Addison Rae, Lexee Smith, and the Power of Creative Synergy in Friendship.
The concept of influence in friendship is not foreign — and our journey to true self-discovery can begin with someone else.
As a self-proclaimed TikTok veteran, I have been following Addison Rae's journey since she was doing the renegade in ripped blue jeans and white tank tops. She was the sweet all-American southern belle the little girls loved to watch. Fast forward a few years and that girl-next-door has transformed into a beautifully chaotic, hyper-feminine, rising pop star shaking the grounds of pop culture. Today's Addison is giving old Hollywood glamour meets off-duty dancer meets Tumblr-era muse. While I love the new Addison, this Rae wasn't built in a day.
Addison got her start on TikTok in 2019 when she posted a simple dance video that unexpectedly blew up. So she continued posting more dance videos, collaborating with other popular creators and soon became the second most popular person on the app. With this new internet fame, Addison sought to build a name and a career for herself beyond the TikTok hype.
Her first major career endeavor was Item Beauty, a beauty line that sort of fizzled out over time. She then tried out acting in the movie "He's All That", before making her music debut in the greatly criticized single "Obsessed". During this era, she was known to hang with various influencers and celebrities; she dated Bryce Hall, was buddies with Kourtney Kardashian, was best friends with Dixie D'Amelio, and frequently hung out with James Charles; she was everywhere with everyone. While these connections kept her in the spotlight, they did nothing positive for her brand or her creative career. Instead, she was perceived as a cringy, boring, try-hard influencer. She aligned herself with individuals who lacked credibility, making it even harder for her to be seen as more than just a TikToker.
A Shift in Creative Circles
In 2021, Addison began dating producer and songwriter Omer Fedi, and I'd argue that this relationship introduced her to a new creative ecosystem. Being with a credible, talented producer in the industry likely began to change her perspective on how she wanted to be perceived. It was also during this time that she became close with her friend and mentor Charli XCX. This period marked the beginning of a shift in Addison Rae's image; her style began to improve, and her presence signaled she was stepping into a creatively driven phase of her career.
As a result of this shift, Addison went on to release an EP that showed noticeable growth. It sounded like she had taken in all the criticism from her first song, learned from it, and applied changes to her new music. But despite the positive reception of this project, it didn't quite position her as the artist that she aspired to be. The songs were good, but they didn't quite instill her artistry in listeners' minds. And as her friend and mentor Charli XCX put it, "Music is not important, artistry is. A musician creates a song, but an artist creates an entire world." To Charli, a great artist is more than just their songs, "it is the entire culture and the space that they inhabit." She also adds that "Music alone cannot create a world, the artist creates the world." So that is what Addison did, she sought to create a world. But how did she bring it all together? What inspired this artistic vibe? Who influenced her style?
The Influence of Lexee Smith
A key factor in Addison's rebrand that helped her garner positive reactions beyond just her music, has been her fashion evolution, her clearly defined aesthetic, and even her aura, if you will. She has managed to develop an artistic presence that blends nostalgic femininity with an authentic expression of personal style. But we couldn't discuss Addison's artistic rebrand without mentioning her best friend Lexee Smith.
While I have known Lexee for years, because I had a dance obsession phase in 2014 — as one does, a lot of Addison fans have been asking: who is Lexee Smith?
Lexee and Addison probably met sometime in 2022. Lexee is a movement director and a well-known professional dancer in the LA dance scene. She has been on so many cool projects; she has danced alongside top artists like FKA Twigs and Billie Eilish, she directed the sultry movement for Kim Kardashian's chaotic Santa Baby video, and she literally danced on Lady Gaga's head in her Disease music video. But dance is not all that she is great at. On social media, Lexee often shares her odd-dancer, carefree, messy chic aesthetic — her looks are very edgy, raw, and somewhat avant-garde. From her digital presence, it is obvious that Lexee is not a conventional dresser, her style is born out of self-expression and individualism, and just like Addison now, Lexee's overall aesthetic is very dance-infused.
