Addison Rae: Tiktok star, actress and now, pop artist. Rae is the sixth most followed person on the social media platform, TikTok, with more than 88.3 million followers. She joined TikTok in 2019 and quickly gained popularity throughout the following year. She started her rise to fame by doing the renegade with Charlie D’amelio (another TikTok star), next she starred in the movie “He’s All That,” with Tanner Buchanan in 2021, and now, Rae makes music. The real question is, can she actually sing, or is her music just popular because of her TikTok fan base?
Her first single, “Obsessed,” was released in March 2021. It was produced by Benny Blanco, a music producer and writer, and did not gain the popularity that they hoped for.
Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) freshman, Brooke Parie, said, “[‘Obsessed’ is] so bad. Genuinely, the beat is louder than the words and it doesn’t even go together. The ‘me me me’ lyrics drive me insane. The slurring words are not doing well for her. [It] sounds so unfinished. It could maybe get catchy after the fortieth listen.”
After “Obsessed” and her performance in “He’s All That,” fans alike were starting to question whether Addison Rae actually has talent. In 2023, she released her debut extended play (EP) titled “AR.” This included “I got it bad,” “2 die 4,” “Nothing On (But The Radio)” and “it could’ve been u.”
Freshman at HBHS, Vivian Larrazabal, said. “[‘I got it bad’] is very sectioned, and ended up just sounding choppy. And [‘Nothing On (But The Radio)’] sounds like a theme song for a 2010s ‘Disney’ TV show. It uses way too much autotune and is way too repetitive. Like Trina Vega from ‘Victorious.'”
After the release of “AR,” in Aug. 2024 she released her hit song “Diet Pepsi.” This song is a huge change compared to her previous song “Obsessed.” The lyrics are hot and whispery, perfect for a sunset car ride with friends. This was her breakthrough in proving that she is more than just an influencer. After this hit, she released “Aquamarine” in Oct. 2024.
HBHS sophomore, Aiden Troung, had a blind listen of the song and said, “I didn’t understand the music. I didn’t like the lyrics, they were cringey. The music [clashed] with the lyrics. It just sounds so messy. Like a video game or something.”
From Feb. to May 2025, Rae released three hit songs: “High Fashion,” “Headphones On” and “Fame is a Gun.” In June 2025, Rae released her debut album “Addison,” which gained a lot of popularity for its summer-feeling sound.
Edison High School freshman Max Wollner said, “The whole album is very girly. It sounds like something my little girl cousin would make if she had a deeper voice. I get why people like it, though. It would be good for background music at the beach.”
From late Aug. to mid Nov., Rae went on “The Addison Tour,” with shows throughout Europe, North America and Australia. Her concert outfits take inspiration from early 2000s fashion, much like the sound of her music and style of dancing, sharing similarities with Britney Spears. Rae became famous on TikTok by posting trending dances. On TikTok, people compare her to Trina Vega from the Nickelodeon show “Victorious,” because of her live vocals and certain concert costumes. Trina Vega is a loud and annoying side character who always wants to be in the spotlight despite her declining talent.
HBHS freshman, Vincent Gutierrez, said, “Everyone has a fixed mindset on how she was a TikToker and won’t even give her a chance. [Rae] is actually talented and has good music. People just don’t want to hear it because of her past. They won’t let a woman experiment. Just because someone doesn’t enjoy her music doesn’t give them the right to hate on her. They just hate to hate, that’s just how everyone is now…They’re already convinced that she’ll suck based on her TikTok past. They think she’s just another [TikToker] trying to be a pop girly. She has talent, but lots of people can’t accept it.”
Addison Rae, no matter what the opinion is, works hard and is becoming more successful day by day. She recently just performed at Coachella, and her fans were supportive by her side.
