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Six years ago, Addison Rae became one of TikTok’s pioneer influencers. Now, she’s making her mark as a leading pop star with her debut album, “Addison.”

Released on June 6, “Addison” includes 12 tracks with a runtime of 33 minutes, featuring singles like “Diet Pepsi” and “Aquamarine.” The project is her first and only album so far, shifting away from her social media stardom and her previously bombed single, “Obsessed”

Rae’s rise to TikTok fame started back in 2019, at a time when the app was gaining traction. With the pandemic forcing people to stay indoors, Rae’s popularity soared. Posting up to 12 videos everyday, Rae was on everyone’s feed, becoming one of the most followed figures on the app with 88.3 million followers and 5.8 billion likes.

Now, “Addison” focuses on Rae’s journey with young love, her reimagined future and life as a celebrity in a captivating, magnetic manner. Veering away from the typical synth-pop albums that oversaturate the genre, “Addison” is a bold step out of the norm. By becoming mononymous, Rae is on the way to join greats like Madonna and Beyoncé.

The album’s first track, “New York,” perfectly encapsulates the thrill of living in the city as a young adult, as well as the album’s overall blend of dreamy and euphoric beats. While some may leave the city for an escape, others, like Rae, seek freedom from one city to the next.

“L.A. is my home but I’m ready to go,” Rae sings, describing how she immediately hits the clubs from the airport in the Big Apple. For Rae, New York City makes her “feel so free,” calling the concrete jungle her religion.

The chorus follows a club-like tempo as the lyrics repeat “I love New York,” drawing similarities to Charli XCX’s adrenaline-fueled album “BRAT.” XCX and Rae previously collaborated on a “Von dutch” remix, and the influences on “Addison” is clear. “New York” embraces the new wave of party songs within the genre.

The second track pivots away from the club-thumping flow and transitions to a more melodic and sensual tone as Rae describes the dizzying high of experiencing young love for the first time in “Diet Pepsi.”

The song begins with Rae describing her physical self. Like the song’s atmospheric tone, Rae is irresistible.

“Body’s a work of art you’d die to see,” she sings.

The track takes a more hypnotic feel leading up to the chorus as Rae describes losing her innocence for the first time. As Rae details the encounter, she transitions to a softer and sweeter tone, embodying the exhilaration of young lust. It’s a desirable feeling, and Rae managed to express this perfectly.

In terms of the album’s instrumentals, track four, “Aquamarine,” is the most experimental yet, combining its rhythmic bass layered with glossy pop tunes.

The first notes of the song immediately showcase this diversity as it echoes the feeling of being transported into a new world. This mirrors Rae talking of venturing outside her status of being a TikTok influencer.

“Honey, dive into me/I’m not hiding anymore,” she sings.

In the bridge on “Aquamarine,” Rae recounts her days on TikTok and how the platform put a spotlight on her, turning her into one of the most popular figures on the app. As Rae looks at “transforming and realigning” herself, she brings her fans and listeners closer into this new chapter of her life as an artist.

Sophia Burke | Digital Design Director

As the album reaches a midpoint, Rae gets candid about her celebrity lifestyle in “High Fashion.” Unabashed and unashamed, Rae admits enjoying being in the spotlight.

The song starts by posing a question: “Have you ever dreamt of being seen?/Not by someone, more like in magazine.”

Unlike other celebrities who avoid being seen by the media, Rae craves it. While celebrity life is often depicted as a drug-fueled world littered with superficial love, Rae desires acquiring haute couture goods that come with being a celebrity.

While some may see this as a shallow and tone-deaf interpretation of the lifestyle, Rae merely speaks her truth. Who wouldn’t want the latest pair of Gucci shoes or a Birkin bag?

Though Rae glamorizes young lust in “Diet Pepsi,” she grapples with the realities from her past love in the eighth song of the album, titled “In The Rain.”

Before fame, Rae describes herself as “young, dumb and cute” with “nothing to lose.” However, she must answer for her naive self as she’s now drawn more and more into the spotlight.

As Rae makes her strong feelings toward her ex known, she’s ashamed of having to think about him, calling it a “waste of time.” Embarrassed of caring so much about him, she cries, but only in the rain so as to not reveal her tears. While “In The Rain” takes a darker tone, its lyrics handle a more innovative spin compared to the other tracks.

The album concludes with “Headphones On” On top of confronting her past, Rae also hints at jealousy and her parents’ all-consuming divorce, which was highly publicized in the media. She describes her own form of therapy: lighting a cigarette while listening to her favorite song with headphones on.

Stylistically and lyrically, “Headphones On” is Rae’s weakest track in the album. Its straightforward lyrics provide little depth to Rae’s central themes while its dull and one-dimensional sound was a letdown to the album’s overall dreamscape.

In an attempt to rebrand her image, Rae’s debut album has paid off. By embracing her artistic endeavors, the singer has managed to produce a summer album sure to garner fans under her new image. “Addison” is enticing and alluring, and only greatness is to come for the new pop star.

Published on June 11, 2025 at 4:12 pm