Is Addison Rae the Next Pop Princess or Just a PR Plant? The Internet Has Thoughts
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.
Sabrina Carpenter Drops “Man’s Best Friend” Album News With a NSFW Twist—Yes, That’s the Actual Cover
If you thought Sabrina Carpenter was done playing with double meanings and dominance metaphors—think again. The GRAMMY-winning pop provocateur just announced her next album, Man’s Best Friend, and the internet has not taken a collective breath since. Set to drop on August 29, the album will feature nine explicit tracks—including her latest single, “Manchild,” which has already begun clawing its way up Billboard’s Hot 100 like it’s got something to prove. (Spoiler: It does.) In just under a week, “Manchild” has fans quoting lyrics, fighting for their lives in the comments, and comparing its rise to Alex Warren’s viral hit “Ordinary.” But nothing has sparked more discourse than the cover. Or should we say—the two covers? Following her Primavera Sound Festival performance in Barcelona, Carpenter posted two photos that broke the internet in half. First: a sultry, hair-pulling glam shot that looks like it belongs in the Louvre—or a very expensive tab on OnlyFans. Second: a close-up of a dog collar reading Man’s Best Friend, worn by an actual dog, naturally. This unhinged one-two punch led fans to speculate which image was the cover. The collar? A decoy. The dog? Just vibes? Turns out, the NSFW shot is the official album cover. Carpenter confirmed it herself on Instagram, because of course she did. She knows exactly what she’s doing—and so does her audience. If the visuals are anything to go by, Man’s Best Friend is shaping up to be equal parts pop performance, gender play, and brat-coded chaos. Brace yourselves. She’s about to go full alpha.
Miley Cyrus Gives “No Shade” to Dua Lipa… But Also Gives All the Shade
Let’s hand it to Miley Cyrus—navigating child stardom, pop reinventions, and a family tree that belongs in a soap opera is no small feat. And while not every era screamed elegance (we still shudder—and sort of stan—Bangerz), Miley’s evolution has birthed some of pop’s boldest sounds. Plus, in case you missed it, she’s quietly building a makeup empire too. Because why not? But in a recent interview, it seems Miley’s gracious streak didn’t quite extend to her former duet partner, Dua Lipa. Yep, pop girls and passive-aggression—name a more iconic duo. Flashback to 2020: Miley’s Plastic Hearts era—grunge-y, gritty, and Blondie-coded—had her pairing up with Dua Lipa on the track “Prisoner.” Now, four years later, Miley’s sharing her real thoughts on the collab, and let’s just say… she’s not pretending it was a match made in heaven. In her chat with The Ringer’s Every Single Album podcast, Miley casually dropped that Dua’s feature “just isn’t cohesive with the album.” Ouch. She then added, “no shade to Dua Lipa” (which is absolutely the international pop girl language for “I’m about to throw shade but don’t come for me”). According to Miley, Dua’s disco-pop sparkle would’ve fit better on Endless Summer Vacation—her 2023 record known for Flowers, “Wildcard,” and all that emotionally hydrated energy. “Can you imagine?” Miley mused. We can, Miley. And now we kind of want it. But wait—there’s more. Some fans are on conspiracy theory duty and believe Miley’s new track Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved may actually be a veiled reference to Dua herself. The lyrical clues? Let’s investigate: She speaks the perfect French /she can dance the night away /and still, she’ll never break a sweat Exhibit A: Dua is multilingual and has flexed her Francophone side in tracks like Troye Sivan’s “Talk Talk.” Exhibit B: She is, quite literally, the reigning queen of disco-pop. And Exhibit C: “never break a sweat” is being read as a possible jab at Dua’s earlier live performances—you know, those meme-worthy “go girl, give us nothing” moments that the internet will never forget (and some of us, ahem, still cherish). That said, there’s always the chance Miley’s actually paying her a backhanded compliment. Maybe it’s a nod to how effortlessly Dua moves on stage now? Or maybe it’s just lyrical flair with zero beef. But let’s be honest—if there’s one thing pop music thrives on, it’s speculation served with a shot of drama. Whether Miley’s being shady or just honest, one thing’s clear: the pop girlies stay giving us content.