Addison tour serves indie sleaze with pop-diva realness
This article was originally written for the Daily Trojan, published Oct. 22, 2025.
Addison Rae performed two sold-out shows at The Wiltern for her United States tour.
Addison Rae’s concert, despite the brief run time, had no shortage of spectacle. From intricate choreography to shining costume changes, the singer made the stage her own for one of the last shows of her debut tour in the U.S. (Julia Ho / Daily Trojan)
Over 2,000 Addison Rae fans lost their innocence at The Wiltern during the pop star’s second-to-last leg of her United States tour Monday night. Flanked by only four backup dancers, a bare stage setup and a 2000s diva dream, Addison delivered a tightly choreographed, 45-minute set that felt less like a debut tour and more like a coronation of a pop princess to her throne.
Addison didn’t just meet expectations — she eclipsed them. From the days of 2021 flop “Obsessed” to her June debut album, “Addison,” the evening charted both her Hype House past and Britney Spears-reminiscent present, offering a plausible glimpse of her future as a world-renowned pop sensation.
The night began with a rocky start: Outside, the line wrapped around the block before doors opened at 7 p.m., without an opener. The Wiltern, with its Art Deco facade and historic interior, proved an odd match for Addison’s neon-drenched, hyper-pop world. Inside, the production felt modest: two gate-style doors flanking the stage, a mini-stage in its center and a staircase occasionally utilized — hardly over-the-top.
However, the moment the lights dimmed, any gripes the audience had swiftly faded. Her entrance — in a kitschy apron dress for “Fame is a Gun” — dripped pure camp, with the garment stripped away seconds later to reveal a black garter-and-lace outfit.
Production was minimal — almost laughably so — but the lighting was immaculate. The John Summit-esque laser action and precise choreography compelled audience focus despite the low-budget decor.
From green and coral-pink strobes during “Money Is Everything” and “Von dutch” to dreamlike blue and violet washes during “In the Rain,” the concert lived and died by its lighting design. The star clearly didn’t need any smoke and mirrors when she could effortlessly keep pace with her own choreography.
Vocally, Addison stumbled early during “Fame is a Gun” but rebounded fast — by “Summer Forever,” she was fully locked in, gliding across the stage with a steadiness that would make any seasoned pop star beam with pride.
“We’re in L.A.; I mean, this really is the city of dreams,” Addison said, before jumping into “Summer Forever.”
Her stamina was remarkable — she danced, split, twirled and twerked — all while staying on key and beat, sporting tall Christian Louboutin stilettos. For someone who spent her early career shaking her hips and “woah”-ing on TikTok, she’s closer to the lineage of her musical inspirations, Spears and Madonna, than her critics would like to admit.
The setlist — the entirety of “Addison” plus two Charli xcx collaborations, “Von dutch a.g. cook remix featuring addison rae” from the deluxe version of “BRAT” and one of Charli’s features on Addison’s 2023 EP “AR,” “2 die 4,” as well as other “AR” hits — didn’t leave much room for surprise. But Addison made every moment count.
One of the night’s best numbers, “Money is Everything,” turned The Wiltern into a girlboss fever dream. Faux dollar bills fluttered through the air alongside bright confetti as she and her dancers cooled themselves down with folding fans adorned with Addison currency. It was jovial in the most serious way: cheeky, hyperfeminine and exactly the kind of performance that characterizes recession pop.
Across her tour, Addison’s fashion choices paid homage to the stars she’s clearly studied. The garter set, neon fishnets and abundance of rhinestone-bedazzled garments nodded to early Spears, while her final look, worn only for the concert’s conclusion of “Diet Pepsi,” evoked a hyperromantic pop princess vision. Like Lady Gaga from the advent of her career, Addison clearly understands fashion as a weapon, not just a costume.
Addison’s biggest flex wasn’t the wardrobe or the lighting, though — it was the dancing. The choreography was sharp, efficient and nostalgic, with just enough Y2K camp to keep the crowd screaming. Her dancers, especially the soloist during “Summer Forever,” elevated the set with clean technique and movement seeped in emotion. This wasn’t an influencer cosplaying pop star; this was a real, unbridled and talented performance.
Still, the cracks showed. A set list just shy of 50 minutes is short for a sold-out tour stop. The absence of an opener made the long wait drag on. The minimal stage design bordered on cheap, especially against the ornate interior of The Wiltern.
Addison’s voice, though, might be the biggest revelation. Live vocals once dismissed as paper-thin and off-key are now confident and steady. “Aquamarine” is one of her most vocally ambitious songs — with smoky blue lighting as the backdrop and tightly synced dancers, she hit every note without sacrificing breath. She isn’t a vocal powerhouse by any means, but she doesn’t need to be. Pop is about presence, not perfection, and she’s got that in spades.
The Wiltern wasn’t built to contain her — literally or metaphorically. When Addison steps onto the Greek Theatre stage tonight, expect a show that knows exactly what it is: unserious and utterly serious, nostalgic yet new, ironic and fully sincere. Addison is no longer just a TikTok star. She’s the real deal, and all that’s missing is some campy confetti spelling out “pop icon.”
Maybe the only thing that would’ve brought the concert to a perfect score is if she’d brought out Charli xcx during “2 die 4” and “Von dutch.” However, there’s still hope for forgiveness at her final show at the Greek Theatre on Wednesday.
