There is an immediate familiarity to Addison Rae. Perhaps it is the early aughts nostalgia present in her songs, music videos, imagery and persona. It could also be that Rae evokes the great pop star Britney Spears with an exaggerated innocence and Louisiana roots, complete with blonde hair and brown eyes. Rae’s rise to fame, though, is a modern story. Instead of starting as a preteen in the Mickey Mouse clubhouse or being discovered in a mall, she took off on TikTok.
Rae was one of the app’s biggest breakout stars, amassing over 88 million followers since joining in 2019. She is also one of the TikTok stars who was able to successfully pivot into mainstream entertainment: Rae’s shift from TikTok dancer to ‘it girl’ pop star is a rebrand the internet often jokes should be studied.
Rae released her debut self-titled album, Addison, on June 6th, clocking in at 12 tracks and just 33 minutes. There were five singles released before the album drop—“Diet Pepsi,” “Aquamarine,” “High Fashion,” “Headphones On,” and “Fame is a Gun. There are two interludes, one of which is titled after a “Headphones On” lyric, “Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters.”
In a Q&A with Spotify, Rae revealed the album took about a year to complete. All songs were co-written and produced with Rae’s frequent collaborators and close friends Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjärd (the ladder most well-known for their work with Taylor Swift). In a Variety interview, makeup-free in a Justin Bieber-esque purple zip up hoodie worn over a party dress, Rae spoke about creating the album along with Kloser and Anderfjärd. The trio revealed that the outcome of the album being produced by only women was not intentional but rather a natural occurrence.
The first track, “New York,” perhaps the most sung about city in popular music, is a fun club track. The night of the album release Rae also dropped a Ethan James Green directed music video for “Times Like These.” It is the album’s sixth single and explores the confusion of fame and being a twenty-something. The music video includes niche-famed TikTok Line Cook Gio as a love interest, a subtle shoutout to Raes TikTok roots.
In both the “Times Like These” and “Fame is a Gun” music videos Rae provides what looks like a behind-the-scenes look at fame. This also directly referenced in the Fame is a Gun” lyric: “You got a front row seat and I/ I got a taste of the glamorous life.” The best non-single track is perhaps “Summer Forever” a song that uses the metaphor of summer to describe wanting puppy love slash ‘the honeymoon phase’ to last forever.
Addison references various pop divas of yore while still maintaining a fresh and unique artistic vision. There are explicit references— like in“Money is Everything” where Rae sings “DJ, play Madonna/Wanna roll one with Lana, get high with Gaga.” On “New York” she mentions Norma Jean (Marilyn Monroe’s birth name), Rae’s own thirst for fame present and acknowledged. There are more obscure references, too. In “Aquamarine” Rae references being a “ray of light,” an acknowledgment to the Madonna track of the same name. The same song, Rae also refers to a “heart of the ocean around [her] neck,” a possible Britney “Oops I Did it Again” reference. In “Money is Everything” Rae asks, “can’t a girl just have fun?” a nod to the iconic Cyndi Lauper hit, and she also sings of “pocketful of sunshine,” the beloved Natasha Bettingfield track.
The album is a monumental step from Rae’s 2023 EP AR, which has great tracks, but does not contain the confidence and intentionality or cohesion of Addison. There is a dedication to both the artistry and world building of the work. There is the instinct and charisma that made her an internet star combined with an increased maturity and confidence. Her taste is more distinguished and concerted.
In Rae’s many recent interviews she comes off as incredibly charming and relatable, able to talk easily about her art and how pursuing music and acting were always her end game when moving to LA. It will be interesting to see how Rae tours the album—her first performance outside of Coachella, a secret album release party at The Box the night of the album’s release, was covered by I-D, overdosing on glitter and auras called it “exhilarating” (hot girls in french maid outfits, vaseline and Q-tips for easy glitter application). Rae’s artistic persona and artistic output feels authentic in comparison to other current pop girls, and her unique path to stardom and available vulnerability make her all the more compelling.
Addison is out now.
Words by Caitlin Doherty for Staged Haze
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