We’ve all got it bad for Addison Rae.
The TikTok star-turned-actress-turned-musician dropped her debut self-titled EP, AR, on Friday to a horde of eager fans online. Rae’s last music drop was her single “Obsessed,” all the way back in 2021. Fans haven’t been so patient about wanting more tracks; almost her entire album leaked online and has been easy to find for quite some time now. No wonder they’re hungry for more of Rae. But Rae’s fanbase doesn’t seem to be entirely sincere in its clamor for more music—unlike the way Swifties rally for Taylor or Little Monsters gather behind Lady Gaga.
On TikTok, Rae has garnered nearly 90 million followers since joining in July 2019, becoming the fourth-most followed account on the video-sharing app. The social media personality has developed a genuine fanbase on the platform—along with a few detractors—with people uploading dance fan-cams, music reviews, and other sweet clips about how much they love her.
But there appears to be a major rift between the way TikTokkers support Rae and how Twitter users talk about her. It’s not that Twitter hasn’t rallied behind Rae; in fact, the noise for AR might be louder on Twitter than on TikTok. (As I write this, I realize I may start a war between Rae’s TikTok fans and Twitter fans, who will want to compete to be her best fanbase. Go for it.) But Rae’s fans on Twitter have a more tongue-in-cheek take on the singer.
Self-proclaimed fans have shared popular memes to react to Rae’s new album—they’ve called her “the people’s princess” and posted the “try not to say mother” challenge, for example—while also playfully joking about how “big” of a pop star she is.
One fan quipped that Rae had reportedly turned down the Super Bowl halftime show (there are no reports of this). Another mentioned that Rae was planning a stadium tour. These jests are flippant, feigning support of the star instead of being real wishes (although I do think we’d all go hard at an Addison Rae stadium tour). But again, that’s the entire vibe of the Twitter fanbase rallying around Rae: ironic.
Also a popular joke: Rae fans comparing the singer to pop legends like Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift. Rae will be “appearing” at Swift’s Eras Tour, according to another (presumably fake) rumor—but if she does, how will Swifties score tickets when Rae’s fanbase is obviously large enough to fill entire stadiums, at this point?
Rae’s fans aren’t mean-spirited at all. They’re joking around about her music like they did with her Netflix rom-com, He’s All That, which was hokey and wonderful. All of this attention, although it does seem to be somewhat mocking, is out of affection. They do enjoy her music. Who wouldn’t? It’s bubblegum pop—sparkly, invigorating music for dancing, walking on the treadmill, or to listen to mindlessly. Personally, I cannot wait to blast “I got it bad” with a car full of people singing, “Damn, I got it bad!”
Does that mean Rae will go on to win Grammys for AR? Probably not. Does Rae’s fanbase understand this and tweet about her sweeping the music awards show with a tone of playful sarcasm anyway? They probably do. Unfortunately, I don’t think lyrics like, “He looks like the boy next door from my boy band poster / But he drives like a maniac in his black Range Rover” will be getting any major awards. She’s first in our hearts, though.
Seeing as the singer’s released some genuine bops and has now gained some legitimacy in collaborating with cult-fave pop star Charli XCX, I have to wonder if these “diehard” fans will become genuine ride-or-die supporters of Rae.
For example: How much would Rae’s Twitter fans actually pay to see her in concert? We’re not talking Swiftie prices, but it seems plausible that some of these folks would shell out the same amount of money they might for someone on the level of Charli or Carly Rae Jepsen, for example, to see Rae on tour. There might be ironic intentions, but it’s starting to feel like some of these “fans” are going to start buying records, merch, and posters to show their dedication for Rae—which, earnest or otherwise, only helps the singer.
Allow me to present a short anecdote, which feels comparable to this Rae craze. Last year, I started listening to Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look” because I thought it sounded horrendous. Slowly, however, it started following me around everywhere. I played it for friends; “It’s so cheesy,” I’d say. I learned the official dance (which became a huge TikTok trend)—as a joke, I kept telling myself. But when I got excited after Trainor announced her new single, “Mother,” I realized I had been converted into a full-blown stan. I have started to feel the same way about Rae after listening to AR, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
This backhanded fandom is an interesting way for Rae to start a pop music career. Then again, Rae isn’t new to being a unique breakthrough—she was one of the pioneers of becoming famous through TikTok. Now, she’s become a successful pop girl through a fanbase that largely supports her ironically. That irony is fading fast, though, and Rae is bound to have a legion of fans who worship everything she does.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEnZiipKmXsqK%2F02eaqKVfpK%2B0sdKsnJ1nkZmxqr%2FOp2SrmZWoeq%2Bx1maYpZqlonqqv4yapbKnnpp6tLHRoqauq5yueqJ5xZql