AR | |
---|---|
![]() Cover for all digital formats and CDs | |
EP by | |
Released | August 18, 2023 |
Recorded | 2020–2021 |
Genre | |
Length | 9:42 |
Label | Sandlot |
Producer |
AR is the debut extended play by American singer Addison Rae. It was released on August 18, 2023, through Sandlot Records.
AR is a pop and bubblegum pop record with influences of electropop, synth-pop and dance-pop, which Rolling Stone described as "plasticky, pristine pop that online audiences ironically, and then unironically, eat up." The EP was met with critical praise for its earworms, catchy hooks, and Rae's ability to channel the nostalgia of the 2000s and 2010s pop era. [2] [3] [4]
On Spotify, the project was ranked among the top 10 biggest opening weeks for a female EP in Spotify history with 6.6 million streams. The EP also debuted at number 19 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. [5] AR consists of four songs. "2 Die 4" was released as the EP's only promotional single to promote the project along with its release, and features a collaboration with English singer Charli XCX. Rae's debut single "Obsessed" appears as a bonus track on Spotify. [6]
In March 2021, Rae released her debut single "Obsessed". [7] Two months later, she began teasing the release of a debut album. [8] She revealed that album would be about "experiences that [she's] gone through or feelings that [she's] had and just different mindsets that [she's] kind of been in over the past year". [8] In June 2021, It was revealed that Rae was working on an extended play (EP) with artists such as Charli XCX and Benny Blanco, and that she had four songs ready to be released. [9] In September 2021, Rae was supposed to perform live at iHeartRadio Music Festival but she later announced that she isn't ready to perform yet. [10]
In January 2022, snippets of Rae's unreleased tracks went viral online and garnered positive reactions. The song "I Got It Bad", which was teased in 2021, got leaked alongside "Nothing On (But the Radio)" which was originally an unreleased song recorded by Lady Gaga. [11] Throughout the year, more unreleased demos from Rae were leaked online. [12] She quickly built a cult following among "queer pop-culture obsessives" [13] after they noticed via her Spotify that her music taste "spans recent avant-garde hip-hop to the cream of '00s Timbaland-produced R&B." [14] In February 2023, Rae began teasing new music again after she changed her Spotify bio to "Addison Rae 2023". [15]
On August 14, 2023, Rae announced that she would be releasing an EP made up of some unreleased songs which were intended to be a part of her "lost album". [16] The EP was originally supposed to be released in 2021 with "Obsessed" as the lead single however, Rae stated that, after the reception of her debut single, she intended to give up on music entirely, but after she saw fans' enthusiasm over the leaked material she gained the confidence to release more music. "I think I know myself now, and I know what I want to do, and I know where I want to go, and to have full control over doing it exactly how I envision it," she continued, "I wanted this EP to be the end note to the past few years, and a stepping stone forward in my career. And I can't wait to show you the next part." [14] [17] [18]
AR received favorable reviews from critics. Jason Lipshutz from Billboard wrote that the EP "does not sound like a collection of odds and ends: instead, the five songs engross the listener with fresh melodies and bursts of personality, showcasing the 22-year-old as a quick study within this brand of pop," adding that "the whole project is worth bookmarking as the potential start of something big." [19] Cat Zhang of Pitchfork stated that Rae "delivers the kind of plasticky, pristine pop that online audiences ironically, and then unironically, eat up," reviewing the track "I Got It Bad" by describing it as "a bedazzled turn-of-the-millennium pop song" and assessing that "there's an immediate reward in the song's blingy flourishes and bass-heavy breakdown." [13] Liam Hess of Vogue also highlighted "I Got It Bad" calling it "a bona fide pop masterpiece with a welcome dose of weirdness," continuing that it "recalls Britney at her peak, with an irresistible, swooping chorus and a juggernaut of a bridge." [14]
