beat”. While her last album was more emotional and angry, her focus for PRIMA was to create a fun, girly pop album. And I think she has done just that.
She begins her album with “KGB”, an obvious and controversial reference to the secret police used by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to 90s. With her energetic synth beats and EDM music vibe, she refers to how she handles her country’s painful past with humor and a cheeky wink. In the face of the backlash, she does clarify that she stands with the people of Ukraine and meant no ill intent with her song. This first track keeps her grounded in her roots while she reaches for stardom.
Moving on to “Nicole Kidman”, another obvious reference to the American movie star. This song is riddled with pop culture references, with recreation of scenes from Kidman’s most iconic movies. After the album release, this song instantly became a trend, from Nicole Kidman costumes to lipsyncing trends. Her sultry vocals and a slightly-retro backing vocals compliment the simple drum pattern filling the song.
“I’m the Man” is a playful take on a woman being dominant in the relationship, going against gender norms. She describes herself enjoying the reversed power dynamic and doing all the “manly” things in a relationship, like driving him home and paying for dinner. This tongue and cheek song serves as another push against the norm, something that seems right on brand.
Continuing on this playful streak, “Boys” is a classic hot girl anthem with Adéla bragging about all the boys “stuck in her teeth”. I also noticed what I think are the voices of Lara Raj and Manon from Katseye during the speaking part of the bridge, signalling her close connection to her fellow Popstar Academy trainees. This song is sure to become iconic with its addictive, pop-forward backing track and sassy lyrics, and it has definitely earned a spot in my favorites on the album.
Transitioning into the more serious songs on the album, “Red Bottoms” and “Hitachi” have more melancholy undertones, with the former questioning if her lover will stay with her despite her baggage and the latter lamenting the loss of physical intimacy in a relationship. These slower tracks allow for her vocals to shine. Always the lover of a good reference, “Red Bottoms” are a reference to the famous Louboutin heels. Through this, she uses cyclical fashion as a metaphor for being eventually neglected in a relationship when it stops feeling exciting and new. “Hitachi” is one of the two piano tracks in the album, which highlights the raw emotion behind the song. Again, she yearns for her lover to notice her. It seems like the fate she feared from “Red Bottoms” has come true.
“Fantasize” is also about dissatisfaction in a relationship as Adéla finds herself dreaming about other people. In the song, she asks, “Why should I feel bad about it?”, explaining that she does not feel guilty for having needs. With her funky guitar beat, it seems like she’s taking back some of her dignity from “Hitachi”, claiming that she will no longer wait to be loved properly.
In an abrupt transition, the next two tracks are about young, reckless love. “Starving Artist” is a reference to a broke yet unforgettable ex-boyfriend, and all the fun they had. In “Marijuana”, Adela is getting high, not off of weed, but off of her newfound romance. It has the familiar hi-hat groove that is seen across the album and gives off a carefree vibe.
“Therapy” is less of a song and more of a confessional. She grapples with missing her family, her obligation to the music industry, and issues with her voice. She dedicates the second verse to her little sister, feeling the guilt of missing her sister’s childhood. This is the second piano-focused track and it gives us a glimpse into her humanity underneath the popstar mask.
Finally, the album is wrapped up with the ever-trending “Ain’t In LA”, with a hallmark TikTok dance trend paying homage to her ballet roots. This song represents her journey towards fame, rejecting the cookie-cutter popstar molds many young stars are forced to fit into in the music industry today. She celebrates her uniqueness and would “rather be a nobody than be like everyone”.
PRIMA is such a fun, cheeky album that still touched on the raw, deeper concepts from her EP. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.