“Can’t a girl have fun?” is the question that Addison Rae is asking her audiences in her debut tour, which is glittered with spontaneity and the free spirit of summer. Rae thrives off of her unapologetic carefree persona, which has carried her through online hate and into a music career. Her famous and spontaneous ‘Von Dutch’ scream, which is featured on Charli XCX’s BRAT, epitomises Addison’s girly provocation, which it was is so enticing in her music and even more so in her live performance.
This concert had many similarities to a cabaret show, with the opening number ‘Fame is a Gun’ being set amongst smoke machines and dancers with police hats. Addison first appeared in a deep blue dress, which was stripped back to neon fishnets and underwear in the latter half of the song. These initial costumes, worn by both Addison and her dancers, were reminiscent of the 2010s Just Dance Wii game. This worked well alongside this performance-focused concert, where Addison’s dancing and passion for movement were the centerpiece of the show. Songs like ‘2 Die 4’ and ‘New York’ invoked a texture of this 2010 video game aesthetic that was saturated with effervescence and neon flashing lights.
The show was impressively smooth in its conceptual separation, weeding out the upbeat club classics from the more sultry songs. Addison’s performance of ‘In the Rain’ was visually enchanting, with her white mesh two-piece, paired with sequin socks and blueish lights. This segment of the show was opalescent and mermaidian in aesthetic, referencing ‘Aquamarine’ that acted as the main focus for this section. With aquatic and fluid choreography, this number was sensual to watch, thanks in part to Addison’s dancers, who helped shape her artistic vision by lifting and pulling her from each side of the stage. It would be impossible to separate the costuming and visual intentions of this show from her music, because such a huge part of Addison Rae’s image is indulging in these artistic forms that are feminine and languid. This was particularly apparent in ‘High Fashion’, which was performed with a solo floor section full of lust and intensity. This was paired with Addison’s vocals that were much more raw with higher levels of projection than the studio track. Even lyrics like “I don’t need your drugs, I’d rather get, rather get high fashion” show the importance of fashion in Rae’s image.
Addison Rae has a frivolity to the way she dances that complements the free spirit that lives in her music (“all my fears fly out the window, makes it feel like summer forever”). She embraces sexuality in her movement, which mainstream culture often shuns or frames as excessive. This invites playful and expressive layers into her femininity, without shame.
The show closed with ‘Diet Pepsi’ where Rae wore a princess-like white tutu dress that trailed behind her. This conclusion was more understated and natural in contrast to the high-energy numbers. By taking her shoes off mid-song and tying her hair up messily, Rae allowed her last song to be more personal than the previous flamboyancy. Much of the concert nurtures the art of dressing up and indulging in having fun, as seen in her costuming and lyrics like “The girl I used to be is still the girl inside of me.” This visual construction of the complete performance and choice of clothing amplified Rae’s debut album, which frames the fun of femininity and fame.
Words by Louella Venus
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