Addison by Addison Rae // Debut Album Review

Addison Rae's self-titled debut album is a refreshingly sincere and euphoric burst of pop, glittering with personality and unshakable self-belief. She brings a radiant dose of positivity with her music, which not only shines throughout this entire album, but also reflects in her public persona as well. She is the girl she says she is, which makes even the campiest, tongue-in-cheek lyrics feel rooted in something genuine. Addison fills a space in pop that's been missing: something playful, glitzy, and heartfelt all at once. "It's a journey, the music is very introspective," Addison said in an interview with Elle. She added that it is "...kind of a look in the mirror at myself and I think a very optimistic approach at the hard times in life."

Despite her uniquely unconventional rise as one of the earliest breakout TikTok stars, Addison has managed to carve out a new lane for herself, one that far surpasses her social media beginnings. She has been building to this moment since her debut single "Obsessed" was released in 2021. It was met with mixed reviews at the time and initially discouraged her from pursuing music further. Between 2021 and 2023, several demos were leaked from her scrapped debut album that ended up garnering a bit of cult following for how genuinely great they were. She ended up releasing a five track EP titled AR in 2023 with some of these songs, from an iconic Charli xcx feature on "2 die 4", to the long-storied "Nothing On (But The Radio)", which started as a fan favorite Lady Gaga leaked demo from 2010 and finally found a home officially released on AR. It's clear throughout that time that she has experienced a massive artistic evolution, one with such a clear vision for where she wants to take this next chapter of her career.

Within that time, Addison has been able to achieve something remarkably rare, as very few social media stars have been able to pivot this successfully into a mainstream career as well as she has. Maybe it's the post-BRAT wave of pop music that has made way for artists to unapologetically embrace their hyper-feminine side, in a way that blends camp with true sincerity, or maybe its that she has had all of the ingredients for a future pop icon from the start and finally found the right moment to fully embrace it. She leans into a vision that is deeply referential yet unmistakably her own, pulling from her specific influences with clarity and confidence.

Addison wears her influences on her sleeve and fully owns it. On "Money Is Everything" she specifically name-drops some of the pop greats - Madonna, Lana Del Rey, and Lady Gaga. They are absolutely three of the most prominent influences across this album, the paths they have forged in their art absolutely gave the space for an artist like Addison to be able to make the music she's making now. She even shares a glittering-ode to Marilyn Monroe in the chorus with the line, "Diamonds are my best friend like I'm Norma Jeane".

Another one of the most poignant influences that she is channeling throughout all of her work is Britney Spears. Plenty of pop stars have taken influence from Britney's career, whether it's sonically, aesthetically, or in their performance style, but few have done it with the reverence and self-awareness that Addison brings. It truly does feel like a heartfelt homage to Britney's music and her generational legacy. There's also the undeniable connection of being the girl from small-town Louisiana with big pop dreams, a parallel they share that gives Addison's music an extra layer of personal sincerity.

"The girl I used to be is still the girl inside of me," she sings at the end of the cheeky second verse of "Money Is Everything". That is a line that encapsulates so much of her artistic ethos: honoring the past, embracing her influences, and turning admiration into aspiration.

This album was co-produced, written and performed in it's entirety by three women; Addison, ELVIRA, and Luka Kloser. Every single track is a result of their creative synergy, which is such a strong and cohesive body of work. In an industry where women are still underrepresented behind the scenes, this album feels like a bold statement that reinforces the power of women-led pop from the ground up. It is sadly quite a rare feat in the industry, especially for a major label pop record, so that alone feels like such a meaningful statement for Addison to be making with this music. "The sound is very unique, the girls and I who worked on the music, Luka & ELVIRA, our goal was to challenge ourselves with sounds and also play with sounds that were very intuitive, and for the lyrics really guided the production, they started here and it kinda went somewhere else," Addison said in an interview with Elle.

