Addison Rae in Dublin review: Tiktok star kicks off tour at 3Arena
A recent image of Addison Rae, who kicked off her world tour at 3Arena, Dublin. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty)
About 20 minutes into the opening night of Addison Rae’s first tour, a small group of dancers lifts her high into the air as confetti falls around her on stage at 3Arena in Dublin.
“I’m the luckiest girl in the world!” she squeals.
Fans in the venue throw fake dollar bills towards her as she cajoles us into the refrain, "Come on Dublin, don't lie, money's everything."
Dressed in a bejewelled lingerie set with rhinestone-heeled boots, straightened dirty blond hair and a headset style microphone, this is Y2K nostalgia at its most explicit.
For the uninitiated, this is Addison Rae. The Californian influencer made her name doing dances on TikTok, where she became one of the most-followed people on the platform. (At the time of writing, she has more than 88 million followers).
Prior to Monday, the 24-year-old had made only sporadic live appearances, with a half hour being the longest performance time to date. The Dublin show had been upgraded from the National Stadium due to demand, so the pressure was sky high. Could this unseasoned performer deliver, or, in Gen Z internet lingo, would she flop?
She delivered.
Over the course of the 60-minute show, there are multiple outfit changes, dance breaks and audience interaction.
She performs nearly all of her 12-track, 33-minute debut album, as well as a cover of Charli XCX's remix, which Rae features on. From her artistic choices to the breathy delivery, it's clear that album and tonight's show is a homage to her muses. A 2000s baby, Britney is the obvious influence, but she is also inspired by Lana del Rey and Lady Gaga (both of whom she references in , "Wanna roll one with Lana, get high with Gaga").
Tonight, the comparisons to Britney come easily. From the pumping backing track to the lingerie. For fans, too, the expectation is similar. "I don't care if she sings [live]," I overhear, "I just want to see her dance."
As the show approaches its conclusion — before 9.30pm because they have made the odd choice not have a support act — she dons an OTT gown similar to her 2024 MTV VMA attire and unzips her heels, finishing barefoot.
She thanks her dancers for getting her ready for tonight and the audience for showing up.
"This is my first time doing something like this," she says, the subtext being, none of us knew how this was going to go.
She grins like a cheshire cat, hands in the air, as dry sparks explode in those final moments, everyone around me with their phones high in the air, capturing this for the millions online who are ready to pounce on one of the internet's most prominent IT girls.
“Until next time, Dublin,” she promises, disappearing behind the curtain.
"That felt like witnessing history," someone says behind me.
- Fame is a Gun
- I got it bad
- New York
- Summer Forever
- 2 die 4
- Von Dutch (remix)
- In the Rain
- High Fashion
- Aquamarine
- Headphones On
- Money is Everything
- Obsessed
- Times Like These
- Diet Pepsi
