Addison Rae Enlists ELVIRA and Luka Kloser for an Impressive Debut
Addison Rae, before our eyes, is executing what seems to be the most successful influencer-turned-pop star transition since Troye Sivan released “Happy Little Pill”. Addison debuted in 2021 with her first single, “Obsessed”, which was panned both critically and online. She told the New York Times’ Popcast: “I felt definitely a little beaten down. I was like, ‘Oh, wait, I can’t just have fun and explore. People are not gonna allow that.’” The follow-up to “Obsessed” came in 2023 with the AR EP. The seeds for Addison were planted in this era- “2 die 4” leaked around a year in advance, which built up a considerable amount of hype given that Rae’s only previous release was so controversial. This was followed by Charli xcx featuring on a remix of “2 die 4”, which gave Rae a newfound credibility to many people. From staged pap walks wearing questionable Y2K-inspired outfits to aligning herself with huge electropop icons (here she is in 2023 paying homage to SOPHIE), Rae gradually began to establish herself in the online alt-pop community as one to watch. In 2024 she featured alongside A.G. Cook on the remix of “Von Dutch”, the lead single to Charli xcx’s instant classic BRAT.
Addison’s highly considered rollout began back in August 2024 with the viral hit “Diet Pepsi”: a Lana-esque tale of young love set to a pulsing synth soundscape. An accompanying art-house style music video, shot in black-and-white with stunning cinematography from Sean Price WIlliams, was incredibly compelling. “Aquamarine” dropped just several weeks later, but was somewhat forgettable. A remix version, however, “Aquamarine” (featuring electronic music icon Arca) once again signaled that Addison was aiming higher than Top-40 poptimism. “High Fashion” (my personal favorite pre-released track) seemed to fly under the radar, despite its production boasting an amped-up version of “Diet Pepsi”’s LFO extravaganza, plus campy lyrics about being obsessed with, or addicted to, fashion and clothes. “Headphones On” officially kicked off the Addison album countdown, released to the (increasingly intrigued) general public in April with an accompanying music video (shot in Iceland by director of Rosalía’s “Hentai”, Mitch Ryan) and official album announcement.
Ethan James Green
“New York” is a frantic, very short, and oddly structured opening track. As its title suggests, it’s a loving ode to New York City (“Oh God, I love New York / Feel so free / It’s my religion”). Its payoff is decent, with its final 40 seconds culminating in an electro house breakdown. Throughout this album, Addison grapples with the idea of “wanting it”. “Money is Everything”, an immediate standout which feels like the near future of pop forecasted in two short minutes, is full of references to successful women (“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”). “Money is Everything” features ambitious production from ELVIRA and Luka Kloser, with trap-inspired drums and electric vocal effects. In “Fame Is A Gun”, Addison admits that she “always wanted more”. In an age of despondency, where it’s no longer cool to try, these confessions are powerful. Especially coming from a young female artist who’s decidedly still up-and-coming.
“Summer Forever” is a dreamy track about a long-term relationship. “In The Rain” seems to be an out-of-left-field reference to A-Ha’s “Crying In The Rain” from East of the Sun, West of the Moon. “Times Like These” features elusive lyrics and production that evokes early Britney Spears. This record has two interludes, “Lost & Found” and “Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters”. It’s debatable what these songs actually add to the album besides a pretty soundscape, but in 2025, when almost every hit song is the length of a ringtone, attempting to bring back interludes and >10 track albums is an admirable goal.
Mitch Ryan
Overall, Addison is an enjoyable listen. Being produced entirely by Addison, ELVIRA, and Luka Kloser gives it a certain cohesion which is seldom seen in a major-label debut. It’s supposedly ‘the first and last album by Addison Rae’, which teases a rebrand in which it’s safe to assume Addison Rae will just start going by Addison. As long as Addison’s highly developed taste and creative vision are at the helm, this is sure to be the start of a long and fruitful career.