Addison was greatly shaped by the first four singles that preceded its release, each helping to define its sound and solidify her presence as a legitimate pop artist. At the core of that rollout is the irresistible lead single "Diet Pepsi". Released in the summer of 2024, its success really shifted the conversation around Addison's music and opened the door for her to be able to take the leap into making a full-length debut album. Addison, Luka and ELVIRA made this song the day they met, which ended up shaping the direction for the rest of their work together. "It was a really special energy", she said in an interview with Vogue.

It beautifully set the tone for what the rest of this album was going to be and is truly one of the best pop songs released this decade so far. "When we drive in your car, I'm your baby, losing all my innocence in the backseat, say you love, say you love, say you love me," she sings in the chorus. The specific Americana aesthetics and overall sultriness of the track are very reminiscent of early Lana Del Rey, paired with the lush production qualities that have come to be her signature sound over the years. "Sitting on his lap, sippin' Diet Pepsi" is one of the many iconic lines that really embodies all of those elements she is pulling from with this song.

The album opens with the irresistible "New York" - a campy, high-energy anthem built on the most infectious dance beat. Addison captures the intoxicating mix of wide-eyed glamour and chaotic freedom of the city, or at least the fantasy of being in New York and all its promises. "Oh God, I love New York, love New York, love New York," she repeats over and over throughout the song, like a mantra for anyone who's ever fallen in love with the city, or even just the idea of it. Lyrically, it's simple and repetitive, but that's what makes it work, as it taps into the romanticized idea of going to New York as an escape from your own reality. The Y2K, indie sleaze club energy is so strong and feels so aligned with Addison's entire aesthetic.

The rest of the album is packed with pure pop anthems that are equally playful, clever, and easy to lose yourself in. Addison leans into an "it girl" persona with just the right mix of humor and edge with such a stellar delivery that makes it all work so well. She carries this distinct ambition that reminds me of the drive behind Lana Del Rey's early work as Lizzy Grant or the attitude on deeper cuts from Lady Gaga's The Fame debut.

"High Fashion", the album's third single, embodies those ambitions best. There's a hint of Britney's Blackout era in the grittiness of it too, which blends into this sort of glamorous, satirical Hollywood fantasy. "I don't need your drugs, I'd rather get, rather get high fashion," she sings in the chorus. Not wanting to get sucked into the darkness of the Hollywood lifestyle, she sings with this hunger and drive to live the life she's dreamt of. It's sincere, but also balanced with very funny one liners that are instantly memorable. "I'd rather feel the sun kiss on my skin, with a cigarette pressed between my tits," she sings in the second verse, "You know I'm not an easy fuck, but whеn it comes to shoes, I'll be a slut".

"Fame Is A Gun" is definitely my favorite track of the entire album, it's so addictive and dramatic in all of the best ways. Once again, she is fully channeling the energy of Gaga's early work, and giving into the spectacle and intensity that comes with striving for pop stardom. It particularly feels like an updated take on the title track of her 2008 debut, "The Fame" - especially as they share the same indelible hunger and fearlessness to succeed no matter who doubts you. "There's no mystery, I'm gonna make it, gonna go down in history...when you shame me, it makes me want it more" is a line that echoes that same raw ambition Gaga was channeling back then too.

There's something very Warholian about the song too, both in the production and the performance. It taps into that idea of image as art and the public gaze as the most valuable currency. Throughout the album, Addison reflects on her complicated relationship with fame and being a persona online, fully wanting to make the most of her 15 minutes of fame, so to speak. But here, she fully inhabits the role of the ultra-confident star that is empowered by the attention, regardless of it being positive or negative. "Fame Is A Gun" blurs the lines between reality and aesthetic in a way that's really smart. "Fame is a gun and I point it blind, crash and burn, girl, baby, swallow it dry, you got a front row seat and I got a taste of the glamorous life" she sings in the chorus.

In an interview with Apple Music, Addison shared that the song came from time spent in New York and the desire to make something "up-tempo and sexy and a little dark." She cited inspiration from Sheila E.'s 1984 track "The Glamorous Life," and you can definitely hear that influence in the retro-glam production. "I loved that concept of - yeah, I do want the glamorous life," she said. "Fame is almost the price that you pay for that life, and...you don't really know what you're doing with it when you experience it, so you're pointing it blind, and you're unsure of what is going to be destroyed by it when you're experiencing it for the first time and it's just really reckless."

