Social media. Is. Brilliant.
It has the power to inspire conversation, connect communities, and catapult previously unknown college students to global fame.
And the latter is exactly what happened when Addison Rae began uploading dance videos to TikTok in 2019.
Is Addison Rae 2024’s It Girl?
‘Addison Rae’ is a name closely associated with TikTok. As one of the first people to have reached a million followers on the platform back in 2019, Rae enjoyed a short but steep rise to fame that changed her life almost overnight.
In the five years since her debut, Rae has racked up over 80M followers on TikTok, making her the platform’s fifth-most followed creator. She has also earned roles in several movies, including a Netflix title, won a Streamy Award, and launched a chart-topping EP, AR.
This’s a lot for anyone to achieve in half a decade, let alone a 23-year-old seemingly plucked from obscurity. So, how did Addison Rae get so popular so fast? And what can other creators learn from her meteoric rise to fame? Let’s find out.
Got it. But why is she popular?
If there’s one thing to know about Addison Rae, it’s that she’s a great dancer.
When Rae first joined TikTok, it was known for being the place to find dance videos. Clips of young people like Rae performing simple routines to catchy songs quickly went viral, with others replicating the routine, and on and on. Rae quickly amassed a large following after performing popular routines like the Renegade.
But Rae hasn’t stayed relevant purely because of her choreography chops (though she continues to post dance and lip-sync videos). Here’s the strategy that’s kept Rae in the spotlight:
1) She leverages trending sounds
Rae has used TikTok’s sound feature to her advantage, carefully selecting which trending sounds to dance and lip sync along to, a move that helped put her on the map.
2) She’s charismatic
A common criticism of modern content creators is that they became popular for nothing; this cannot be further from the truth when it comes to Rae. Some people were just born to be famous!
3) She’s authentic
Rae’s content is entertaining but never pretentious; while she’s making some serious money nowadays, most of her videos are shot and edited on her iPhone. Sometimes, less is more.
4) She’s versatile
Dancer. Actor. Singer. Rae can do it all and has a killer personality to boot.
5) She’s built a strong brand
By serving striking looks that reference iconic pop culture moments, collaborating on two songs with club queen Charlie XCX, and launching her own EP, Rae has successfully rebranded herself as one of the hottest It Girls to watch in 2024.
The power of branding: what you can learn from Addison Rae
Do you have what it takes to reach Rae’s level of stardom? Start your journey with these four lessons from TikTok’s sweetheart:
1) Take advantage of trends
You have to play the game to get ahead. That means getting your profile out there by creating videos using trending sounds or feeding the algorithm by taking part in virtual challenges. You can often spot Addison doing just that.
2) Build a personal brand
Addison’s personal brand game is strong. You can build a similarly recognizable brand for yourself in a number of ways, such as adopting a distinct (and consistent) aesthetic, weaving themes throughout your content, and being selective about who you partner with.
3) Take on ventures that make sense for you
Every single one of Rae’s business ventures, from her music to her brand endorsements, aligns with her core brand aesthetic and values. Remember, brand partnerships and other ventures work best when they feel authentic, so choose your partners wisely — and never do things just for the money.
4) Build a strong work ethic
Rae didn’t build her empire overnight. She’s been working incredibly hard over the past five years to create a brand with longevity. The lesson? If you want to dominate online, you need to put in the hours.
