Addison Rae is enjoying one of the most generational rebrands in pop culture rn. With her self-named album out today (June 6th), and a tour to be announced soon, Addison has transformed herself from the most-followed TikToker on the app to a pop star with over 12.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify. But how did she do it?
Real ones know Addison Rae has been gunning for a rebrand for some time, and her first aim at success outside of TikTok wasn’t even in music. In August 2020, she launched a beauty line called “Item Beauty,” with moderate success, although the line was dropped by Sephora and discontinued after less than 3 years. Her next attempt at stardom was in the 2021 Netflix show “He’s All That,” a cameo that came with some controversy (the show as a whole was not received well).
It was a couple of months after the launch of Item Beauty that Addison first gave music a try with her debut track “Obsessed”. Although the single received mixed reviews, she kept the traction going and released an EP in August 2023 titled “AR” with a Charli XCX feature – a collaboration that would set the foundation for the final form of her rebrand.
The first sign of Addison Rae’s rebrand came in the form of her second song with Charli XCX: the “Von Dutch Remix” featuring A.G. Cook and Addison herself, which dropped in March 2024. On socials, people were impressed with her verse on the remix that, along with an updated beat, featured an improvised scream from Addison that set the tone for Charli’s soon-to-be-viral Brat era.
Addison Rae’s friendship with Charli XCX has definitely had an influence on her rebrand, with all the cigarettes and party girl vibes, the sex appeal and even her sound that reimagines that of 2000s pop icons like Britney Spears – just listen to “Diet Pepsi”. Although, critics have claimed that Addison Rae’s aesthetic feels forced and performative, with one TikTok user saying “I don’t think Addison Rae even likes cigarettes.”
Whether you consider her an industry plant or a talented performer, it doesn’t seem like Addison Rae’s trajectory is about to slow down. With five successful singles out already, an album dropping today that has been well-anticipated, and a hoard of already established celebrities including Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, Lana del Rey, and more behind her, can anything stand in Addison Rae’s way?
Featured image via @addisonraee ©
