Slovakian singer ADÉLA reaches No. 6 on Billboard Hot 100
ADÉLA, a singer from Slovakia who was the first to be eliminated from the HYBE and Geffen Records global girl group audition, has reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her solo single ‘Nicole Kidman’.
Slovakian singer ADÉLA rose to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 24 with her song ‘Nicole Kidman’. After being the first participant eliminated from the HYBE and Geffen Records global girl group audition, she became the first Slovakian singer to enter the Billboard Hot 100 top 10.
ADÉLA, a singer from Slovakia who was the first to be eliminated following the first mission of the HYBE and Geffen Records global girl group audition, has reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart as a solo artist. Her song ‘Nicole Kidman’ recorded its highest position on the October 24 chart. This comes six weeks after its initial entry at No. 45 on the September 19 Billboard Hot 100. Having released her solo debut single last September, ADÉLA debuted her studio album ‘PRIMA’ at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, with tracks from the album entering the top 10 on the United States and United Kingdom charts. Following her early elimination from the audition, ADÉLA's music has garnered attention from actress Nicole Kidman and has been featured on fashion show stages.
First elimination in an audition with 120,000 applicants
ADÉLA was a participant in ‘The Debut: Dream Academy’ conducted by HYHYE and Geffen Records in 2023. She was one of 20 individuals selected from 120,000 global applicants, but she was the first to be eliminated after receiving the lowest fan votes following her performance of BLACKPINK's ‘Pink Venom’ during the first mission. The audition process was aimed at selecting a global girl group, and the team formed through the program eventually debuted as KATSEYE.
ADÉLA later described the period of her elimination as the "worst year of her life." At the time of her departure, the production team left an assessment that she was viewed as a solo artist, a sentiment that is reportedly being discussed among fans today. Following the audition, ADÉLA began her solo career, debuting in September 2024 with the single ‘Homewrecked’.
Debuted with ‘Homewrecked’ and opened tours
Following her solo debut, she continued her musical work and performances. After hearing ‘Homewrecked’ on TikTok, Grimes contacted ADÉLA first and co-produced the single ‘Machine Girl’, which was released the following year. ADÉLA signed with Capitol Records in May 2025. Grimes reportedly reached out after hearing the track on TikTok, leading to the co-production of ‘Machine Girl’.
ADÉLA performed as an opening act for Demi Lovato's tour in April and May 2025, and appeared at Lollapalooza in the United States in August. She subsequently released her first studio album ‘PRIMA’ on September 4. The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4. Around the time of the album release, the track ‘Nicole Kidman’ also entered the charts. Her career trajectory has moved from single releases and record deals to opening tours and performing at music festivals, culminating in the track entering the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 after the album release.
Rising to No. 6 after entering at No. 45
‘Nicole Kidman’ first entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 45 on September 19. It reached the top 10 by hitting No. 9 on the October 17 chart, and then set a new personal best by rising to No. 6 on the October 24 chart. With the No. 9 record on the October 17 chart, ADÉLA became the first Slovakian singer to enter the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. The song also entered the top 10 for the first time in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 4 on the Official Singles Chart. It reached No. 1 in Greece and Singapore, and climbed to No. 2 on the Spotify Global Daily Chart.
| Chart/Record | Rank |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 (Sept 19) | No. 45 |
| Billboard Hot 100 (Oct 17) | No. 9 |
| Billboard Hot 100 (Oct 24) | No. 6 |
| Billboard 200 ‘PRIMA’ | No. 4 |
| Official Singles Chart (UK) | No. 4 |
| Greece and Singapore | No. 1 |
| Spotify Global Daily Chart | No. 2 |
Nicole Kidman and KATSEYE shared the same show
Actress Nicole Kidman, whose name is in the song title, also reacted to ADÉLA's song. Kidman expressed familiarity with ADÉLA at the ‘Practical Magic 2’ premiere held in London in August. The first post on Kidman's TikTok account, which was created the following day, used ADÉLA's song.
At the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show held on the 18th, ‘Nicole Kidman’ was played. Kidman, who attended the event, sat in the front row and enjoyed the song, with videos of the scene spreading on social media. On the same day, KATSEYE, the group formed through ‘The Debut: Dream Academy’, also took the stage to perform ‘PINKY UP’ and ‘Animal’. While ADÉLA and KATSEYE went through the same audition program, they have pursued different paths. ADÉLA is reportedly still close with KATSEYE members Lara and Megan.
ADÉLA is scheduled to conduct a tour in the United Kingdom and Europe, starting in Dublin, Ireland, in January next year. Following the release of ‘PRIMA’, which appeared on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, she will take to the United Kingdom and European stages through this tour. The participant who was the first to be eliminated after the first mission has, through a solo debut and album release, reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Nicole Kidman’.
Covers K-pop for KSW Journal, and also writes about Culture and K-Variety.
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