Addison Rae Diet Pepsi Meaning and Review
- Burner Records
- Jun 6
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago

A Synthy Reintroduction to Addison Rae
Addison Rae’s Diet Pepsi is a sugary, synth-drenched reintroduction that feels like a soft exhale into the hazy glamour of nostalgia. As the lead single for her debut self-titled album, the track follows her EP AR and expands on the retrofuturistic lane she carved alongside Charli XCX on the “Von Dutch” remix. Produced by ELVIRA and Luka Kloser, Diet Pepsi is a shimmering daydream of whispered vocals, wistful teen romance, and cascading synth textures. Rae’s performance is light and whimsical, yet emotionally evocative. She leans into the airy softness of her voice and lets it blend like vapor into the dreamy production.
Nostalgic References and Sonic Inspirations
The song’s sonic palette is unmistakably rooted in 2010s synthpop revivalism with clear influence from Lana Del Rey’s Lust For Life era. The parallels are evident: American iconography, innocence lost in the backseat of a car, and a playful indulgence in youthful lust. Rae does not attempt to hide these references. Instead, she romanticizes them with a wink. She sings, “My boy’s a winner, he loves the game,” a line that feels both cinematic and intentionally archetypal. There is a deliberate, almost performative femininity here that echoes the hyperreal aesthetic of pop’s most self-aware stars.
Aesthetic Lyrics with a Mood-First Focus
Lyrically, Diet Pepsi balances simplicity and aesthetic cohesion. Repeated lines like “Losing all my innocence in the backseat” create a hypnotic chant that feels more about mood than narrative. Rae paints images of lipstick-scrawled chests, fogged-up windows, and soda-sipping seduction with the ease of someone curating a vintage Tumblr page. The titular beverage itself becomes a stand-in for youthful rebellion and consumer-culture romance, much like Lana’s Coca-Cola or Delilah’s cigarettes. In Addison’s world, the mundane turns into something mythic.
Organic Origins and Artistic Growth
The track’s genesis also reinforces its charm. Co-written with two female producers during their first session together, Rae describes the moment as electric and empowering. The song was originally titled “Backseat,” but Charli XCX suggested renaming it “Diet Pepsi,” which Rae embraced. This change reflects Rae’s willingness to trust her collaborators and adapt creatively. Her relationship with Charli feels genuine, and that trust helps shape the artistic direction of the track in a way that feels both natural and strategic.
A Promising Pop Vignette
Ultimately, Diet Pepsi works because it knows exactly what it wants to be. Rae delivers a song that is focused more on texture, feeling, and flirtation than on lyrical complexity. In doing so, she captures a kind of pastel melancholy and Gen Z romance that feels both intimate and universal. It is a confident step into her debut album and a promising glimpse of the pop star she is becoming.
Listen To Addison Rae Diet Peps
Addison Rae Diet Pepsi Lyrics Meaning Explained
The meaning of Diet Pepsi is a great outing from Addison Rae with a cascading synth vibe that’s carrying the song, and her voice is great and whimsical here. It’s a bit of a vibe, a bit introspective and whispery, but it pays off. Standing tall on the shoulders of the American Dream, Diet Pepsi stands as the lead single for Addison Rae’s self-titled debut album, and is the first track after the release of her debut EP, AR. It marks the beginning of a new era for her discography after her collaboration with hyperpop icon Charli XCX on the remixed rendition of Von Dutch.
A track infused with motifs familiar to Lana Del Rey’s fifth studio album, Lust For Life, the lyrics seemingly allude to the teenage love-filled zeitgeist of the 70s, a fact only further enforced by the lustful escapades mentioned throughout the song. The cover also elicits the Americana culture of the era, with Levi’s jeans and the eponymous Diet Pepsi being almost iconographical of this period, a concept also not unfamiliar to Lana’s style.
Introduction and Overall Theme
The song Diet Pepsi explores a playful and sensual narrative of youthful romance and the tension between innocence and experience. It captures the intoxicating, bittersweet feelings of first loves and the rites of passage that accompany them.
