Rising pop star Addison Rae is addressing the ongoing criticism that her music career feels “heavily curated” in a candid new cover story with ELLE Magazine. Rae, whose real name is Addison Rae Easterling, responded to the perception that she isn’t being her authentic self in her music and public persona.

Addison Rae Discusses Inauthenticity Criticism

In the interview, Rae expressed understanding for why some may feel her career appears “curated,” but she also pushed back against the narrative. “I wish,” she said. “I totally get why people may feel like this isn’t who I really am.”

She continued, explaining her reluctance to be fully transparent with the public, “But it’s like, ‘No, maybe I didn’t want to show you who I really was because I was afraid of confronting that, and I was afraid of what people would say about it.’”

Finding Success on Her Own Terms

Rae also made it clear that she isn’t concerned with convincing others to view her a certain way. “It’s not my job to persuade anybody how to feel about me, or if they think I’m cool or not,” she explained. “As long as every day I feel like I’m putting out things I’m proud of and inspiring people, then I have no complaints….I’m succeeding at what I want to do.”

The Diet Pepsi singer admitted she’s surprised by how far she’s come in her career. “I’ve definitely gotten much further than I expected to,” she shared. Rae also expressed gratitude for Los Angeles, saying, “The world seemed so small when I lived in Louisiana, and the world feels so much bigger here.”

Rae Reflects on Her Journey and Passions

Rae found it amusing that people assume her passions are new. “First of all, no one ever even knew who I was before I was a freshman in college,” she remarked. “So it’s like, ‘How would you even know what my interests were before?’ I grew up dancing; I’ve always loved to sing.”

She also acknowledged how fortunate she is for the opportunity TikTok provided, allowing her to explore her deepest passions. “It’s like, ‘What am I going to do? Not chase my dreams because I feel like I haven’t done enough school to get here?’ No, the door opened for me, and I’m going to go through and explore it,” Rae said.

Addison Rae’s Upcoming Music Release

On April 18, 2025, Addison Rae released her latest single, “Headphones On”, from her highly anticipated debut album. The song’s music video, directed by Mitch Ryan, takes fans on a scenic journey through Reykjavik, Iceland, while showing Rae lost in daydreams in a grocery store. Fans are eagerly awaiting the release of her debut album, set for June 6, 2025. The album date was revealed during a surprise performance of “Aquamarine / Arcamarine” at Coachella, where Rae showcased the date written on her underwear, sparking excitement among her followers.