Review: Aquamarine by Addison Rae 🧜♀️
I can’t believe I’m writing this…
Addison Rae has released her highly anticipated single Aquamarine and I cannot believe I’m saying this but I’m obsessed (excuse the pun).
After the TikTok star’s unpopular arrival on the music scene in 2021, she didn’t release music for two years. However, she won some over with her debut EP, AR, in 2023. AR was filled with leaked songs that people on TikTok warmed to. Then, even more people seemed to get on board after her appearance on the remix of Charli xcx’s Von Dutch earlier this year. The iconic scream, and “I know you wanna live this life!” which was not added to the mastered version, were impressive and it was a turning point for Addison’s music career. Unarguably the TikTok of her ad-libbing helped make Brat even more than what it was already becoming.
In August she released Diet Pepsi. I wasn’t really a fan and I just really wanted her to release the ‘Give Me More’ song she’d first teased in June. The dreamy repetition of the three words and the hypnotic beat had me going back to listen and salivating for it to be on streaming services.
The single had been teased with underwater pictures and videos, and the use of water-based emojis such as pearls and mermaids. Addison also reposted videos of the song edited to clips of mermaids from various shows and movies - including a childhood favourite, H20: Just Add Water. It was no surprise to me then when she revealed earlier this week it was called Aquamarine - a reference to the absolutely iconic chick flick released in 2006 starring Emma Roberts, JoJo, and Sara Paxton.
The song clearly has its musical references to pop sensations of the past like Britney and Madonna. It has echoes of Madonna’s 2000 song Frozen, which was later sampled by English girl group All Saints for their song Pure Shores. Furthermore, it definitely shows how her spending time with someone like Charli, who has been crafting her sound for nearly two decades, has influenced and inspired the 24-year-old.
Written by Addison, Luka Kloser, and Elvira Anderfjärd, and produced by the latter two, Aquamarine makes me feel like I’m floating. The soft, sultry vocals contrasting with the synths are heavenly. The wordplay with certain lyrics such as “The world is my oyster / Baby, come touch the pearl” and “Honey dive into me” is phenomenal. The chorus is brilliantly catchy with her breaking down the song’s title into three syllables at its beginning.
I would also say the lyrics, which she also teased numerous times, “I’m transforming and realigning” are a direct reference to Addison herself and her brand. She went from someone who was constantly bashed online to someone who people now seem to love and respect. Though it probably comes from a place of many people being very fickle, her almost overnight rebranding is something I think a lot of people in the public eye could learn from, no matter how long they’ve been famous.
Then, of course, there’s the Titanic reference. “Heart of the Ocean around my neck,” she sings, “Don’t have to say it, you know what’s next.” With the references to two of my favourite movies and as someone who was a lover of mermaids and the sea from a little girl this song speaks to my soul. I’m a massive fan.
This should be something I should be scared to admit. In fact, I think this woman’s saying her 2020 self would punch you if you said she’d one day be excited about an Addison Rae track is pretty accurate. But I think the girl who amassed millions on a social media platform just by dancing has proven she deserves her chance to have a space in the world of pop music, and I think we should give it to her.
Aquamarine gets a solid 4.5/5 🦪’s from me.