Verse 1: Confidence and Contrasts
The opening lines, “My boy’s a winner, he loves the game,” suggest the boy Addison is involved with is confident and possibly a player, both in charm and maybe literally interested in racing or competitive sports. The phrase “My lips reflect off his cross gold chain” juxtaposes the intimacy of their relationship with the symbol of virtue or faith represented by the cross, emphasizing the tension between purity and desire. This contrast is deepened by the reflection of her lips on the symbol, highlighting a mix of innocence and sensuality. Addison’s confidence shines through with “My ass looks good in these ripped blue jeans,” combining Americana imagery with edgy youthfulness, while “My cheeks are red like cherries in the spring” serves a double entendre, referring both to her flushed facial cheeks and playfully to her buttocks. The line “Body’s a work of art you’d die to see” elevates her physical presence to something precious and coveted, aligning with the song’s flirtatious tone.
Pre-Chorus: Innocence and Desire
The pre-chorus “Untouched XO” carries layered meaning, where “Untouched” refers to innocence or virginity and “XO” represents both affectionate hugs and kisses as well as a category of premium aged cognac. This duality underscores the song’s overarching tension between purity and desire. “Young lust let’s (Ah)” captures the core theme of passionate youthful longing, with the breathy “Ah” mimicking a sound of pleasure or the act of sipping Diet Pepsi, which adds a playful mood.
Chorus: Intimacy and Vulnerability
In the chorus, the lines “When we drive in your car I’m your baby (So sweet)” depict the car as a private intimate space where affection and vulnerability mix. “Losing all my innocence in the backseat” is a repeated suggestive image hinting at losing virginity or crossing into adulthood, with the backseat symbolizing adolescent sexual exploration. The plea “Say you love say you love say you love me (Love me)” reveals an underlying vulnerability expressing a desire for emotional validation amid the confident exterior.
Verse 2: Rebellion and Possession
Verse two continues the theme of youthful rebellion with “Break all the rules 'til we get caught,” invoking the thrill of risk-taking common in secret romances. “Fog up the windows in the parking lot” explicitly references “car sex,” a classic teenage romantic trope emphasizing passion and secrecy. The phrase “Summer love (Ah ah), sexy” evokes the fleeting intensity of young relationships, while “Sitting on his lap sippin’ Diet Pepsi” paints a casual intimate scene that blends youthful pleasure with the modern branded image Addison embodies. The metaphor “I write my name with lipstick on your chest,” alongside “I leave a mark so you know I’m the best,” highlights possessiveness and confidence suggesting a desire to claim and be recognized within the relationship.
Bridge and Post-Chorus: Affirmation and Themes Recap
The bridge repeating “I’m your baby” and “XO” reinforces the hypnotic intimacy between the couple, emphasizing affection and closeness. The post-chorus with “Untouched Young lust XO Let’s go” succinctly summarizes the song’s core themes: innocence intertwined with passionate desire, affection, and readiness to embrace experience.
Outro
The imagery of the car’s backseat symbolizes youthful rebellion and sexual awakening, while Americana references like blue jeans, cherries, and Diet Pepsi itself frame the song within a nostalgic yet contemporary cultural context. Beneath Addison’s confident and flirtatious delivery lies a tender vulnerability conveyed through repeated pleas for love and affirmation.
Addison Rae Diet Pepsi Lyrics
[Verse 1]
My boy's a winner, he loves the game
My lips reflect off his cross gold chain
I like the way he's telling me
My ass looks good in these ripped blue jeans
My cheeks are red like cherries in the spring
Body's a work of art you'd die to see
[Pre-Chorus]
Untouched, XO
Young lust, let's— (Ah)
[Chorus]
When we drive in your car, I'm your baby (So sweet)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
Say you love, say you love, say you love me (Love me)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
When we drive in your car, I'm your baby (So sweet)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
Say you love, say you love, say you love me (Love me)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
[Verse 2]
Break all the rules 'til we get caught
Fog up the windows in the parking lot
Summer love (Ah, ah), sexy
Sitting on his lap, sippin' Diet Pepsi
I write my name with lipstick on your chest
I leave a mark so you know I'm the best
[Pre-Chorus]
Untouched (Untouched), XO (XO)
Young lust, let's go (Ah)
[Chorus]
When we drive in your car, I'm your baby (So sweet)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
Say you love, say you love, say you love me (Love me)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
When we drive in your car, I'm your baby (So sweet)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
Say you love, say you love, say you love me (Love me)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
[Bridge]
When we—
I'm your baby
I'm your baby
When we—
(XO)
[Chorus]
When we drive in your car, I'm your baby (So sweet)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
Say you love, say you love, say you love me (Love me)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat (Ah)
When we drive in your car, I'm your baby (So sweet)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
Say you love, say you love, say you love me (Love me)
Losing all my innocence in the backseat
[Post-Chorus]
Untouched
Young lust
XO
Let's go
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