This was previously published in our September 2025 issue.
High fashion, fame, and synth-pop. Who could have known that amongst the walls of a Los Angeles mansion, filled with a couple teenagers dancing to viral TikTok dances, was also one of this generation’s greatest upcoming stars.
Addison Rae was a name introduced and branded as a simple L.A. girl, creating easy money and fame with 15-second dance videos. Yet, Rae’s teenage spirit flourished into a new and authentic pop star agenda, accompanied with the release of a striking new album “Addison,” released in June 2025.
During the COVID-19 quarantine, Rae was one of the many figures of “The Hype House,” a content creation house that boosted many young adults’ social media presence. This was only the trigger of Rae’s iconic moments in the spotlight. A traditional southern Louisiana girl, pursuing her journalism degree at Louisiana State University quickly turned into a California girl and the face of American Eagle Outfitters. Rae collected millions of followers, several pop culture controversies, and brand sponsorships with ease.
Her personal brand consisted of skinny jeans, Nike Air Forces, and strategically chosen songs for her multiple TikTok posts a day. Rae was recently on an episode of the “Popcast (Deluxe)” podcast, describing this era of her life as a route to fame, but not her true representation of herself.
“It was a lot about ‘how am I just going to get out of here [the Hype House]’. It wasn’t about ‘let me show the intricacies of myself right now,’” Rae said. She has been holding back her true persona from the media, making her new release and rebrand an even bigger statement.
In August 2024, Rae struck with the release of her single “Diet Pepsi” a flashback to the era of “bubblegum pop,” a feminine sound about the immortal feeling of being young and in love. Rae also hit fashion blogs with her new 2000s wardrobe. Strutting in Vivienne Westwood platforms, combining tutus and polka dots and jean capris with chic pair of ballet flats. New York’s new “It Girl” flooded the scene. However, “Diet Pepsi” was only a step into her new iconic music career.
With the world still captivated by her true knowledge of fashion and synth-pop, she released another single. “Headphones On” dropped in April, quickly followed by a music video resembling the unforgettable pop music videos of Y2K. Rae’s new brand was dreamy, playful, feminine, and iconic. The world never expected The Hype House’s token “dumb blonde” stereotype to become such an inspiring symbol.
Rae’s debut album “Addison” released June 26. The album includes 12 tracks, each individually shocking listeners with a new sound of pop. Rae’s instrumentals and vocals placed her debut album at number four on the Billboard 200 in June. Her song, “Fame is a Gun,” which explores themes of both the beauty and danger that comes along with fame, reached a peak position of #73 on the Hot 100 chart. Rae has now collaborated with huge artists such as Charli XCX and Lana Del Rey.
Rae carries the history of pop music with her at all times, taking heavy influences from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. Her songs are designed to be an homage to the 2000s, some even being created to display certain colors and mood boards. Rae uses synthesizers and dominant musical melodies to create an electric, girly, dance feel. Combining all these elements along with her authentic style serves to be a time machine to Y2K.
This rising pop star surely climbed her way to the top. Rae is currently on The Addison Tour, spanning twenty-four shows across Europe, North America, and Australia. A media icon is an understatement to describe Rae’s cultural rebranding. Rae continues to generate more angles of music we haven’t seen since the golden years of pop. Safe to say, we have all had our headphones on since “Addison” released.
