Released over a month after its teaser in Paris Fashion Week, “KGB” marks ADÉLA’s return after the success of her daring debut EP The Provocateur. Using the Soviet Union’s secret police agency as a metaphor for her relentless training, studying, and scheming of pop stardom, the Slovakia-born singer is not afraid to take creative risks in an increasingly competitive pop girl landscape.
Produced by hitmaker Blake Slatkin, 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady, and The Dare (Harrison Patrick Smith), the electro-pop track is a sexy, strange, and striking sonic statement made for the dance floor and Friday nights strutting down miles in beat-up red bottoms.
Its bold, confrontational lyricism (“You want a pop star with a big bra for them big hits / I wanna pop off so these big mouths can’t say sh*t”) pairs perfectly with Dylan’s cyber-pop punk influence, Harrison’s signature snares, and ADÉLA’s seductive vocals that are erratically distorted in some parts and highly pitched in others. The absurdly fun mix of talk-singing, rapping, and outright screaming is all the more reflective of her unabashed pop persona.
The accompanying music video, a directorial debut by Rachel Dunkel, showcases ADÉLA’s artistic upbringing through startling visual contrasts as she dances in a tutu under a military basement and rocks black lipstick with her unmistakable neon pink hair. Calling herself a “KGB*tch” as a symbol of her commitment to pop eliteness is a statement that only someone with an artistic identity as fully realised as ADÉLA’s can make.
She stated at the end that “KGB” and its visuals are an acknowledgement of where she’s from, and reaffirmed her support for the people of Ukraine.
Catch ADÉLA on the road supporting Demi Lovato‘s It’s Not That Deep tour. Tickets are available here.
“KGB” is out on all platforms everywhere now.
