If you’ve been keeping up with the latest conversations surrounding rising stars in pop music, you’ve probably heard Tate McRae’s name come up more than once. From her viral hits dominating the charts to performances that have drawn comparisons to early-2000s pop icons, McRae has rapidly become one of the most talked-about artists of the moment. On February 21st, she secured her place in the industry with So Close to What, her third album and the first one to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.
McRae is a flawless dancer and an exceptional performer, but her sound has been far from consistent. Her 2020 EP all the things i never said played like a poor imitation of Billie Eilish’s dont smile at me. Her 2022 debut album, i used to think i could fly, suffered from a disproportionate amount of ballads to punchy-pop songs. Then came 2023’s THINK LATER, which marked her first foray into dance-pop, led by her hit single “greedy,” which was so dominant, it overshadowed the release of the album itself. But with So Close to What, McRae seems to have finally found her stride, leaning fully into the shift from melancholic ballads to dance-pop anthems.
The album serves as a love letter to 2000’s pop, taking influence from the likes of Timbaland and Britney Spears. For what it lacks in originality, it compensates with well-crafted hooks and polished production, enhanced by Ryan Tedder’s expertise.
The album’s lead single, “It’s ok I’m ok” sees McRae making it clear to the “other woman” that she has no regrets about leaving her unfaithful ex: “nothin’ could make me miss it / take him, he’s yours.” The track is the sonic equivalent of strutting down the street — though perhaps more of a Bella Hadid strut than a Shalom Harlow one. Despite being a fantastic earworm, driven by a hip-hop influenced beat, it’s still missing that elusive “it” factor that distinguishes a solid track from a standout moment.
The third single off the record, “Sports Car,” however, does deliver that standout moment. The bass-heavy rhythm and sensual lyrics, paired with the whisper-sung chorus, exude what I am legally obligated to describe as “2000s baddie realness.” If there’s one song on this album that demands attention, it’s “Sports Car.”
Track five, “Purple Lace Bra,” is a song that subverts expectations. Despite its sensual and intentionally misleading title, it carries a much darker message about McRae’s experiences with objectification and the struggle to be heard on her own terms in the music industry. In a Billboard interview, she explained the inspiration behind the track: “This song was about my relationship with me and the media… feeling like a woman for the first time, feeling sexualized for the first time, and feeling like people weren’t receiving my work the way I wanted it to be received.”
The song’s atmospheric strings and steady beat underscore the weight of the subject matter, but McRae’s enunciation could use some improvement to make the lyrical impact more powerful. Also, if you listen closely, the chorus starts to sound a little too similar to Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi,” which feels like a distracting, albeit minor issue.
Track eleven off the record, “No I’m not in love,” features the surprising inclusion of vocal chops, a trend that really had its moment in 2016, and much like ripped skinny jeans—should have been left there. Coupled with the divisive choice to rhyme “exes” with the made-up word “friendses,” the song walks a fine line between playful and tacky. But underneath it all is a catchy independent-girl anthem, and sometimes, that’s enough.
So, the question that everyone’s asking: has Tate McRae officially reached “main pop girl” status? Not quite, but So Close to What is undeniably a step in the right direction. The album proves she has the potential to become more than just another YouTube-to-pop-star success story. If she hones her brand identity and personalizes her sound, it’s only a matter of time before Tate McRae claims her spot at the top.
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