Producing Songs I’ve Never Heard: Headphones On by Addison Rae [EPISODE 05]
Didn’t expect lo-fi nostalgia from Addison Rae, but here we are
This week I decided to take on Headphones On by Addison Rae, the latest single from the TikToker-turned-pop star. I’ve heard her last few singles and it really seems like she’s in this moment of artistic self-discovery, so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect from this one.
To be honest, most of her earlier tracks leaned toward generic pop production, but lately it seems like she’s experimenting more, which is cool to see.
Now… if we’re gonna be real - I procrastinated hard this week. I put off filming several times, and then when I finally did, I realized halfway through that I hadn’t even hit record during the most involved part of the session 😭. But it’s fine. We made it through, and the episode is finally here!
As I have with the last few, this week I decided to limit myself to using only one sample pack: Noise Requiem, a KAVARI moment by Moment on Splice
Unfortunately, there was no acapella version available on YouTube this week — so no link for that.
But if you haven’t heard the original yet, check it out here:
🎧 Addison Rae - Headphones On (Official Video)
Something about this one was hard to crack at first. I struggled with deciding on a key and transitioning between sections felt clunky. One of my goals for this week was to not overthink it and just create.
I’ve been really inspired lately by this artist I found on TikTok (@ktscanvases) who shares her art journal spreads. She’s so decisive and fearless in the way she creates, and I tried to channel that same energy while building this track. It ended up being exactly the mindset I needed when things weren’t clicking early on.
Once I got going, I think I landed on some cool elements in my version. The drums felt unique, a little unconventional, thanks to the experimental sample pack, but it brought some interesting texture.
I originally started by building around the bass, but without establishing chords first, I found myself kind of stuck. Eventually, I scrapped the basslines I’d been trying and switched to something simpler - starting with pads and a basic chord progression. That totally changed the momentum, and the track came together a lot faster from there.
💭 Final Thoughts:
I was really surprised when I finally listened to the original. It was way more chill and low-key than I expected, especially after her last couple singles.
After spending so much time listening to my version, it honestly felt a little jarring to hear hers. The production had such a laid-back, early 2000s feel, and it’s driving me crazy because I still can’t figure out what song it reminds me of. It’s right on the tip of my tongue. (someone help me out if you know what I’m talking about)
Still, it definitely adds a new angle to the Y2K nostalgia she’s been playing with lately.
What did you think of her version? Did it catch you off guard too, or were you expecting that vibe? Let me know how you think my version compares in the comments below
💬 As always, if you have any song suggestions for future episodes, drop those in the comments as well!
📼 New Lyric Video!
I also just released a new lyric video for my single chatterbox last week.
It was a super fun project with glitchy, dark-pop visuals that fit the theme of overstimulation and digital burnout.
✨ Check it out, share it, and don’t forget to add chatterbox to your playlists on your favorite streaming platform! And if you haven’t yet, hit follow on my artist profile <3
Enjoyed this one, love how your version came out!