Addison Rae explores the medium of pop by clinging onto the sounds that inspires her the most, seeing what it’s like to live in the shoes of glorious pop stars like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Madonna, with fusions of modern day pop stars like Charli XCX, Lana del Ray, and even Ariana Grande. In the midst of these fusions, she interjects elements of herself into the 33 minutes of track time to give it an aquatic, glassy hyperpop feel; by adding her provocative choreography to half the project, we get an additional visual element showing what makes Addison Rae unique.
I first caught the drift of the distinct “Aquamarine” music video, which did a wonderful job of highlighting these glassy sounds to create a soundscape of an underwater experience. The grainy video shot in Paris gives us an idea of how she’s moving against the grain, and into the amphibious headspace her inspiration sources. I yearn for more of the choreography to go alongside the album; Addison is a great dancer and could’ve made this into a visual experience, which arguably was the approach to the album rollout by releasing five singles all with music videos.
“New York” intros the album with echoes of luxury; the beat is robust with the chorus having reminiscence of last years’ “Brat Summer.” The track opens us to the glamorous life she is tapped into with the influx of fame and cash from her years on TikTok. That abrasive hyper pop sound continues in “Money is Everything,” with the intro “funfunfun” having that vroom vroom EP sound from Charli in previous years. It’s a decent pop track that shows great potential, yet I feel like it’s not quite complete. The one verse we get feels shortened and awkward, rushing back into the chorus and bridge to the outro. I’d like to think, though, that it’s just a glimpse into what she’s capable of, as it’s only her first album.
The juvenile nature of this album is a theme that defines this project in multiple fashions. “Diet Pepsi” reminds me of the early days of my relationship back in high school when the car was our vehicle to break the rules. “In The Rain” reveals to us how she hides her sadness while constantly being in the public eye, being “young, dumb, and cute, nothing to lose.” While the youthful content of the tracks allows for a younger pop fanbase to connect to her project, the delivery of these songs get juvenile at times. Both “Diet Pepsi,” a track adjacent to Lana Del Ray, and “In the Rain” which aligns similar to Ariana Grande sound like diet versions of those artists. Her infancy in this industry shows in a few of the tracks, dragging with repetitive over-reliance of chorus’s; however, that’s not to say she’s not blooming.
That being said, some catchy choruses cemented themselves in my head all week. “High Fashion” despite sounding redundant at first, grew on me with its addictive organ instrumentals, while “Summer Forever” sounding almost identical to Lana Del Ray, presented catchy melodies since first play. “Money is Everything” portrayed a dainty motif that was very cheerful, while “Fame is a Gun” utilized a sound bite that was just unique and titillating enough to make me keep coming back.
The use of the interludes made a lot of sense in relation to their respective songs; “Lost & Found” prefaces her messages of some potential pitfalls in this glamorous life Addison seems to be embracing, accentuating my favorite parts of the instrumentals in High Fashion. Additionally, “Life’s No Fun in Clear Waters” sheds a feeling of healing that feels rejuvenating, one that symbolizes crying in the rain going along with that aquatic theme she maintains. This interlude sounds like the feeling my girlfriend gets from lying in the grass or swimming to relieve stress.
“Fame is a Gun” is excellent in my opinion, as the song does a fantastic job of building up the chorus til the very end. The song makes me want to smoke a cigarette weirdly enough, being an intoxicating experience that lasts so short and keeps you coming back to re-experience it. It does a great job having appeal in many ways, as the oozing confidence, strange scenery, diverse characters, and activities engaged in are all unique and thrilling. The video portrays a juxtaposition of the pop star she wants to be with the innocent girl inside she’s always been. Her alter persona and storytelling aligns with Britney Spears’, as she is embracing being sexualized while being in control. She is embracing the glamorous life with these figures at the dinner table, but she knows it’s a dangerous game she’s getting into. The costume design for everyone makes this a confusing fever dream of timeless Hollywood, but comes together to create a weird short film that is alluring. Plus the turtle is adorable.
To summarize my thoughts on the project, I have an immense respect towards her ability to embrace who she is and dive head first with the music that she is passionate about. She put out five head-turning singles, all in different styles and themes yet subtly cohesive. After the phenomenal explosion of pop last year, she is jumping into this recession pop era with her all. While critiques can be given that some of the tracks sound too similar to other pop artists, it sounds like she is putting her soul into this music which will eventually lead to her finding her own unique sounds. The themes of lust, money, innocence, and confidence shows us who Addison is right now; the presentation is phenomenal, as she wears her confidence on her sleeve that translates to appeal.
I think some of these songs are absolutely at the top of many summer playlists this year, but this is just the first step in her continuous evolution. This debut album is Addison’s love letter to Pop, showing us her interpretation of what sounds she loves. I recommend a listen through for this album to anyone who likes any reminiscence of pop, as this is a great addition and homage to the genre as a whole.
