Addison Rae’s debut album “Addison” has been taking the internet by storm since its June release, but its musical production may not measure up to the praise it’s receiving.
When Rae released her first single “Obsessed” in 2023, she received a seemingly endless wave of backlash. TikTok users, the very fanbase that launched Rae’s initial career as an influencer, heavily criticized the song. Most agreed that she had no vocal talent, mocking her hope of having a successful music career in the future.
Three years later, Rae’s feature on the “Von Dutch” remix by Charli XCX led to a public reevaluation of her singing ability. Many went from hating her to recognizing her potential within the industry, particularly praising her scream during the song’s bridge. This feature was a turning point in her music career and gave her the good publicity she needed to get “Diet Pepsi,” her first single after her failed EP “AR,” onto the charts.
Because Rae’s feature on Charli XCX’s remix triggered a rapid shift in attitudes toward her music that kickstarted her singing career, it’s likely that Rae intentionally tried to emulate the success of the “Von Dutch” remix by mimicking Charli XCX’s electronic style in her debut album. The similarity of their styles is undeniable: “Fame is a Gun” sounds like it could be a track off “brat,” Charli XCX’s latest and most successful album. The most prominent use of this inspiration is on “Money is Everything,” which features a synth loop and choral vocal effect that sound uncannily similar to Charli XCX and Icona Pop’s “I Love It.”
While Charli XCX doesn’t own electronic pop and there are many other distinguished artists in the genre, Rae’s history with her cements the likelihood of Charli XCX’s musical style seeping into Rae’s latest tracks.
Not only are the background effects made electronically, but it sounds like almost the entire album was made with a synthesizer. In “Money is Everything”, for example, there doesn’t seem to be a single real instrument in the backing track. The four notes in the bassline transition too seamlessly to be from a real bass, and there is a constant effect in the chorus that can only be described as an arpeggiated record scratch. The lyrics in the chorus of “New York” are unintelligible behind the autotune and vocal effects. In “Aquamarine,” the drum beat, which is metronome-like in the way it just plays 4 beats per measure, loses the uniqueness and feeling that it could have had if it was more complex and played by a real drummer.
None of this would normally be negative, of course. Digital music like this has a prominent space in the industry. The problem is that it creates an artificial perfection in “Addison” that doesn’t fit with the themes of her songs and draws any excitement from the album.
“Addison” copies a 2000s and early 2010s style when electronic music was huge and producers were still discovering how unique effects could contribute to their music. *NSYNC’s 2001 song “Celebrity,” for example, uses applause and camera shutter sounds to put the listener in the shoes of the famous band and have them understand the pitfalls of being a celebrity. The artificial instrumentation is essential in this song because it adds to the depiction of the band members’ tiring lives.
Rae achieves this in the song “Headphones On,” where her voice is very soft and has a muffled, distant echo in the chorus. It truly sounds like the feeling of putting your headphones on and blocking out the world.
The rest of the tracks don’t sound as deliberate. The production of “New York” and “In the Rain” doesn’t appear unique or intentional. If the producer completely redid the instrumental track of these songs, it would not significantly change their moods/effects.
I think this is where “Addison” falls short. It overdoes the digitalization, and Rae’s voice is lost in the backing track.
With the album’s message being fame’s allure and danger, it’s easy to understand why she chose a glamorous digital style: in every track, especially “Fame is a Gun,” the style expresses that fame has tried to change Rae into the kind of celebrity that is out-of-touch and uncaring.
That, I can appreciate. The style makes sense with the music’s atmosphere. But that being said, it’s not optimal for her message.
Electronic music sounds less vulnerable than acoustic music—the artist can hide behind copious amounts of digital effects and compression. But Rae’s message must be vulnerable. She is speaking to us about what it’s like to be famous, so she can’t bury her voice and meaning under digitalization if she wants to truly understand her. Considering the deeper, more personal message that Rae is pushing with her music, a more acoustic pop style would better amplify her voice and the emotion that she wants to show the world. On the other hand, adopting a new style would lose the glamorous sound that so fittingly complements the content of her lyrics. This creates an unfortunate paradox. Ultimately though, I still believe she should steer away from the digital style with her next album.
A digitalized style isn’t bad in general, of course—it comprises several well-liked genres—but on “Addison,” it is exhausting, boring, and sounds inauthentic. Having fought a battle against criticism after “Obsessed,” I thought her music would be more emotional. But it seems that she has struggled against haters for years just to release music that sounds like it was designed to go platinum and sell her brand rather than tell her story.
Overall, “Addison” is a good album. “Fame is a Gun” is lyrically interesting and a stark contrast against the rest of the album due to its variation in dynamics (loudness or softness of the song—similar to volume) and texture (how many layers of sound are heard simultaneously). “Summer Forever” is repetitive, concentrating in the high-pitched chorus melody, but the bridge takes a turn into a slightly deeper register that is somewhat jarring in a very appealing way. The key change at the end of “Diet Pepsi” has the same effect and adds allure to the song.
Throughout the album, her messages about fame offer a unique perspective that other pop singers don’t often share. Still, the album can definitely be improved. I believe Rae would benefit from experimentation into more acoustic styles that can really showcase her singing talent. I want to hear her voice really stand out in her future music. If “Addison” is Rae’s declaration that she belongs in pop, her next album should establish her unique voice and prove that she doesn’t need to imitate others to shine.
The Roar 