Certified bops. Polarizing bikinis. Alleged industry planting. And one handshake with him. Addison Rae’s new pop era is in full swing—and like clockwork, the backlash is bubbling louder than a club remix of Aquamarine.

With vibey synth beats creeping onto curated playlists and Pitchfork of all places calling her debut “legitimately good,” Addison Rae seems to be slipping from TikTok fodder into full-blown pop girl territory. But if your FYP is anything like mine, then you know the internet has a lot to say about it—and not all of it is cute.

So what’s the drama? Why are people so mad about Addison Rae… again?

Addison Rae Backlash, Explained: Why the Internet Is Mad (Still)

Even with co-signs from Charli XCX and a growing catalogue of dancefloor-ready tracks, Addison’s road to music credibility is riddled with speed bumps—and yes, it all starts with that handshake.

In 2021, Addison voluntarily introduced herself to Donald Trump at a UFC event, like she was meeting her dad’s problematic golf buddy. It didn’t go down well. Fans who value basic human rights were understandably rattled, and the Trump-supporter accusations stuck harder than her lip gloss in a heatwave.

Things got messier when internet sleuths pulled out receipts: a now-deleted “All Lives Matter” post from 2020 and her then-flirtationship with Bryce Hall, an open Trump apologist. Cue widespread digital side-eyes.

Addison eventually apologized, telling the LA Times she didn’t support Trump and was “just being friendly.” Which… okay, girl. That’s one word for it.

The Bikini, the Choreography, and the Controversy Parade

Addison’s “minor offenses” have kept her trending—whether she meant to or not.

Exhibit A: That white bikini. The one that had “Father” and “Son” scrawled across each boob with “Holy Spirit” (presumably on the crotch). It was giving theology, but make it slutty. Christians were not amused.

Exhibit B: The infamous Tonight Show moment where she performed viral TikTok dances… that she didn’t create. Many felt she used her platform to profit off the work of (often Black) creators without giving them proper credit.

And then there’s the general TikTok-to-mainstream pipeline struggle—where influencers-turned-musicians (especially women) get raked harder than actual pop flops.

Is She an Industry Plant or Just Really, Really Committed?

Here’s where things get tinfoil-hat-level spicy.

Some Reddit threads and TikTok comment sections have taken a sharp left into conspiracy-ville, accusing Addison of being a highly curated “industry plant.” Apparently, Addison’s fame can’t possibly be organic—it must be the product of shadowy PR teams rigging streaming numbers, planting fan responses, and hiring screaming mobs to swarm her in public.

Yes, when fans crowded her in NYC, Twitter trolls insisted they were paid actors. (No proof, of course—just vibes and paranoia.)

The same people think Addison’s positive press is bankrolled, not earned. But let’s be real: that kind of energy has been hurled at almost every pop girl who got too popular, too fast.

Final Verdict: PR Puppet or Pop Star in Progress?

Listen. Is Addison Rae breaking new artistic ground with her breathy vocals and synth-heavy beats? No. But that’s not the assignment.

She’s not trying to be Björk—she’s aiming for bimbo euphoria with a budget and a whisper track. And honestly? She’s getting closer to the bullseye than most of her TikTok peers.

So, if Diet Pepsi slaps and 2 Die 4 is already a playlist staple, maybe Addison doesn’t need to justify her rise at all. As RuPaul would say: Let the music play. If she’s the real deal, we’ll find out soon enough.