It’s fair to say that no one saw it coming: Among the revolving door of influencers in the Hype House, Addison Rae wasn’t necessarily a shoo-in for pop stardom. In 2019, she had no persona or shrewd management team. A few years ago, Googling her name would reveal only bizarre paparazzi videos and cringe-inducing performances on late-night television. But the Louisiana native has proved herself far removed from her content creator days.
Released on June 6, the 33-minute album is a celebration of pop music that fuses the referential with the authentic. “Addison” peers into pop formulas, and with a wink to both predecessors and fans, turns the overdone into the deeply sincere. At its core, Rae tells a story of the moment, providing meta commentary on both the culture and the disorienting nature of stardom.
The album opens with “New York,” immediately introducing listeners to the record’s masterful production. Despite being molded for commercial success, the album’s writing and production credits are limited to only three creatives: Rae herself, Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser, who Rolling Stone describes as uber-successful Swedish songwriter Max Martin’s “protégées.”
While “New York” relies heavily on the city’s cliches — Rae references the “big apple” and “The Bowery Hotel” — it represents the novelty of her exit from Los Angeles. The dance-pop track pulses with an anticipation that develops over the course of the album for this new chapter of her life.
“Diet Pepsi,” the album’s second track, was the record’s first single. Released in August 2024, the song quickly went viral and achieved critical acclaim as Rae’s debut release with Columbia Records. Rae’s honeyed vocals inaugurate the start of her new musical era on this sensual, world-building track.
There’s a tonal shift on the next song, “Money is Everything.” It opens with a spoken introduction by Rae, who posits “But money’s not coming with me to Heaven / And I have a lot of it / So can’t a girl just have fun?” The move is reminiscent of Britney Spears’ iconic spoken interludes, and the references don’t stop there. Over an infectious dance track, Rae sings “And when I’m up dancing, please DJ, play Madonna / Wanna roll one with Lana, get high with Gaga / And the girl I used to be is still the girl inside of me.” Unafraid to acknowledge her emulation of pop icons, “Addison” derives its power from openly celebrating the vitality of pop music and its role in popular culture.
Addison comes into her own on “Aquamarine,” a Eurodance-esque track that immerses listeners in an ocean-inspired soundscape. The album’s second single features hypnotic vocals by Rae as she celebrates ascending into higher self. The song’s messaging is bold — Rae sings “The world is my oyster / And I’m the only girl / I’m dancing in my own reflection / I’m the ray of light.” To achieve her dreams of celebrity, Rae understands she must first recognize her own greatness.
“Lost & Found” is the album’s first interlude. The lines “I lost myself and found myself again” repeat to underpin the central theme of the record: Rebirth is essential to Rae’s new glamorous persona. Later on, the interlude “Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters” reinforces the larger messaging of the album. Rae is highly attuned to the critiques and controversies surrounding her career, turning her party girl image into an act of defiance for those who deride her artistic vision.
“Addison” is chock-full of responses to disbelievers, with “Fame is a Gun” being her greatest challenge yet. The song opens with the sarcastic “Tell me who I am / Do I provoke you with my tone of innocence?” Mesmerizing vocal modulations appear across the record and become a defining characteristic of Rae’s sound. She is unashamed in her pursuit of fame, going so far as to proclaim “God gave me the permission.” In some ways, you can’t help but believe her: The girl-next-door personality has been stripped away to reveal a cutthroat icon with an acute mastery of synths.
The excitement of new love is the subject of the R&B inspired track “Summer Forever.” Rae creates a dreamscape, the stripped down pre-chorus soaring to a satisfying climax. This track shifts focus from “High Fashion” where she acknowledges “I don’t want cheap love / I’d rather get high fashion.” The electric elements of the song underscore its grittiness in both sound and subject. The song poses an interesting question for listeners doubting Rae’s impact on the music world. What other industry ingénue finds themselves able to sing, “You know I’m not an easy fuck / But when it comes to shoes I’ll be a slut,” and more importantly, make it cool? The song has expanded its influence beyond music circles, scoring a Lucky Brand denim campaign featuring Rae.
“In The Rain” is a more introspective track, though the lack of emotional punch makes it one of the album’s weaker songs. The concept of crying in the rain to mask one’s tears is both unimaginative and incapable of supporting the weight of an already overplayed theme in pop music, where a star’s glamorous life masks their inner turmoil.
Vulnerability is reclaimed almost immediately on the album’s shining point, “Times Like These.” The song’s 2000s-inspired production provides a desolate setting for Rae’s contemplative musings. She sings of the uncertainty of her life in this transitional period, ruminating on her body and mental state, with impassioned lyrics like “Do I eat what I want tonight / Or will it make me feel less tight?” and “Am I too young to be this mad? / Am I too old to blame my dad?” The track is the peak of Rae’s lyricism and is bolstered by superior production, allowing the heart of the record to shine — “Head out the window, my song on the radio / Head out the window, let’s see how far I’ll go.”
The album comes to a fitting conclusion with “Headphones On,” an exploration of Rae’s attitude for the journey ahead. Through a series of layered vocals, Rae articulates “Guess I gotta accept the pain / Need a cigarette to make me feel better / Every good thing comes my way” before deciding to “put (her) headphones on.” The track takes on an opiate nature, a soothing ending to an album that oscillates manically between the highs and lows of fame.
“Addison” is a stellar debut and a manifestation of a unique cultural moment. Listeners are privy to the journey of a rising popstar willing to take her audience anywhere, but only if they keep their headphones on.
Alyssia Ouhocine is a Senior Staff Writer covering Arts & Culture. Hailing from Bayonne, New Jersey, she is concentrating in English and History with a particular interest in Algerian history and literature. When she’s not writing, she can be found listening to music and sending Google Calendar invites.
