Welcome to pillbugm.blog

Like most modern influencers / social media personalities or whatever you might call the people who pop up in the algorithmic poison of your choice, it was clear that Addison Rae had very little idea what she wanted to do with the fame she’d stumbled into as one of the many conventionally attractive youths lip-syncing to popular songs on TikTok back in 2019. Thrust into internet stardom without really having “been” in anything that might endear a general populace to her at the age of 19, Addison had both the best and the worst of the internet.

On one hand, it seemed like her status as an influencer offered her countless opportunities in a time where every company seemed to be trying to capitalize off the newfangled TikTok thing. On the other hand, every misstep was out for everyone to see, all the time. If you’re familiar with Addison Rae, you probably know what I’m referring to – joining the infamous influencer group Hype House, her family drama, releasing her debut single Obsessed in 2021 and starring in the lead role of He’s All That (2021) in the same year. I would describe her debut single as being not the worst thing ever, but generic and faceless. He’s All That however, might actually be one of the worst things ever – a terrible rom-com you’d find in the abscesses of Netflix based off of a 90s rom-com that I already do not care for. 

Despite these blunders being cycled into commentary channel fodder that year, she undoubtedly worked hard to prove that she had what it took to play the fame game, even if it meant stepping away from TikTok and the typical content creation path for good. After gradually earning back her goodwill through releasing her first EP AR in August 2023, she got her breakthrough in 2024 from being a part of Charli XCX’s ‘brat pack’, having featured on the Von Dutch remix in 2024 (see my review here), and finally releasing Diet Pepsi, a modest hit that landed Addison her first Billboard top 100 hit and earned her some goodwill from the only demographic that really matters in pop – the chronically online.

Personally, I thought Diet Pepsi was a genuine improvement and catered to Addison’s strengths and weaknesses. She might not be the most technically competent singer, but the summery production complements her more wispy voice – not to mention it is an actual earworm instead of being utterly forgettable (*cough* Obsessed), which is really what bubblegum pop needs to be. More importantly though, it established Addison’s brand in that sort of early Lana Del Rey territory (albeit with slightly less references to California) – summery, carefree, and demure with a bit of a chronically online unseriousness to it. 

I don’t bring up Addison’s history to disparage her efforts at achieving success and fame. I think it is good that artists want fame and acclaim, as long as it drives them to continue reinventing and building on their strengths (instead of resorting to controversy!). That drive is what keeps artists going on the continuous climb – after all, you have to fail spectacularly to make anything good. 

And yes, I think Addison Rae’s debut album Addison is a generally good pop album. It builds on the sound established in Diet Pepsi with heavy influences from Grimes’ Art Angels (2015), marrying the sort of bubblegum pop from musical icons like Britney Spears and Madonna, with a more bratty, ‘chronically online’ image a la Charli XCX and Sophie. I would also be inclined to bring up the Lana Del Rey influences again with how self-referential it is, but quite frankly this is a rather overdone comparison for modern pop girlies. In Money is Everything – a trip-hop inspired track after the aforementioned Diet Pepsi, where Addison literally imagines herself hanging out with Madonna, Gaga and Lana – a decision that could very easily come off as tacky, but weirdly works for her style of delivery – it is Addison establishing that she does have an appreciation and understanding of the pop scene, and that this is something she is committed to. 

Indeed, beyond establishing her sound, perhaps Addison’s greatest success in tackling the insincere allegations head on. In her earlier musical endeavours, the general discourse surrounding it was that she was releasing music for the sake of releasing music. The covid years were, after all, perhaps some of the best (worst?) years for various internet personalities who suddenly become pop stars despite never really showing an interest for music beforehand – think whatever Dream was doing or the musical efforts from Dixie D’Amelio – another TikTokker from the aforementioned crop of dancing youths. 

Addison delves deeper into Addison’s own persona, with Addison herself embracing her history in the limelight or how she is perceived by the general public (though perhaps that was rather obvious from the album title). “I enjoy fame – I think fame is very exposing and raw”, she said, echoing the album’s overall sentiment in a recent Guardian interview.

Addison’s relationship with fame and the combination of glamour and isolation that it brings is the central theme of the album. Tracks like High Fashion, New York and Money is Everything focusing on the superficial glamour whilst maintaining a feeling of loneliness and overexposure, though nowhere is the theme of the album more obvious than on the closer Headphones On, following the spacey interlude Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters. It is a catchy but sentimental record on the loneliness of fame where she contemplates the fleeting nature of all fame.

Similarly, in Fame is a Gun, the best song off the album and I will not be taking any suggestions, Addison proudly embracing the feeling that fame gives her over a very Y2K-inspired, but still metropolitan production style. “Nothing makes me feel as good // As being loved by you” as she sings – it’s clear that the pseudo lover that many of the album’s tracks are dedicated to refers to her audience, and the attention she has received over the years. 

Addison might not be for everyone – it leans extremely hard into bubblegum pop and isn’t quite experimental enough to impress the more alternative crowd, and there is a certain embarrassment that comes from having to show your friends your Spotify Wrapped with Fame is a Gun in the top spot – but I think it is a worthwhile listen if only to establish that it is possible to overcome your reputation. 

Favorite Tracks: “Fame is a Gun”, “Headphones On”, “Aquamarine”

Rating: B+