Nylon 's Steffanee Wang wrote that "the music is worth it. [AR]'s brand of pop is the kind you can't look too closely at because there really isn't anything much deeper to gleam. Everything it is and will be is already on display on its gleaming, shiny outside." [20] Larisha Paul of Rolling Stone commented that the EP "digs up some of the most anticipated songs she has teased with snippets and sneak peeks in the time since she made her musical debut," calling "2 Die 4" a standout "collaboration with pop maestro Charli XCX." [21] Writing for Ones to Watch, Alessandra Rincon said that Rae "can finally add verified pop star to her ever-growing résumé," claiming that "I Got It Bad" is the song that "arguably benefitted the most from the reworked mix, introing the body of work with a new, refreshing energy," calling it "an undeniably catchy track to the point that even her cynics will likely have difficulty finding fault in this flawless pop song." [22]
AR debuted at number 19 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. [23]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of AR. [24]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Got It Bad" |
| 2:52 | |
2. | "2 Die 4" (featuring Charli XCX) |
| Goldstein | 2:06 |
3. | "Nothing On (But the Radio)" |
|
| 2:29 |
4. | "It Could've Been U" |
| Alexander 23 | 2:15 |
Total length: | 9:42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
5. | "Obsessed" |
|
| 2:15 |
Total length: | 11:57 |
Notes
Credits adapted from the liner notes of AR. [24]
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [25] | 19 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | August 18, 2023 | Sandlot | [6] | |
United States | October 13, 2023 | CD | [26] | |
December 1, 2023 | LP | [27] |
Kim Petras is a German singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Between 2016 and 2020, she released music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records, before signing with Amigo and Republic Records in 2021.
Charlotte Emma Aitchison, known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery by a promoter who invited her to perform at warehouse raves. In 2010, she signed a recording contract with Asylum Records, releasing a series of singles and mixtapes throughout 2011 and 2012.
"I Love It" is a song by Swedish synth-pop duo Icona Pop featuring vocals from British singer Charli XCX. It was released as a single in May 2012 as a digital download in Sweden, where it peaked at number two on the singles chart. The song was added to their debut studio album, Icona Pop, as well as their EP Iconic and their debut international album, This Is... Icona Pop. "I Love It" was written by Charli XCX, Patrik Berger, and Style of Eye, with production handled by the latter two.
True Romance is the debut studio album by English singer Charli XCX. It was released on 12 April 2013 by Asylum and Atlantic Records. Originally scheduled for release in April 2012, the album's release was delayed for a full year and had been in the making since early 2010 when Charli met with producer Ariel Rechtshaid in Los Angeles. To promote the album's release, Charli embarked on a three-date UK promotional tour in April 2013.
"You're the One" is a song by British singer Charli XCX, released as her fifth single on 14 June 2012 exclusively in Australia under Warner Music, and the third single from her debut EP of the same name, and her major-label debut studio album True Romance (2013).
English singer Charli XCX has released six studio albums, four mixtapes, three extended plays, one live album, one soundtrack album, two DJ mixes, 48 singles, and 13 promotional singles. In 2007, XCX began recording her debut album on a loan granted by her parents. Titled 14, after her age at the time, it received only a restricted public release. Two singles, "!Franchesckaar!" and double A-side "Emelline" / "Art Bitch", were released in late 2008 under Orgy Music. In June 2012, Charli XCX released her first mixtape, titled Heartbreaks and Earthquakes, a one-track file consisting of eight songs. A second mixtape, titled Super Ultra, was released in November of the same year. Charli XCX's major-label debut studio album, True Romance, was released in April 2013, and peaked at number 85 on the UK Albums Chart. While failing to appear on any main album charts internationally, the album reached number five on the Heatseekers Albums chart in the United States and number 11 on the ARIA Hitseekers chart in Australia. The album spawned five singles—"Stay Away", "Nuclear Seasons", "You're the One", "You " and "What I Like". In 2012, Charli XCX was featured on Icona Pop's song "I Love It", which peaked at number one in the UK and reached the top 10 in various countries including the US, Canada, Ireland and Germany.
