On Sept. 23, 2026, rising popstar ADÉLA’s single, “Nicole Kidman” dethroned Ella Langley’s single, “Choosin Texas,” as Spotify’s No. 1 on Spotify’s Daily Charts in the United States.
Langley’s hit single had been sitting on top of charts across the United States, including Spotify’s charts and the Billboard Hot 100 List for 23 consecutive weeks. This accolade had been occupied previously by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” which had sat on Billboard’s Hot 100 list at No. 1 for 22 weeks.
Within the world of pop stars and fast moving trends, ADÉLA sets herself apart from other mainstream artists in a captivating way that audiences haven’t seen from the pop industry in a while. But what makes ADÉLA so captivating? And why does Langley’s sudden hit single dominate No. 1 across multiple music charts, despite country music being known for having a smaller fan base when compared to other popular music genres?
To understand these two artists better, both of their uprisings into the entertainment industry have to be navigated. Evident by both their achievements and talent, neither accidentally stumbled across success overnight due to luck.
ADÉLA has been associated with big name music corporations since the beginning of her career such as HYBE, known for creating hit K-Pop boy band BTS, as well as Geffen Records, known for managing successful solo artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Selena Gomez. ADÉLA debuted onto the world stage via The Dream Academy, the same survival show that created popular global girl group KATSEYE. ADÉLA was selected out of thousands of girls worldwide, and moved her life from Slovakia to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. After two years of training and development, when the project went public, ADÉLA was first to be eliminated from the survival show.
Despite her elimination, ADÉLA used this as an opportunity to launch her independent solo career with the release of her debut album, “The Provocateur” two years after The Dream Academy project concluded. Her single “Superscar” captivated audiences by its unique production and put her name into the pop music scene. Capitalizing off the success of the Album, ADÉLA released three new singles from her soon to be sophomore album, ‘PRIMA.’ Singles such as “KGB” and “Red Bottoms” made her close circle of fans excited for her upcoming project, but her third single, “Ain’t In LA” went viral on TikTok as well as on music charts, skyrocketing her career in pop music to new heights. After reaching the mainstream in the United States, ADÉLA makes sure everyone knows her roots and where she came from, Slovakia. In her single “Ain’t In LA,” ADÉLA emphasizes how the entertainment industry tells people that they can only be famous if they come from a wealthy and well-known city, but she makes it her mission to disprove that belief.
When looking at Langley’s music career, the singer-songwriter grew up in Alabama, performing covers in small town bars while also being a full-time student. Langley later dropped out of college and moved to Nashville to pursue a career in country music full-time. Nashville, being known for its huge influence in the country music scene, expanded Langley’s access to music, resulting in her securing a publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing Nashville in 2021. After this, Langley released her first independent single, “If You Have To”. The song went viral on social media and was Langley’s first real breakthrough moment that skyrocketed her career to new heights. On Feb. 2023, Langley released two albums, “Excuse The Mess” and “still hungover,” which furthered her fanbase. Even with a steady monthly listener record on Spotify, it wasn’t until her third album, “Dandelion,” which introduced her lead single “Choosin’ Texas” that broke multiple records on both Spotify and Billboard Hot 100 charts.
It is not known for sure why Langley’s country single became a success so quickly considering country is not a genre known for dominating charts in today’s culture. Some speculate it being due to her dialing her production back to traditional country production that doesn’t lean into pop or hip hop influence that this generation associates with more popular country music.
When discussing ADÉLA’s instant rise in popularity and success, many speculate it to be because of her charisma and energy that has been lacking in newer generation pop artists. Bold, charismatic and unapologetic are just a few words that describe ADÉLA’s honest storytelling within her music. ADÉLA’s iconic track “Nicole Kidman” is the definition of a fierce and feminist anthem that encapsulates who she is as an artist. ADÉLA has managed to shift pop culture in a way that has not been seen often by a new artist. Whether it is TikTok trends or a surge in recognizing cities all over the world, her impact on pop culture is only just beginning. As she takes over the No. 1 spot on U.S. Spotify charts, ADÉLA solidified her place in mainstream pop music, but only time can tell how far she can really go as she only just scratches the surface of her full potential.