On Instagram, she shares snippets of her dynamic poses and fluid movements, as well as what I would assume are experimental looks. In other words, Lexee was the polar opposite of Addison's sweet, clean, all-American girl aesthetic. And perhaps that contrast was what made this unexpected friendship creatively transformative for Addison.
It could have been Lexee's raw, artistic energy that drew the dancer to Addison at the LA party where they met and immediately became friends. But there's been a lot of curiosity (and controversy) about their friendship dynamic, with people speculating that Addison is seemingly adopting Lexee's style and aesthetic. One user even suggested that Addison's team could have orchestrated the friendship, seeing the potential in Lexee's style for Addison and wanting to help her tap into that. Others called her weird and a copycat for stealing her best friend's flow. Although Lexee's influence on Addison's rebrand is undeniable, this is not a case of imitation or stealing; rather, it is the result of a blossoming (organic) friendship and a creative synergy that has allowed Addison to discover her true artistic identity.
Having a close friendship with a hyper-expressive and creative dancer like Lexee likely ignited a side of Addison that we had rarely seen. She started to fully embrace her dance roots, and this shift in artistic direction likely led her to bring Lexee on as her Creative Consultant in early 2024. As this partnership progressed, Addison began to prioritize not just her music, but her dance artistry, weaving it into her persona and aesthetic. This evolution made her rebrand even more authentic and interesting, thanks to Lexee. Lexee's creative individuality and her ability to present herself so boldly likely triggered Addison to step out of her comfort zone and express herself fully.
While Addison's friendship with Lexee helped her refine her artistic identity, we cannot deny that the friendship has been mutually beneficial, as they bring out the best in each other and their creative visions deeply align. In an interview with Interview Magazine, Lexee states "I wouldn't push myself as hard if we weren't both grinding next to each other."
"It just feels like she is my mirror." — Lexee on Addison
Their connection transcends mere friendship. When describing her friendship with Addison, Lexee told i-D's Nicolaia Rips, "It just feels like she is my mirror," with Addison replying "Lexee is the kind of girl you dream about being best friends with when you're little." She then follows it up with another beautiful sentiment, "She's the subject and she's the painter. She's really real." The two are often shopping and working out together, and when they're not, they're posing for the paparazzi in risque ensembles or creating choreographies for pop world domination.
The rise of Addison's credibility as an artist and Lexee's involvement in it, paved the way for her creative recognition beyond dance, allowing her to be recognized as an influential figure in fashion and pop culture. Lexee's association with Addison's rebrand has opened her up to more opportunities, scoring interviews with top magazines like The Face, Interview Magazine, and i-D. Lexee's exposure to curious Addison fans (and skeptics) led them to discover this gem of a movement expert.
Addison's inspiration from Lexee is a natural part of human experience I believe we have all encountered at some point. Whether positive or negative, consciously or subconsciously — we have picked up phrases, styles, and even mannerisms from the friends we spend the most time with, or people who we admire and consider worthy of emulation. This phenomenon isn't new; throughout history, we have seen creatives draw inspiration from one another, be it through collaboration or exposure to other creative spaces. The King of Pop himself — Michael Jackson, famously drew inspiration from another artist — James Brown, whom he idolized, and whose movements and stage presence influenced his own.
In fashion, music, and art, inspiration and collaboration are an essential part of creative evolution. We cannot grow creatively if we are not open to learning from others, and true growth can only come from exposure to new ideas and perspectives from the people around us.
The Comment Section.
Be nice, be nuanced. The group chat is watching.
popcultureph.d 07/06/2026
"She's the subject and she's the painter" is the most beautiful thing anyone has said about a best friend. Crying at my desk.
renegadeveteran 07/06/2026
The copycat discourse never made sense to me. Everyone's style is borrowed from somewhere — Lexee just happens to be a very good somewhere.