Addison Rae: A Career off Grifting Charli’s
Addison Rae has for some reason stuck around for half a decade. How has she done it? I don’t know.
This article is part of The G Spot, a weekly segment where criticista Gordistotle gives insight into the pop culture happenings of now through opinions or anecdotes on his life living in Toronto.
The world was first introduced to Addison Rae through a video featuring her whitewalker-eyed mom on TikTok. Which even I, who thought myself above the app in 2019, was aware of. I see on her FamousBirthdays that she left Louisiana to move into The Hype House, where she lived with famed Renegade collaborator Charli D’Amelio, among other front-permed troglodytes.
Alright, so she amassed millions of followers and dropped out of university to dance, I mean, you would too if you had the opportunity. Her proximity to Charli D‘Amelio helped her rise in fame through collaborations and other typical tween pandering. Kourtney Kardashian even had her on her payroll at some point in 2021? Gen Z optics were worth more than adrenochrome during the pandemic.
2021 was a busy year for Addison, while never taking a break from filming TikToks, she made her acting and musical debuts. Neither of these were well received, for valid reasons. I never watched her movie so I have no opinion on that, but as a pop connoisseur, “Obsessed” was horrible, there’s no need to mince words. It did however foreshadow the kind of pop music she’d be making once she further polished her craft, and of course, worked with better producers.
Addison’s music career was dead on arrival, a critical and commercial failure that made her the internet’s laughing stock for a week or two. Being the southern belle she is, she didn’t let it get her down. Despite the backlash, she continued to pursue her music career, but this time in silence.
Through gruelling labour (being caught listening to Arca on Spotify), Addison accumulated enough cool factor to become endearing to the gays. This was exactly what she needed to keep afloat while the rest of her TikTok peers missed the last lifeboat off the sinking Hype Cruise. If she hadn’t posted that Arca link, who knows where she’d be today?
Her just the right amount of tacky new track “I Got It Bad” leaked and caught the attention of Twitter homosexuals that LARP as Pitchfork Editors. My theory is that her label released it to drum up notoriety, a smart move. This release truly turned the tide for Addison Rae. For the first time ever, people were actually liking her music. I remember reading multiple “Wait, why’d she kinda eat”s on my timeline. I’ll admit it, she did.
“I Got It Bad” was a good song, ok! I still listen every now and then, albeit as a bit of a guilty pleasure. The accompanying EP ‘AR’ was kinda good too… A Gaga demo? My pum pum being to die for? Charli’s featured? And no, not D’Amelio, she had found a new Charli to latch onto.
Thus begins the working relationship between Rae and XCX, one that would, against all odds, be fruitful for both of them. Charli (XCX, from this point forward Charli refers to XCX, I don't think Addison sees much of D’Amelio anymore) introduced Addison to an even wider audience, while also further cementing her cool status. “Addison Rae is in, ok?” Kourtney Kardashian and Charli’s managers must run in the same circles.
Charli began bringing Addison to events, establishing the two of them as a duo, part of the many marketing tactics involved with the ‘Brat’ campaign. Addison’s cool factor soared to even grander heights after being brought on for the “von dutch” remix, which of course went mega-viral on TikTok. She’s the it girl after all.
This brings us to the current day; Addison has begun the rollout of her second project. This time under Columbia, a major label! How exciting! I admit, I’m kinda looking forward to it…! Addison you win, again!
While I expected it to be the teaser for the lead single, I was surprised when “Diet Pepsi” came out lacking the swooning vocals and late 90s-00s Madonna-esque beat. It’s fine Addison, I can wait, you’re doing the “I Got It Bad” formula again. Build up that anticipation, make the gays claw for you, be the star you were born to be.
She’s definitely in the process of constructing a distinct persona, this time choosing to heavily lean both aesthetically and lyrically on Lana Del Rey’s ‘Born To Die’ american slut concept. It’s not reductive if you call it inspiration, and honestly a good move considering how deeply the children of TikTok yearn for tumblr. I’m sure it’ll soundtrack many a “I’m just a girl” POV.
My thoughts on “Diet Pepsi”? I like it, it’s catchy. It's definitely very generic and safe, but for someone who may not be the most musically talented, that’s probably the best bet. We live for your charisma girl! The lyrics are repetitive enough to get in your head, and yeah I’ve been singing it all day.
The Addison Rae of today is a far cry from the one we met at the tail end of the 2010s decade. Trading in her American Eagle sponsorships and her soul to be a ‘Brat Summer’ cast extra.
That first teaser does sound good as fuck though, if Charli XCX is just the next rung on the ladder to stardom, I’m honestly here for it. Keep grifting Addison, we’re all rooting for you!