Live Review: Addison Rae - Brixton Academy

Addison Rae

BRIXTON ACADEMY

LONDON
30/08/2025

Addison Rae's debut London headline show is a fluorescent, strobe-filled spectacle that transforms Brixton Academy into a burlesque-tinged nightclub.

Words by Philip Giouras

★★★★

When walking into Brixton Academy, you're greeted by a sea of Britney Spears crop tops and T-shirts. So much so, you'd think you're about to witness the surprise return of the American superstar herself. The swathes of trendy Londoners in their late twenties and early thirties, however, are gathered to witness the debut of Spears' heir apparent: American TikTokker turned hottest name in Pop, Addison Rae.

There's a palpable excitement and buzz inside the incredibly stuffy Brixton Academy. Rising to fame through TikTok during the pandemic, Rae gathered over 88 million followers as she swiftly rose to become one of the five most followed people on the platform. Having first attempted to break the mould and crossover into Pop back in 2021, it took a cosign by the auteur of brat, Charli XCX, and the release of the slice of pop perfection that is 'Diet Pepsi', both in 2024, for the world to sit up and take notice.

The noise around Rae culminated in her breakthrough debut album, 'Addison', released earlier this summer to critical and commercial acclaim. Her sound, branding and style all channel Britney's early 00s Pop aesthetic to a tee, and whilst she wears her influences firmly on her sleeve, the imposing 'A' emblazoned gate positioned on the stage and lack of a support act tonight are both intentional; designed to guarantee you understand that tonight is the Addison Rae show.

As you may have guessed, Rae's journey to stardom has been unconventional, and her live show debut is no different. Having only performed for the first time at the start of June at the modest 300-capacity Soho venue The Box in front of a very select group of lucky fans (and a slew of industry executives, fashion magazine editors and influencers), she was elevated within a matter of weeks to supporting her idol, Lana Del Rey, at Wembley Stadium in front of 80,000+ of Pop's most intense fans. On that basis, tonight's performance in London at Brixton's relatively modest 5,000-capacity academy (upgraded like her whole tour due to demand) shouldn't pose too much of a challenge.

At just gone 8.30 pm, the 'A' emblazoned gates on the stage fly open and Rae emerges to ear-piercing screeches from the audience. It's reminiscent of the equally frenzied reaction Chappell Roan received on this very stage twelve months prior; if that's any indication of the ascent Rae could be on, then the sky really is the limit. Rae, in a flowing blue dress, stands out amongst her accompanying neon-clad dance troupe during the feverish opener 'Fame Is A Gun'. She's a performer in all senses of the word: an incredibly impressive dancer who gracefully glides across the stage through the opening number, which ends with her dancers tearing away at her outfit to leave her in a matching neon two-piece.

Thus begins a fluorescent, strobe-filled hour that transforms Brixton Academy into an almost burlesque meets Berlin-style nightclub; the perfect setting for Rae's euro-tinged dance-pop. Throughout the evening's brisk 60-minute performance, I have to remind myself how swift the rise has been for the pop star and how relatively early we are into her live career. At points, it's crystal clear: elaborate dance routines for tracks like 'High Fashion' and 'Aquamarine' take prominence over her live vocals, betraying the fact that the muscle memory of commanding a stage night after night is still being built. Other times, that inexperience evaporates entirely. The emphatic, explosive finale of breakout smash 'Diet Pepsi' feels effortless: a masterclass in pop and a truly memorable moment as sparklers rain down from the sky behind Rae, adorned in a gigantic, almost bridal-esque tutu, as she anoints herself as Pop's latest Princess.

It's a fitting image to close on. Rae's trajectory from TikTok bedroom to Brixton Academy stage has been anything but conventional, yet tonight she proves that the hype is more than algorithmic. The rough edges are there, and they'll smooth out with time and touring, but the raw ingredients of a genuine pop star are undeniable. If she continues on this trajectory, don't be surprised when the 'A' emblazoned gates open on a stage considerably larger than this one.