Soundcheck with Ethan

By: Ethan Barrocas

🌼 – means highlight track

The first and last album titled Addison by Addison Rae, (she’s dropping the ‘Rae’ and is now going by just Addison),  is pure witchcraft, and not in a bad way.  With its pop/electronic elements, it’s consistent and fresh, allowing every song to give a different perspective into who Addison is. Every song she’s dropped for this era has been impeccable making Addison  my most anticipated release of 2025. I am satisfied to say that I loved this project. With her remarkable duo of producers and songwriters, Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser, they have curated a brew of starpower. From its late 90’s and early 2000’s influence, it creates a portal into a world full of dreaminess and nostalgia. Addison, allows her to prove to the world, once again, that she is a force in the music industry and her hard work is showcased all throughout this record.

Track 1: New York 🌼

“New York” emulates the energy of The Big Apple. Addison’s love for New York radiates throughout the entire song, referring to it as a religion.  She says how LA is her home but she’s packed her bags and moved on. It’s reminiscent of Charli xcx’s “Club classics,” with its use of repetition of lyrics and heavy basslines. On each chorus the beat gets heavier and heavier, it starts with just kick drums, then kick drums and hi-hats, until evolving into an ecstatic beat drop. The transition into the drop is a pure adrenaline rush, just two quick breaths before the environment transforms into a sweaty dancefloor. 

Track 2: Diet Pepsi 🌼

The song that kicked off an era. “Diet Pepsi” was a defining moment in Addison’s transformation into a pop star. Taking influences from Britney Spears and Lana Del Rey, she’s created the ultimate makeout anthem. Through its ambient instrumentation, it evokes feelings of lust as she sings about escapades she experienced with her partner, “When we drive in your car, I’m your baby/Losing all my innocence in the backseat.”  It’s sexy and blameless, which highlights the mysterious nature of the track.

Track 3: Money is Everything

When I first heard this song, I  instantly thought of Cher’s iconic quote, “Mom, I am a rich man.” It’s as if Addison took the quote and injected it into “Money is Everything.” She flaunts on the first thirty seconds through spoken lyrics, allowing her inner diva to shine through. The lyricism on this song is my favorite, especially this line, “Wanna roll one with Lana, get high with Gaga.” This track exudes freedom and emphasizes Addison’s carefree nature, she screams at the end, “I’m the richest girl in the world!”  It’s satirical, camp, and the synth-heavy production helps back that up.

Track 4: Aquamarine

“Aquamarine” is like a mermaid’s go-to song on a gorgeous summer day. It’s a metamorphosis as we see Addison transform into the best possible version of herself.  It takes influences from Madonna’s Ray of Light era. Addison even goes as far as shouting out the album with lyrics like, “I’m the ray of light.” It’s enticing with mystical energy that’s shown throughout the song, whether it be the siren-like vocals or the exuberant spirit that pours from the production.

Track 5: Lost & Found

“Lost & Found” is one of the two interludes that are present on Addison. It’s concise as she repeats, “I lost myself and found myself again.” This interlude ties back to her transformation from influencer to artist, putting emphasis on the changes she went through. It then starts to transition into the next song, “High Fashion,” as she repeats the word “drugs.” 

Track 6: High Fashion 🌼 

“High Fashion” is entwined with the trippiness of a high and the glamour of haute couture. The minimalist-maximalist production is slick, creating peaks and valleys but it never fully stays in one place.  The lyrics are amusing, “I don’t need your drugs, I rather get high fashion.” It’s clever word play saying how her love for fashion is greater than any drug.  “High Fashion” is her most experimental release and it annoys me to this day that it didn’t get the virality that “Diet Pepsi” received.

Track 7: Summer Forever 

Addison expresses her affection for summer and compares it to a lover on “Summer Forever.” She takes a page out of Lana Del Rey’s book by utilizing her airy vocals as an explosive  hook on the chorus. The song itself feels very nostalgic, like on the pre-chorus, “Staying up all night long, singing our favorite songs.”  It’s like the alter ego of “Diet Pepsi.” It has a sultry aesthetic but overall it’s romantic and innocent.

Track 8: In The Rain 🌼

“In The Rain” takes listeners back to the early 2000’s through its Timbaland inspired production and Britney Spears influence. Addison discusses the contrast between her public persona and her inner vulnerability. She expresses how she only cries in the rain and how she uses it as a shield to feel her emotions without judgement. The second verse then allows Addison to reflect and reshape her despair into acceptance. It’s one of my favorites on the album due to Addison opening up with listeners about how she seeks solace through tough times. 

Track 9: Fame is a Gun 🌼

“Fame is a Gun” is Addison unapologetically speaking her truth about fame and the struggles that come with it. The gun represents all of the criticism Addison has faced throughout her career so far. She says, “Fame is a gun and I point it blind,” which could reference unintentional decisions she’s made in her life that she received backlash for. For the main verses she uses filters on her voice that make her sound like a robot, almost as if she’s speaking on a microphone to the paparazzi. The production is glaring and fierce. It’s eclectic, especially the hook into the chorus, chef’s kiss! 

Track 10: Times Like These 🌼

“Times Like These” sounds like a song you would hear at a New York Fashion Week runway show. The trip-hop aura this song emits is spellbinding and the vocals that are sung over it are magnetic. Its ambient inspiration reminds me of Madonna’s Bedtime Stories.  But behind the magic, it’s actually Addison’s most introspective song to date. We see Addison stuck in an emotional tug-of-war, as she struggles with fame, uncertainty, and even with her family. She sings, “Am I too young to be this mad?/Am I too old to blame my Dad?” She goes on about how fast time goes by but she has to keep going, “In times like these, it’s how it has to be.”

Track 11: Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters

“Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters” serves as a prelude to the final track “Headphones On.” The production feels rich which  adds flavor to Addison’s deeper vocals. It ends with a harmonious orchestra as it transitions into the final track.

Track 12: Headphones On 🌼

“Headphones On” closes the album and allows you to escape from the world one last time. She sings about the freedom music allows and how it provides a release. Even though it feels freeing it’s also personal as Addison discusses the things she can’t change in her life, like her parents divorce. This song is like if Janet Jackson and 90’s Madonna had a love child and Mariah Carey was the cool aunt. “Headphones On” is the younger sister of  “Times Like These”, Addison is more carefree rather than accepting what’s around her.