Addison Rae hit the stage, and a nerve, during her Spotify release party at The Box in New York City on Thursday night. The 24-year-old TikTok star-turned-pop singer performed tracks from her long-awaited self-titled debut album wearing little more than a nude-toned bra and underwear, surrounded by backup dancers in a sultry stage set. While the look was in line with her bold new musical era, not everyone was here for it.
Fans flooded social media with mixed reactions. While some praised Addison Rae’s confidence, others weren’t so kind. “Just wrong, she looks pressured and not in control,” one critic commented on Daily Mail‘s report. Another bluntly called the performance “cringe,” while a third wrote, “No talent. Any person with a good voice wouldn’t need to go near naked. Also, she hasn’t got a stunning body to do that.” One especially harsh take read, “Another talentless idiot using p-rn to get noticed. Standards are now in the toilet.”
The comments continued to pour in, with one individual declaring, “Put some clothes on.” A second sarcastically said, “Draws attention away from her complete lack of talent.” Someone else wrote, “No class whatsoever…” However, not all the comments were negative. “She’s a gorgeous young woman,” one of her fans said. “I’ve zero interest in her music, but she’s breathtaking to look at.”
Addison Rae Gets Personal on Debut Album
Still, Addison Rae is unapologetic when it comes to expressing herself, and her debut album proves it. The dreamy pop collection, which features buzzy singles like Diet Pepsi and Aquamarine, is her most intimate work yet. Speaking to Variety, Rae explained that her music is rooted in personal connection and physicality. “I’m a very sensual and sexual person. I’m very intimate with myself and my body, and everything kind of reflects that. Everything feels very personal,” she shared.
The album, according to Addison Rae, wasn’t inspired by outside trends or pop templates. “We definitely didn’t reference anything making this album. It was always me trying to provoke a feeling from a song or from music,” she added.
While some are already dubbing her the next “It girl” of pop, Addison remains cautiously optimistic. “It is obviously very complimentary,” she said. “What does that even mean, really, to be the pop girl? Let’s see if the songs get more popular, then they can call me a pop girl. This is my shot. I’ve got to go big.” Whether fans are loving or loathing it, it is clear that Addison Rae is going big, and she’s not backing down anytime soon.