"Fancy" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring British singer Charli XCX, taken from the former's debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It was released on 17 February 2014 by Def Jam Recordings as the fourth single from the album. "Fancy" was described as an electro-hop, electropop, and pop rap song. It was written by Azalea and XCX, composed and produced by production team the Invisible Men, alongside additional producers the Arcade. It was leaked under the title "Leave It" in December 2013.
Vroom Vroom is the second extended play (EP) by English singer Charli XCX, released on 26 February 2016 by Vroom Vroom Recordings. It features production work from Scottish producer Sophie.
Alma-Sofia Miettinen, known professionally as Alma, is a Finnish singer and songwriter. Beginning her career in 2013, she placed fifth in the seventh season of the Finnish version of Idol. Her breakthrough came in 2015 when she was featured on the single "Muuta ku mä" by Sini Sabotage, and was subsequently signed to Universal Music Group.
"Boys" is a single by English singer Charli XCX, released on 26 July 2017 by Asylum Records and Atlantic Records UK. The song was originally intended to be the second single from her then-upcoming third studio album. However, the song became a stand-alone single when the projected third album was leaked on the internet and cancelled. The song makes use of a sample from the Nintendo video game Super Mario Bros.
Pop 2 is the fourth mixtape by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 December 2017 by Asylum Records. Executively produced by A. G. Cook of PC Music, sessions for the mixtape began several months before its release and featured a wide variety of guest contributions. The mixtape was backed by its only single "Out of My Head" featuring Alma and Tove Lo, released exactly one week before its release.
Sara Hjellström, known professionally as Shy Martin is a Swedish singer and songwriter. As a songwriter her compositions have been streamed over 3 billion times on Spotify alone, while her songs as lead vocalist have been streamed 1.5 billion times on the same platform.
"Flash Pose" is a song by Brazilian singer and drag queen Pabllo Vittar featuring English singer Charli XCX. It was released on 25 July 2019 as the lead single off of Vittar's 111 1 EP and 111 album. The track is Charli XCX and Vittar's second collaboration, following "I Got It", which appears on Charli's Pop 2 mixtape and is followed by "Shake It", on the album Charli.
Addison Rae Easterling is an American singer and actress. Rae rose to fame on TikTok and has amassed over 88 million followers, making her the fifth most-followed individual on the platform.
How I'm Feeling Now is the fourth studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 May 2020. Released eight months after her previous LP, Charli (2019), the album was conceived in the span of six weeks during the COVID-19 lockdown in a "do it yourself" collaborative process with her fans. Charli XCX, A. G. Cook and BJ Burton served as the album's executive producers.
"Obsessed" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Addison Rae, released on March 19, 2021, through Sandlot Records. The song peaked at number ten on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. The song was originally intended to be the lead single from Rae's debut extended play AR in 2021, but the project was shelved due to Rae's lack of confidence. The EP was later officially released August 18, 2023, with "Obsessed" as a Spotify-exclusive bonus track on the EP.
Crash is the fifth studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 18 March 2022. It was her last album to be released under her record contract with Asylum Records. Charli announced the album title, release date, and artwork on 4 November 2021. Her website was also updated with information about the album's 2022 tour. The album was preceded by the four singles "Good Ones", "New Shapes" featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek, "Beg for You" featuring Rina Sawayama, "Baby" and two promotional singles, "Every Rule" and "Used to Know Me", the latter released as the fifth single in April 2022.
"Von Dutch" is a song by English singer Charli XCX. It was released on 29 February 2024 through Atlantic Records. Written by Charli alongside its producer Finn Keane, the track serves as the lead single from her sixth studio album, Brat.
Brat is the sixth studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released through Atlantic Records on 7 June 2024. It features production by Charli XCX, her longtime executive producer A. G. Cook, Finn Keane, Cirkut, her partner George Daniel, and others. The album draws influence from the 2000s English rave music scene, with a more aggressive club sound than her previous album, Crash (2022). A deluxe edition with three additional tracks was released on 10 June 2024.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)