It’s hard to believe that Addison Rae was just an average girl attending high school in Louisiana only a year ago.
Fast forward to today, and she’s one of the most famous people in the world, with over 26 million followers on TikTok and endorsement deals with major brands like Levi’s and Samsung.
Aside from launching a merchandise line, appearing in television shows and movies, and releasing a single with rapper Lil Nas X, Rae has graced the covers of Cosmopolitan UK and Harper’s Bazaar US.
Addison Rae has also been nominated for awards at prestigious events such as the People’s Choice Awards, the MTV Movie & TV Awards, and the Kids’ Choice Awards.
Not bad for a girl who was just an average teenager a year ago!
Early Life
Addison Rae Easterling (born October 6, 2000) is a social media personality and actress from the United States.
She attended Calvary Baptist Academy during high school and participated in gymnastics and cheerleading.
Forbes named her the highest-earning TikTok personality in August 2020. The Forbes “30 Under 30” list of social media influencers named Addison Rae in 2021.
Addison Rae Easterling grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, with her parents, Monty Lopez and Sheri Easterling.
Rae has two younger brothers, Enzo Lopez and Lucas Lopez, and an older half-sister, Macye Neumeyer, who also has two daughters.
Addison’s parents divorced when she was young and were divorced on and off throughout her childhood before remarrying in 2017.
Both parents have their TikTok accounts, with Monty having 5 million followers and Sheri having 14 million followers.
Rae began competing in dance at six, traveling across the country to compete.
Before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue her TikTok career, the dancer briefly attended Louisiana State University (LSU) in the fall.
She studied sports broadcasting but dropped out when she began to gain popularity on TikTok.
In an interview with Elle magazine, Addison Rae discusses her decision to relocate to Los Angeles, saying, “a few people in LA reached out to me, and I was like, ‘I need to go.’ So my parents fully supported me.”
The Timeline of Her Success
In just a few short years, Addison Rae has gone from being an average teenage girl to one of the most famous people in the world.
Before Fame, she began dancing competitively at the age of six. She also practiced gymnastics and became a high school cheer team member. She first posted to her Instagram account back in October 2014.
The power of TikTok Addison Rae has amassed a massive following of dedicated fans who tune in daily to watch her dance videos, challenges, and sketches.
She started posting videos in her bedroom but has now become a celebrity and brand favorite, despite being a relative unknown.
January 2019: Addison Rae posts her first-ever TikTok video. The clip, set to the song “Lottery” by K CAMP, features Rae dancing in her bedroom. The footage quickly racks up views and likes, cementing Rae’s status as a burgeoning TikTok star.
April 2019: Rae posts a duet with fellow TikTok user Charli D’Amelio, which helps skyrocket both girls to even greater Fame. Millions of people watch the duet after it goes viral.
July 2019: Rae hits 10 million followers on TikTok. To celebrate, she posts a thankful message for her fans and promises to continue making content they love.
In July 2019, Addison uploaded her first TikTok video featuring a dance to the song “Renegade” by rapper Jay305.
The Renegade Dance, as it came to be known, quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and propelling Addison’s TikTok career.
The Renegade Dance was straightforward enough—a series of simple hand gestures set to a catchy beat—but it struck a chord with TikTok users. In the following months, hundreds of thousands of people uploaded their versions of the Renegade Dance, helping to make it one of the most popular trends on the platform.
September 2019: Rae makes her acting debut in the film Boo! A Mad Dog Halloween. The family-friendly flick is a hit with audiences and helps solidify Rae as more than just a TikTok star—she’s now a bonafide celebrity.
December 2019: Rae reaches 20 million followers on TikTok. She posts a heartfelt message expressing her gratitude for her fans and their support.
Rae appears on the cover of Cosmopolitan UK. The issue touts Rae as the “Queen of TikTok” and includes an in-depth interview with the star.
April 2020: Rae is named one of Time Magazine’s “25 Most Influential People on the Internet.” The list also includes people like Billie Eilish, BTS, and Drake.
May 2020: Rae releases her debut single, “Obsessed,” with rapper Lil Nas X. The song became a viral sensation and helped Rae transition from TikTok star to pop musician.
She also started branching into other content areas, such as comedy and vlogging. By December 2019, she had reached 10 million followers on TikTok.
Personal Life
In May 2020, Addison Rae confirmed that she was dating fellow TikTokker Bryce Hall. Rumors of the couple dating for months preceded the couple’s official announcement.
Addison is close with her family and often features them in her TikTok videos. Sheri Easterling, her mother, is also a popular TikTok user.
Monty Lopez, Addison’s father, is a Baptist minister. Josh and Wyatt are her older brothers, and Nia is her younger sister.
Addison enjoys traveling when she’s not making videos or spending time with her family. She has been to several countries, including Italy, France, and Mexico.
Addison Rae is one of the world’s most popular social media stars. Her fun personality and massive following will continue entertaining audiences for years.
Endorsements and Brands
Addison Rae has partnered with many brands since becoming TikTok’s most followed user.
Some well-known brands include American Eagle, Hollister, L’Oréal, and Reebok. Because of these endorsement deals, she has become one of the world’s highest-paid TikTok stars.
Addison Rae has appeared on popular TV shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and was cast in the lead role of Padgett Sawyer in the teen romantic comedy film.
The Louisiana-born influencer, who counts Kourtney Kardashian as one of her gal pals, appeared to have had a good workout session as she was sweating.
She has also been featured in several major campaigns, including a global advertising campaign for Mario Testino’s TOGETHER2GO initiative and a beauty campaign for L’Oreal Paris.
She loves to use the Wildflower phone cases and often features them in her videos. She is fond of using it along with A-list celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Bella Hadid, and Cara Delevingne.
Conclusion
It’s incredible what can happen in just one year. Addison Rae is living proof of that.
She went from being an unknown teenage girl to one of the most famous people in the world in 12 months.
How did she do it? Capitalizing on her popularity on TikTok and using her carefully cultivated personal brand to launch into other areas like fashion and music.
As you can see, Addison Rae’s rise to Fame has been nothing short of meteoric.
In just a year, she’s gone from being an unknown teenager to one of the most famous people in the world.
Thanks to her talent, dedication, and willingness to take risks, Rae is well on becoming a household name.