ADÉLA premiered new song ‘Boys’ during a triumphant Reading 2026 set, ahead of her debut album ‘PRIMA.’ Watch here
ADÉLA is turning festival stages into her personal proving ground, and Reading 2026 was her biggest flex yet. The Slovak pop artist aired a brand-new song called “Boys” over the weekend during a triumphant set at the festival, giving fans an early taste of one of the most talked-about breakout acts of the year. She premiered the track at The Gallery stage and introduced it with a short, knowing explanation of what it is about.
The setup was pure pop-star charm. “The next song is a new one,” ADÉLA told the crowd. “It’s basically about being at the club with your girls and getting bothered by boys.” The premise is instantly relatable, and the song itself, described by those in attendance as leaning distinctly Britney-esque, fits neatly into the maximalist, dancefloor-ready world she has been building. Her set also included fan favourites “Ain’t In LA” and “Sex On The Beat,” rounding out a performance designed to convert casual passersby into believers.
A Star Wearing Her Story on Her Sleeve
What separates ADÉLA from the crowded field of rising pop hopefuls is how fully she commits to the theater of it all. A classically trained ballerina, she works her skills into her many dance breaks, and at Reading she reportedly darted offstage mid-set only to return with a half-tutu pinned to her denim shorts and ballet shoes laced up, adding pirouettes and pointe work to “DeathByDevotion.” The ballet-barre stage setup offered another window into her upbringing, turning her origin story into part of the spectacle.
That story is central to her appeal. During the set, ADÉLA opened up about her Slovakian roots before performing “Ain’t In LA.” “This next song is a really special one to me. It’s my most recent single,” she told the crowd.
“I don’t know if you guys know but I am originally from Slovakia. I always had a really big dream of being a pop star on a stage just like this one, but I always felt like I was too far from that.” From the streets of Bratislava to a main-stage-worthy slot at Reading, the arc she narrates onstage is one of overcoming obstacles and clawing her way up, and she has never been shy about how badly she wants it.
Building Toward ‘PRIMA’
“Boys” is not a standalone surprise so much as a preview of what’s coming. The song is slated to appear on ADÉLA’s debut studio album PRIMA, due September 4 via Capitol Records, a record she has been steadily unveiling across a run of high-profile festival sets. She debuted new material during her Lollapalooza breakout in August, one of that festival’s standout performances, and has been threading unreleased songs into her live shows throughout the year alongside singles like “KGB.”
The Reading premiere fits her stated artistic mission. In an interview with NME, ADÉLA, who released her EP The Provocateur last year and was named an NME 100 Essential Emerging Artist for 2026, explained her philosophy plainly. “I’m here to make people more comfortable with being uncomfortable,” she said. “Being human, truly human, in pop music, I like to talk about my imperfections. To me, the negative sides of myself are just as interesting as the positive sides.”
That willingness to be messy and human, wrapped in glossy, diva-indebted pop, is exactly what is powering her rapid ascent. “Boys” is one more piece of evidence that ADÉLA has both the vision and the drive to become the pop star she always dreamed of being. PRIMA arrives September 4 via Capitol Records.
