Say what you want about Addison Rae, but the girl works for what she wants and doesn’t jump headfirst without a plan, even when we don’t know about it. I recently saw an interview about how she essentially was playing the algorithm to gain her following at all costs necessary, so whilst the world just saw a girl dancing on TikTok, she was counting down until she could take her career off TikTok, which she has done with great success. 

Let’s start with the album art. Harkening back to the mid to late 2000s album cover art style, even Taylor Swift had at least three covers just like this at that time, a mix of EPs and albums. I like that it feels like a step to becoming a quintessential pop princess.

On to the album. It’s a 12-track album, with a running time of 33 minutes. It contains her summer 2024 hit Diet Pepsi, as well as many other well-anticipated tracks, including Headphones On, which went viral in the UK from her teaser featuring our beloved Iceland.

New York

The song kicks off with some experimental elements. It’s not a very linear-sounding song, but the different elements, breathy vocals, blank spots, and heavy electronic sounds make it feel very Europop, especially when the beat drops with the chorus and the track goes on. 

Knowing she is friends with Charli XCX, it’s clear to see that some of her influence has come through. As someone who is not 100% familiar with her game musically, it was a surprise, and I really grew to love it. 

Diet Pepsi

For me, Diet Pepsi was one of the key songs of summer 2024. Whilst everyone was having a Brat summer, I was singing along to Addison Rae, who made an appearance on the Brat Tour. 

Like the album art, something about this song had an airy and nostalgic feel. The breathy way she sings this song would seem off-putting, however, it adds to the yearning and youthful lust that is present throughout the track. 

Lyrically, it’s quite a simple song, the chorus repeating six times, leaving little room for verses or a bridge, but in gods year 2025, it seems only Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams remember to add bridges to their music.

Despite its lyrical downfall, I love this song and all the fun it represents. This song makes me think of the teen coming-of-age summer flicks I’d watch in my teen years, waiting for my time to shine (which never came).

Money Is Everything

One thing that is present in the song is that Addison opens with a small phrase or a few sentences of speech to set up the tone. She also does this in New York. The song truly begins 30 seconds in, with heavy drums and a fun synth sound as Addison asks, “Can a girl have fun?”

This song is all about the hedonistic fun of Hollywood, name-dropping icons of the space like Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Norma Jeane, more famously known as Marilyn Monroe. 

Addison sings about the joys of being famous, the wealth it provides and her need to spend it, opposing her mother’s notion of saving her money for a rainy day. 

The song has a pseudo-trap sound to it, with new age Y2K elements to make it feel more nostalgic. Including a breakdown where she screams out in elation to close out to song, about how she is “the richest girl in the world”, which she very well may be.

Aquamarine

Continuing with the nostalgic feel, the opening of Aquamarine is full of synths that descend into a sick drum beat, which reminded me of Madonna’s music in the 90s. 

The whole album feels self-centred in the best way, Addison knows she’s just that girl and like she says in the chorus, the world is her oyster and she is ready to make it known.

This would go down well on UK radio, it has that nostalgic house feel that works well for stations like Heart Radio.

Lost & Found

Lost & Found starts off feeling really cinematic, for a 50-second interlude track. It works as a bridge between the first half of her album and the second half.

High Fashion

High Fashion takes that cinematic sound that lives in Lost & Found and takes it on, as it picks up some drums and electric sounds. This song brings us into the modern age, shedding the nostalgia as Addison breaks down the realities of being with her, not craving love but High Fashion.

Surprisingly, this song seems to have a bridge, which was well appreciated. 

Overall, this sounds like it could play in a party scene or montage scene in Euphoria and fit right in. 

Summer Forever

From the start of this song, I was really enjoying it. The opening reminded me of mid-2010s EDM summer anthems. Breaking down into a more traditional structured song, clear vocals with her wispy, breathy style. 

It’s such a nostalgic sound to me, I can see this song slotting into a Tumblr user’s playlist, with that Lana Del Rey feel to the chorus.  

Lyrically, the song is quite solid. They really convey the yearning for an endless summer, the flings, the friends and parties and connections made when you’re young are all reflected in this song.

I can definitely see myself adding this track to my summer nostalgia playlists and not realising it was 10 years late to the game, which, reader, is a good thing.

In the Rain

We dip our toes back into a more experimental sound here, as Addison Rae layers the different elements of the song before she comes in to sing at 24 seconds. You can hear all the building blocks of the song, which is quite an interesting way to get started.

Lyrically, Addison Rae is looking inwards on how she got to where she is now, the people she’s found and lost in the pursuit of fame. She also talks about how her smile is her protection, acting as a mask for fans, whilst she cries in the rain, presumably to mask that she is crying.

It’s quite an interesting song because of the way it’s built. It fits into the happy-sounding song with sad lyrics category, although the backing track has a darker feel to it, reminiscent of old TV theme shows for shows like Grey’s Anatomy or House.

Fame Is a Gun

For those who may not care to know much about Addison outside of her TikTok’s, you may find this album is surprisingly deep. Fame is a Gun very much pokes at why people would want to be famous, when once they reach fame, they are caged, but their silent suffering spurs others to aspire to be them without knowing that ‘the glamorous life’ is a hoax.

Lyrically, it’s kind of raw, but the instrumental has this fast-paced, ‘go go go’ sound to it, much like I imagine life feels once you reach the heights Addison has managed.

Times Like These

Times Like These reflects the internal struggle that fame has brought to Addison’s life, her conceding that this is just how it has to be. It’s refreshing to see someone with her fame so open about how it feels, but I think this comes from her writing this album after she got famous, whereas many people have their debut album come out then they graft for fame.

Sonically, it follows that airy nostalgic vibe, adding a hazey feel, like the head fog that Addison may have felt as she was writing these lyrics, trying to filter what her life has become and how she should feel about it now. 

Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters

Like Lost & Found,  this song works like a small palette cleanser, a bridge to the final track of the album, Headphones On. 

Addison repeats “Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters” with an almost orchestral backing track. 

Going into English Literature brain mode, this can be seen as Addison conceding that she actually likes the murky world of fame. That the pace and not knowing what’s next may be exhilarating for her, the ‘clear waters’ of mundane life, where you follow a set path, may be boring and unwanted in her eyes, especially now that she’s tasted fame. 

Headphones On

This song feels like an appropriate climax to the album. If we look at the body of work as a whole, it’s like walking with Addison through the stages of grief and Headphones On is acceptance.

Walk with me here, listening to this song feels like when you and your mate go on a walk, sharing a headphone (wired) each and just chatting. This feeling becomes more prevalent as Addison reflects on her upbringing and her standing in the ranks of pop-girly rankings.

Putting her headphones on blocks out the world, reminding us she’s still just a girl. She still finds comfort in the ways that her fans presumably do. It also works as a bit of a positive manifestation song, as she proclaims ‘every good thing still comes my way’, all she has to do is accept the pain that comes with it. Much is life if you think about it.

Overall, I had a pleasant time listening to this album and getting to understand Addison Rae and her ways of thinking a lot better.  I’m looking forward to seeing what she puts out next.

“Addison” by Addison Rae is out now. Stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2ffVa2UhHUDwMHnr685zJ4