Addison Rae calls Charli XCX her “mentor”, says meeting the singer “was an obviously pivotal moment” in her life

Rising star Addison Rae has credited global pop sensation Charli XCX as a significant influence on her career, calling the singer her “mentor” and describing their first meeting as “an obviously pivotal moment” in her life.

On January 21, 2025, during a cover story interview with Rolling Stone, Rae reflected on her experience when she initially met Charli XCX and suggested that she had been like a big sister to her. Rae stated —

"[Meeting] Charli XCX was an obviously pivotal moment in my life. She has been such a big sister and mentor for me," Rae said.

The statement followed the duo's collaboration on Rae's single 2 Die 4, which released on August 18, 2023, as well as the A.G. Cook-assisted Von Dutch remix from her Brat album.

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Addison Rae talks about the impact of Charli XCX on her career

On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, during an interview with Rolling Stone, Addison Rae shed light on her relationship with English singer and songwriter Charli XCX, describing her as both a sisterly figure and a mentor in her life, as mentioned.

Rae further highlighted how Charli XCX’s support and respect for her ideas significantly boosted her confidence, attributing much of her growth to the artist —

"[Charli] respected me and my ideas. It was the first time I really took the step on my own to be confident in the ideas I had and follow that. I owe that all to Charli," Rae said.

This is not the first time Rae has expressed her admiration for Charli XCX and her role in shaping her career. During an interview with SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio in September 2024, Rae praised Charli for providing her with confidence and invaluable guidance in the music industry —

"She’s really given me so much confidence and I owe so much flowers to her, honestly, because she’s given me not only like incredible advice in the industry and incredible guidance and direction and just taste, honestly," Rae said.

During the interview, Charli XCX also reflected on her first meeting with Addison Rae, sharing a memorable anecdote. According to Billboard, Charli recounted how Rae had entered the studio in an unconventional outfit, exclaiming about boys, and then spontaneously suggested turning the moment into a song.

Charli expressed admiration for Rae’s instinctive creativity and described the interaction as a defining moment —

"It’s been fun to watch her evolve. Everything she does relates back to her art — every item of clothing she wears, everything she says in a red-carpet interview, everything she tweets — it all is a part of the world-building," Charli recalled.

In addition to Charli XCX’s mentorship, Addison Rae in an interview with Rolling Stone also reflected on the indirect guidance she received from Swedish record producer and songwriter Max Martin.

While working with songwriters Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjärd, who are signed under Martin’s label, Rae recalled how Martin helped her overcome her hesitation when it came to opening up about her personal life in her music —

"I had told him I struggle with talking about things that are really close to me. He’s like, ‘The only way you’re going to really push yourself [is] to say things that are true and real. Once you spill it out, you can always take it down, but if you start shallow, it’s hard to bump it up,’" Rae recalled.

The creative partnership between Charli XCX and Addison Rae began in 2021 when Rae’s 2 Die 4 demo snippet leaked online. Charli reached out to Rae to express her admiration for the track, leading to a collaborative effort that turned the song into a massive hit.

Currently, the duo has been working together on Rae’s forthcoming Brat remix album, further cementing their dynamic relationship.