There are different emotional textures woven throughout the album, and some of the most striking moments come when Addison opens up emotionally. There's a softness that comes with these songs when she lets her guard down and opens up about her experiences in this way. Songs like "In the Rain" tap into a deeper vulnerability, exploring love, loneliness, and the emotional toll of constantly living in the spotlight.

"Walk in the room, my high heels on, I strike a pose, young, dumb, and cute, nothing to lose," she sings in the opening lines, "And now the past is someone that I have to answer for, I got a whole new point of view". It's a striking reflection on how she's been perceived over the years versus the growth and maturity she has found within that time shaping who she's actively becoming. "Misunderstood but I'm not gonna sweat it, isn't it all for the show? Keepin' a smile on my face for protection, turning my tears into gold," she sings in the chorus. In an interview with Jake Shane, Addison explained the song's emotional roots, telling herself, "I'm only going to cry in the rain because I don't want people to have this this power over me of seeing me at a weak point or feeling like someone could take advantage of that, or just feeling like my sadness is a burden on people, I feel really weird about that sometimes."

There's a noticeable shift in tone in the latter half of the album, especially with "Times Like These". It's one of the most vulnerable moments on the record, revealing a side of Addison that's raw, introspective, and deeply honest in sharing her insecurities. "I know you like when I wear this dress, I feel best when I'm wearin' less, if I dye my hair bleach blonde, maybe then I'll turn you on," she sings in the opening lines, reflective of her own inner monologue. "Do I eat what I want tonight or will it make me feel less tight? I'm so caught up in my head, wanna take back what I said".

The chorus is heartbreakingly honest: "My life moves faster than me, can't feel the ground beneath my feet, no matter what I try to do". She plainly confesses, "I'm so confused", which is such a stark contrast to the confidence and boldness of the earlier tracks, but provides so much more depth to the storyline of this album. "Am I too young to be this mad? Am I too old to blame my dad?" stands out as one of the most striking and devastating lyrics of the entire record as well. The sequencing of these tracks is so evocative of the greater narrative of Addison. It strikes a balance between the desire to chase fame, but also just wanting to be seen, loved and understood in a more personal way. Ultimately, this record feels like the story of a young woman trying to make sense of her place in the world, and sometimes feeling caught between who she's expected to be and who she actually is underneath it all.

Lines like "Head out the window, my song on the radio, let's see how far I'll go" and "It's not my fate in the end, let go of all that could've been" make this song truly feel like the heart of the entire album and the emotional anchor of Addison.

The album ends on a stunning note with "Headphones On", a track that perfectly encapsulates the emotional arc Addison has been building throughout. "Guess I gotta accept the pain, need a cigarette to make me feel better, every good thing comes my way, so I still get dolled up" she sings in the opening verse and chorus. It's a bittersweet kind of optimism that embraces the broken and the beautiful parts of who we are equally.

"Wish my mom and dad could've been in love, guess some things aren't meant to last forever," she admits in the second verse, before adding, "I compare my life to the new it girl, jealousy's a riptide, it pulls me under." The sadness, the insecurities, the pressure, the ache for something more is all laid bare. Above all though, "Headphones On" is a reminder to embrace every high and low, learning to dance in the rain and keep persisting even when it feels hard to. "Every good thing comes my way" feels like such an important mantra to carry throughout life, to hold onto the belief that something better is just around the corner. This song is Addison at her most reflective, grounding the album in the one thing that's been constant through it all - music. Using it as an escape from reality and letting it carry her through life is such a perfect closing statement for this record.

Addison has carved out a space for herself in pop music with all of the sincerity, wit and glamour in a way that captures her personality and innate pop instincts. It's so rare to see a debut come together with this much clarity and confidence, but even more exciting is knowing that this is just the beginning.