Courtney Love has shared a cover of Addison Rae's hit single 'Diet Pepsi,' posting a stripped-down rendition on Instagram that trades the pop star's playful delivery for a mellow, plaintive vocal. The grunge icon described the track, taken from Rae's 2025 debut album 'Addison,' as the 'saddest song.'
The cover marks another pop crossover moment for Love, whose 1994 Hole track 'Violet' was recently covered by Slayyyter on Triple J's Like a Version series. Love praised that rendition as 'delightful.' Her appreciation for Rae's work extends beyond a single track: NME gave 'Addison' a four-star review, noting that 'Rae's greatest strength is her sensuality' and that 'her silken voice is what sells the steaminess of smash hit 'Diet Pepsi.'' The album also landed at Number Two on NME's 50 Best Albums of the Year list, where it was described as 'one of the best pop debuts in recent memory.'
Love's connection to pop music runs deep. In a 1999 interview with NME alongside Michael Stipe, she discussed the difference between crossing into the mainstream in music versus film. 'I know how to get clear and embrace the mainstream for a movie,' she said at the time. 'There's rules and regulations. You're just selling the movie. It's basic. But in music, it's so much more complex and so much about what I have to say. I'm the director.'
The cover arrives as Love works on her second solo album, the long-awaited follow-up to 2004's 'America's Sweetheart.' She has said she 'almost died' during the album's creation. In November, she revealed that Echo & The Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant is contributing to the record, praising his 'incredible leads.' In March, Love confirmed that her former Hole bandmate Melissa Auf Der Maur will also appear on the album. Auf Der Maur recently spoke to NME about the possibility of a Hole reunion, hinting that the current political climate might make it more likely.
Love has also assured fans that her memoir, 'The Girl With The Most Cake,' will arrive before Christmas this year through HarperCollins. She previously said in 2022 that the book was complete, but it has yet to be published.
Rae's debut album has been a critical success beyond its chart performance. The single 'Headphones On' ranked Number Eight on NME's 50 Best Songs of 2025 list, with the publication writing that 'with notes of dreamy '90s R&B and Madonna's 'Ray Of Light' era, pop's brightest new star gives us plenty of reason to tune in.'