Addison: Debut Record Sells an Aesthetic But Fails to Deliver Substance

Written by Alexa Farrar

In 2024, Addison Rae walked into Columbia Records. But she wasn’t there to pitch demos. Instead, she opted to bring a curated mood board. In it, she included colors such as hot pink and aquamarine (which would later become the title of her second single). She described her music as being upbeat and energetic, taking inspiration from many of the aesthetics present in the pop of the early aughts. Think glitter, colorful graphics, and bedazzled low-rise jeans. And her pitch worked. Shortly after, Addison signed a deal and released “Diet Pepsi”, her breakout single. Within a year, she has released five singles, her debut album, announced a headlining tour and went from the TikTok “For You” page to the cover of Rolling Stone. 

Addison grew up in Louisiana and began dancing competitively at the age of six. This led her to start posting on TikTok in 2019, the early days of the platform, where she quickly amassed a fanbase and became one of the most followed creators on the app. Many influencers have tried to make the jump over to music, the majority unsuccessful. So what separates Addison from the people she rose to fame alongside? And does her album back up all the attention that it’s been getting?

Many people are apprehensive about her music due to questions over its authenticity. Her debut 2021 single, “Obsessed”, garnered an overwhelmingly negative reception which I largely agree with. It’s pandering to an audience that I’m not sure exists. It lacks the self awareness to be considered camp, though it does carry a similar theme of self worship that her more recent work does. Going back to the authenticity point, I believe this new album is genuinely the music she wants to create. Addison isn’t phoning it in like many other influencers whose music was clearly a quick cash grab. Everyone she has collaborated with has stressed how involved she is in the creative process. Her debut album, Addison, only includes two other primary writers (Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser) who also serve as producers. She has been praised by seasoned artists like Lorde and Haley Williams of Paramore, and has collaborated with Charli XCX and Arca.

So when Rae released Addison earlier this June, I really wanted to like it. On first listen I appreciated the energy it has combined with her wispy vocal delivery. Despite this, it continues to fall flat for me. Even though I appreciated the production and instrumentation, the lyrics were jarringly simplistic. So focused on eliciting a feeling that they turn into psychobabble. The sixth track on the album, “High Fashion”, is a prime example of this. The production is an interesting addition to the modern pop landscape, full of little interruptions in instrumentation while still retaining a fluidity throughout. But even though it's little more than three minutes, a majority of its runtime consists of the same lyrics repeated over and over again. Eight of the lines are taken up by her singing “I'd rather get, rather get, rather get”. I can appreciate simplicity when it is done with a purpose. Charli XCX's song "party 4 u" is a great example of simple lyrics done in a calculated way. She repeats lyrics with purpose and uses her production to tell a story. But Addison’s attempt lacks direction, making “High Fashion” a mood board without any substance. Though the production has improved from her first foray into music, just like with “Obsessed”, this song seems to have nothing to say. 

Despite her debut’s shortcomings, I do believe Addison Rae has potential. She has a unique vision that can provide something new to the pop scene. But do I think that her album is as incredible as people are making it out to be? No. The idea of comparing her to pop legends like Lana Del Ray or Britney Spears seems premature. Addison clearly knows how she wants people to feel, she just needs to change up her approach. Her lyrics don’t need to be profound examinations of the human condition to contain meaning. Her music can be fun and light without having poor lyrics that take you out of the flow of the song. I am hopeful that in the future Addison will focus less on vision and more on substance.

1. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/addison-rae-tiktok-debut-album-1235231878

2. https://www.stereogum.com/2311574/addison-rae-album-review/columns/chained-to-the-rhythm

3. https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/addison-rae-diet-pepsi-hot-100-first-timers-1235776920/

4. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/23/how-addison-rae-went-from-tiktok-to-the-pop-charts

5. https://www.businessinsider.com/addison-rae-album-rebrand-explained-2025-6#:~:text=Rae%20has%20proudly%20told%20news,of%20her%20new%20self%2Dmythology.

6. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/arts/music/addison-rae-addison-album.html