From ‘Renegade’ to a Sold-Out Stage – The Rebrand of Addison Rae

Ever spend your night stuck on the couch, scrolling through TikToks that you won’t remember seconds later? There’s a chance that between this, you laid eyes on a young Addison Rae, popping and locking her way to virality on the addictive platform. 

Depending on who you ask, views on Addison vary – from those who think she embodies cringe, to those who admire her persistence and more recent career ventures. If you know who she is, you likely have an opinion on her online presence. 

But the fact remains, Addison has rebranded herself from ‘cringe’ to cool-girl in a matter of months, and today, I am here to break down how she did it, why it worked, and how her method can be implemented on your own rebranding journey. But first, we need to understand where exactly she started from.

Back to the beginning

Let’s cast our minds back to TikTok 2020 – stick with me here – when the Hype House gifted us… fascinating dance moves and one controversy after another. If you happened to stumble across this side of the internet, you (and 54 million others) might have been following miss Addison Rae (now just Addison), who blew up the app with her bubbly moves to the latest viral hit.

What we didn’t know back in 2020 was that Addison had big dreams and was not willing to let anything get in her way while realising them. 

What’s exciting is that this has all been a part of me for so long, but not something I’ve been ready to show just yet. – Addison Rae, Vogue, 2021

Addison’s first step away from TikTok was with her song ‘Obsessed’ in 2021, which did not receive the love she was hoping for. A scathing review on Album of the Year sums up the majority of the public’s thoughts on it, suggesting that the single was an attempt at a quick cash grab, counting on the support of her devoted follower base. Other discourse tied the song in with her TikTok and brief acting career, adding ‘Obsessed’ to the list of ‘Worst Songs By Social Media Stars’. Still, a determined Addison rose from the flames and came back stronger than ever. 

Now, Addison has released a hit song with CharliXCX, her first self-titled album, and a range of cinematic music videos that truly need to be seen to be believed. She has only just started her reign, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.  

So, what is it that she has done well enough for me to convince the team to let me write about her? A successful and all-encompassing rebrand. From ‘cringy’ TikTok influencer to confident and unique pop star – they said it couldn’t be done! But what is it exactly that makes her the next big thing?

The rebrand

The shift began with ‘Diet Pepsi’, a comeback that demanded attention on a new level. This song, and its accompanying music video, felt like a statement, a new direction, with its Lana-esque aesthetic and catchy tune. This was confirmed to be no beginner’s luck when, quickly after, ‘Aquamarine’ was released. The public decided this was the turn of a new leaf for Addison, with Billboard comparing her to stars like Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez, who fought to be taken seriously after their Disney days. People were interested in this TikTok star turned modern icon, whether they liked what she was doing or not, and with this, ‘Diet Pepsi’ broke through to number 81 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and went viral on TikTok, naturally.

At the same time, Addison also collaborated with CharliXCX and Troye Sivan on their iconic Sweat tour, which solidified her cool-girl status by placing her at the epicentre of the edgy-pop scene. What’s more, she continued to make herself known in the fashion world through her work with Petra Collins and those alike. By the time her song, aptly named ‘High Fashion’, came out, the world, or at the very least me and my housemates, were on the edge of our seats. 

We devoured each second, including its homage to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with her outfits, considered sets, and enticing synth sounds. We get snippets of scenes with intricate details, like a band-aid on her heel as she enters the room at the beginning of the song, barely visible under her gorgeous, full-length, golden, beaded dress.

Addison Rae – High Fashion, 2025

While the songs felt fresh, catchy, and exciting, the level of polished creativity in her music videos brought a sense of seriousness to her whimsy. Written and produced with a team of talented women, she encapsulates a sense of femininity and power, with one article describing ‘Aquamarine’ as if “the divine feminine was transformed into a hit record.” The praise is fueled by a combination of all the things that make up these songs: the high-production, cinematic music videos, sensual and experimental choreography, unique sound, and perfectly curated styling. 

