When Addison Rae’s AR EP came out in 2023, one track in particular stood out to Little Monsters across the land. Rae’s song “Nothing On (But the Radio)†was originally Lady Gaga’s song — a demo track of Gaga’s version had leaked years before and had become an online Gaga standom staple. Now, this TikToker has bought the song, and suddenly it was finally on streaming? Incredible! From Rae, it signaled exactly what kind of fans she wanted to attract: the obsessives, the gay, the Ph.D. in pop music candidates. Now, on October 25, the mother and the daughter are sharing a release date. Gaga put out the first single to a new era, “Disease,†and Addison Rae has a “Diet Pepsi†follow-up in “Aquamarine.†In a previous era, we might have made it into a competition — “Roar†versus “Applause†flashbacks — but in 2024, we’re bigger than that. It’s a mother-daughter release day and a mother-daughter release slay!
Gaga’s “Disease†commences a new era, and, luckily, none of the stench of Joker 2’s flop seems to have stuck on her. The electroclash, spooky “Disease†is a throwback to Gaga of yore: It has the stomping tempo of “Bloody Maryâ€; the syllable “ah†is prominently used, just like on tracks like “Government Hookerâ€; and the phrase “Lay you down like one, two, three, eyes roll back in ecstasy†has the same kind of glorious, memorable stupidity that defines her best work, from “Poker Face†through “G.U.Y.†Still, this is only scratching the surface of nonsensicalness for a woman who has made up entire languages in previous pop songs. There’s a lot to come in this era for Gaga (we don’t even have the music video for this yet), but if there’s something we specifically hope for, it’s a doubling down on that sense of serious silliness. Her name is Lady Gaga. That’s what she does.
And while we’re talking about serious silliness … Addison Rae has that all locked up. “Aquamarine†is a romp through ridiculousness performed without a hint of a knowing smirk, which is what makes it satisfying. “The world is my oyster, baby, come touch the pearl,†Rae purrs in the song’s first verse. “The world is my oyster, and I’m the only girl.†In the music video, she smokes two cigarettes and dances like she has no bones. The song has an addictive, hypnotic quality and a central vacancy (what is this about, actually?) that dares you to take it too seriously. And, ultimately, that’s been her biggest strength: Rae, the Charli XCX protégé, is both a cool kid and a populist TikToker, to the point where you’re never quite sure where her allegiance lies. “Aquamarine†is both cryptic, “Bunny Is a Riderâ€â€“esque pop fan bait and actually nonsensical. Like her mother, she doesn’t pick a side.