The Provocateur by ADÉLA? Steven says 5/5

If you watched Netflix’s coverage of Dream Academy (Pop Star Academy), then you’re familiar with Adéla Jergová. She was one of the contestants gunning for a spot in KATSEYE, the Geffen x HYBE project that ended up with Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae. Adéla, despite being both an incredible singer and dancer, was the very first to go after receiving the least number of votes. She later referred to the experience as “the worst year of her life” and “identity-stripping.” But honestly? I’m glad she got eliminated. She’s way too magnetic to blend into a girl group. Adéla is a solo star, period.

Fast forward to August 22, the release of her debut EP, The Provocateur alongside the video release for “SexOnTheBeat”—which, let’s be real, is one of the best pop songs we’ve received in years. This is an actual no-skip EP, and I don’t say that lightly. Every track feels intentional. Every track feels hers. She has a crystal-clear point of view sonically, and for a first project? It’s insane how confident and assured she already sounds.

The EP as a whole feels like Adéla planting her flag in the ground: this is who I am, and this is what my pop star universe looks like. “MachineGirl” and “DeathByDevotion” are standouts for me, the last 40 seconds of the latter in particular are an experience. The only outlier is “Homewrecked,” an older single that doesn’t fully match the direction of the newer songs. But honestly, I kind of love its inclusion. It shows just how much she’s evolved, and it makes the newer tracks hit even harder.

Adéla is making pop music exciting again. She’s not chasing trends; she’s setting herself up to be the trend. Keep your eye on her. Her rise feels inevitable, and The Provocateur is just the beginning.

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