Addison Rae – Aquamarine, 2024

Addison’s inspiration is clear throughout her new look and sound, with the aforementioned echoes of Lana Del Rey in the black and white editing for ‘Diet Pepsi’, she is seen unafraid to get down with some whipped cream in the backseat of a car. You can find pieces of Britney Spears scattered throughout both her music videos and day-to-day life too, with the iconic Fantasy perfume making an appearance in ‘High Fashion’, along with an outfit that pays homage to Britney’s look from her ‘Dream Within a Dream’ tour in 2001 and 2002. 

Addison Rae – High Fashion, 2025

Since ‘Addison’ was released on the 6th of June 2025, Addison has been seen performing the hit album in a burlesque-like show at intimate venues in America and abroad. Each performance is only another piece to the puzzle that is Addison, with references to pop culture and movies like Secretary (2002). With each new reference, she allows us insight into her inspirations and style. Addison shows the world both who she is and how serious she is about it. En route to take the world by storm, I urge you to strap in. 

Maybe you’re enticed by her suburban girl charm or are following her for fashion inspo. Maybe her sound is right up your alley. Either way, the rise of Addison Rae is not a quiet one. Big brands are catching on to her quick ascent to peak cool-girl and are snatching her up to work together just as fast. 

Luxury brands like Marc Jacobs and Saint Laurent are sharing their collabs with Addison to show that they still know what’s up. These partnerships feel right for Addison, as she has worked to align herself with high-fashion icons since the start of this rebranding. 

Contrasting this high-end, luxury partnerships with a range of no-makeup interviews following her album release and a considered tone, Addison has achieved the aura of ‘girl-next-door’ that a lot of celebrities lose when they start aligning with expensive brands. She is winning people over with her happy-go-lucky attitude, and it seems her popularity is only on the up. The comments from a reddit post about her interview with Chicken Shop Date are a perfect example of the shift in public opinion, with one user saying, “I think she’s one of the most endearing and interesting mainstream voices in pop now, and to see that she’s a lot of fun and smart as a whip in interviews too is really cool.”

With the collection of her unique voice, personal style, and warm personality, Addison creates the perfect formula for a rebrand that we all can learn from. Whether this exciting new energy is authentic or not is not for me to say, because either way, it works. 

Why does it work?

Well, she has taken the time to understand who she wants to become, from her red-carpet appearances to her gym fits and bare-faced interviews. Addison trusted that if she was to live and breathe this enigmatic energy day in and day out, people would see the vision. There was hesitation to accept her into the pop-music world from audiences in the beginning, but it was her unbridled confidence in her uniqueness and ability to create a niche that carried her to stardom. In a recent YouTube video with Quenlin Blackwell, Addison says,  

Everybody’s always like ‘she’s trying too hard’. How about you try at all?

While your version of a rebrand might not include licking icing sugar off a glass plate or riding horseback across Iceland’s black beach, these concepts are transferable learnings to any person or brand who is looking to start fresh. 

Don’t let me make it sound too easy, you must do your homework – you have to know what and who you want to be, but more importantly, you have to truly believe it. While many outside factors contribute to the success of a business venture, this is arguably one of the most important. Addison was able to convince her audience that the person they see is her true self and that she has always been this way. She has been able to bite back at those calling her TikTok past ‘cringe’ by arguing that nothing is embarrassing if you’re doing what you love, and on the contrary, it’s embarrassing to be the one who puts others down when they’re trying. 

Authenticity is highly regarded when trying to influence people to take action on something, whether that be a video view or purchase. When you can not only capture the attention of millions but win them over with a very different product than the one you started with, you know you’ve hit a sweet spot (‘Fame is a Gun’ could make me forget her “yeah I’ll take a pic, just let me finish this TikTok” moment… almost). 

Anyway, grab some popcorn, stream Addison, and watch every music video. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you at the next Addison Rave – I’ll be the one in the pink wig.