Addison Rae has spent the last few years carefully building an audience online, evolving from a TikTok sensation into a multi-hyphenate entertainer. With the release of her long-awaited debut album, “Addison”, she finally completes the leap from viral dance trends to the main stage of pop. The album features previously released singles such as “Diet Pepsi”, “Aquamarine”, “High Fashion”, “Headphones On”, and “Fame is a Gun”.
If you’ve been following Addison’s trajectory, you’ll know this moment has been a long time coming. Along the way, she’s secured co-signs from major pop figures—most notably Charli XCX, with whom she’s collaborated on several projects. Their shared flair for genre-bending, hyper-pop sensibilities, and internet-era aesthetics has undeniably helped Addison shape a pop persona that’s part Y2K nostalgia, part digital-age icon.
The album kicks off with “New York”, a glitchy, synth-heavy opener with pulsating beats and an experimental edge. It’s not the most immediate or catchy track, but it sets the tone for the entire record.
New track “Money is Everything” follows, and feels more like an interlude than a full song. It’s a minimal, talky piece with sparse melodic development. It comes across more as a mood board than a song, hinting at themes of materialism but never quite elevating them into something memorable.
“Summer Forever” switches gears into a soft, introspective ballad with breathy, ethereal delivery over an instrumental that flirts with Eastern influences. It’s a song that may not stick on first listen, but has replay potential.
Track 8, “In The Rain”, brings emotional texture to the project. With a Y2K-inspired drum pattern and introspective lyrics about maintaining image amidst personal turmoil, this is one of the album’s strongest deep cuts.
Then comes “Times Like These”, released alongside the album with a cinematic music video. It’s a modern R&B track drenched in nostalgia, evoking the breezy grooves of late ’90s pop acts. There’s a sense of confidence here, both in its production and delivery, that signals Addison’s growing comfort as an artist rather than a viral personality.
While the previously singles outshine the new material, “Addison” is a promising start. For a debut, it’s imperfect but bold, with just enough pop ambition to leave us curious for what’s next.
Rating: 6.5/10