In the spring of 2021, Addison Rae appeared on the NBC talk show “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” where she performed her debut single, “Obsessed,” along with a medley of TikTok dances. As a famous TikTok influencer, it makes perfect sense that she would do dance challenges alongside introducing her new song. Charli D’Amelio had appeared on the show using the same dance format a year earlier, so that much wasn’t anything new, but Rae’s appearance became a textbook example of the kind of promotional misstep that could end a musical career. So what went wrong?

The main issue was that she didn’t credit or even acknowledge the original choreographers. There were similar criticisms about D’Amelio not crediting Jalaiah Harmon, the creator of the “Renegade” dance challenge, but that didn’t escalate into widespread controversy in the same way. In Rae’s case, the backlash was much swifter and more intense. Fallon had to address the issue on a subsequent episode by dedicating a segment to spotlighting the original dance creators on a video call. This was more than just a growing negative perception around 2020 and 2021 of famous TikTokers benefiting off of other people’s choreography. The key distinction here is that, while D’Amelio was merely an Internet sensation, Rae was positioned as a rising musician.

There was already a generally negative view at the time of influencers becoming musicians that tied back to the long-standing demand for authenticity in pop. In other words, there’s a perception that influencers are less about musical talent and hard work and more about converting fame into profit. But if influencers can set off viral trends, and those trends can lead to hit songs, why can’t influencers be musicians, too? This is a market-centric idea that prioritizes follower count over artistic value. In a 2020 interview with “Forbes,” Rae revealed that her key to success was “consistency,” saying that she posts three to five pieces of content daily. Ironically, her reputation as a professional content creator became a double-edged sword when she went to launch her music career. People saw her as a marketer first and an artist second. They weren’t prepared to see her as a creative force but as a product.

Considering all that, the backlash to “Obsessed” was practically unavoidable. Even proven hitmakers like benny blanco and Blake Slatkin couldn’t turn the tide. The line “I’m obsessed with me as much as you” was meant to be a clever nod to self-acceptance but instead came across as shallow and narcissistic—much closer in line with stereotypes surrounding influencer culture. Between that and the controversies over lip-syncing and not crediting choreographers on “Jimmy Fallon,” the combination proved too much of a perfect storm for people to overlook.

It was a storm that ultimately led her to cancel plans for her debut album that was meant to follow “Obsessed.” In later interviews, Rae admitted she had considered giving up on music altogether. Nowadays, she reflects on that period with a little more clarity of hindsight. “I think there’s room for constructive criticism,” she says, but that “it almost wasn’t even about the song. It was [about] me doing it.” In other words, was the reaction overblown? Perhaps. At the same time, it seems like “Obsessed” didn’t quite have the substance necessary to offset the skepticism surrounding its creator. But Rae didn’t flounder.

In early 2022, several unreleased demos from her lost debut album leaked online. Leaks like these typically turn into a crisis, but for Rae, it marked the beginning of a turnaround. “I got it bad” and “2 die 4” became hits within niche online communities. “Nothing On (But The Radio),” a previously unreleased track also recorded by Lady Gaga during her “Born This Way” era, was already well-known among Gaga fans.

These songs became the stuff of pop culture legend. The lost album represented untapped potential, its tracks hailed as hidden gems unavailable on streaming platforms, and the artist herself was linked to pop royalty like Lady Gaga. “Obsessed” was no longer seen as her defining single but as an outlying misstep. Rae seemed poised to succeed the unique aura of one of her inspirations, Britney Spears: already pretty famous, but an even better artist than the world gives her credit for.

In August 2023, Addison Rae made part of her lost album available officially. The four-song EP “AR” was presented not as a redemption arc or rescue mission but as a gift to the loyal fans who had supported her music. The final version of “2 die 4” featured Charli xcx. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and critically acclaimed figures in pop, Charli helped bring credibility to Rae’s next stage. Charli reportedly reached out to Rae personally to feature after hearing the “2 die 4” leak. In other words, this wasn’t a strategic collaboration but a genuine act of artistic admiration.

And their partnership didn’t end there. Rae became a part of the brat wave last year when Charlie asked her to feature on a remix of “Von dutch.” In an interview afterward, Rae referred to Charli as her “big sister and mentor,” while Charli called Addison a “genius.” And things didn’t stop with Charli. Collaborations and crossovers with artists like Arca, Rosalía, and Troye Sivan further underlined Rae’s inclusion in pop’s alternative ecosystem. For the niche fandom that had discovered the artist’s lost album, endorsements like these validated their belief that they’d had it right all along, and they naturally became the foundation of Rae’s loyal supporters.

Rae did even more in 2024. She signed with Columbia Records and began her journey toward her debut album, “Addison.” The album’s lead single, “Diet Pepsi,” released in August, drew widespread acclaim and comparisons to Lana Del Rey’s early work. With this track, Rae entered the “Billboard” Hot 100 for the first time, peaking at No. 54. With singles like “Aquamarine,” “High Fashion,” and “Headphones On” coming out one after the other through this April adding to the anticipation for the album, she ultimately convinced even her remaining skeptics with her clear and captivating artistic vision.

“Addison” has drawn many different comparisons. Chief among them is Madonna’s iconic 1998 album “Ray of Light.” Given the blend of modern electronic genres and introspective themes prevalent on Madonna’s album, it’s no surprise that it served as inspiration for Rae’s debut, an album driven by a yearning for better self-understanding. Rae’s album is a mosaic of Britney Spears’ intoxicating pop, Lana Del Rey’s melancholy mood, the dreamy dance vibes of Kylie Minogue and Annie, and even the eclectic electronic sound of Björk. While thoughtful in its selection of which parts of the history of women in pop to pay homage to, the album never feels like it’s bogged down in the past.  Both Rae and her album should be praised as students of genre and the best thereof.

Attention has naturally turned toward the small creative team behind the majority of the album’s songwriting and production, consisting of Rae herself and producers Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser, both part of Max Martin’s studio. Given women in production remain a rarity, it’s particularly remarkable to see the impressions, vision, and output coming from this all-woman trio. They took on a wide array of influences for reference, but there’s a consistent mystique tickling the senses all throughout, ensuring the whole thing centers around Rae’s distinctive voice.

“Addison” debuted at No. 4 on the “Billboard” 200 in its first week. It sold 48,000 units, with 33 million streams—an impressive figure for a debut artist. Her success wasn’t limited to the US, either, as the album debuted at No. 2 on the UK charts and landed in the Top 10 across Canada, Australia, and multiple European countries.

Addison Rae’s journey to her debut album has been a dramatic arc of early-game missteps, reinvention, branding that lived up to fans’ loyalty and expectations, and ultimately, artistic successes. The skepticism that once defined her public image has been reduced to a minority opinion, eclipsed by critical acclaim and the unwavering support of her devoted fans. She no longer just makes viral videos—she makes music, too. Will Rae’s unique and deeply personal artistic vision continue to grow? One of the most remarkable comeback stories in recent pop history is about to open up to its next chapter.