I am proud to say that I unironically love Addison Rae. And I’m tired of pretending that it’s a hot take. Addison Rae first came onto the influencer scene in 2019 with her dancing videos on TikTok, later joining “The Hype House” alongside popular internet personalities like Charli D’Amelio and Larray.
Addison has come a long way since her Hype House days. By curating a unique, fun persona, Addison has redefined the influencer identity. Here are my top three reasons why Addison Rae deserves the title of 2024’s “it girl”:
1. Style Icon
If you had asked a past version of myself to guess my current source of outfit inspiration, I probably wouldn’t have said Addison Rae. But Addison has undergone a serious style transformation: all of her outfits look like they came straight off one of my Pinterest boards. Just look at this streetwear look…I’m OBSESSED.
Addison’s playfully bold attitude on fashion is something I really admire. Whether she’s channeling indie sleaze or y2k, Addison just always screams fashion muse. And if you don’t believe me, just crack open a copy of Vogue.
2. Budding Pop Princess
After what felt like ages of fans begging her to release her leaked songs, Addison gave the people what they wanted and released her debut pop EP, AR. But AR is not your average influencer album: Addison did her pop girl homework. Besides collaborating with the wildly talented Charli XCX, Addison continued following in the footsteps of pop legends with “Nothing On (But the Radio)”, which began as a demo from Lady Gaga.
Besides putting out a solid first project, Addison has another secret ingredient for pop superstardom: a killer dance background. We already know she has the Renegade down, but she recently posted a dance to Tate McRae’s “exes” that shows some Britney Spears-esque stage presence. So when Addison Rae goes full pop princess, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
3. Expert on Camp and 2000s Realness
Addison LOVES the early 2000s, and she makes that very clear. She always seems to know the perfect pop culture reference at any given moment, and I think we should appreciate her ability to look camp right in the eye. Just LOOK at her ICONIC Lady Gaga 2009 VMAs Halloween costume:
Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to forget her legendary paparazzi interactions. This photo of Addison reading Britney Spears’s memoir, The Woman In Me, genuinely lives in my head rent-free. Plus, if Trisha Paytas already recreated it, then we know that this moment is sealed in pop culture history.
Even if you’re not ready to declare yourself a certified Sunrae just yet, keep Addison Rae on your “it girl” radar. One way or another, I know Addison is going to make this year 2 die 4.