Tate McRae knows exactly where she’s headed. On So Close to What, her third studio album, the 21-year-old singer sharpens her sound, refines her image, and fully embraces the role of a modern pop star. The album, released on February 21, builds on the momentum of her 2023 breakthrough Think Later and delivers a confident blend of throwback Y2K club-pop, sultry R&B, and introspective songwriting.
With singles like “Sports Car,” “2 Hands,” and “It’s OK I’m OK,” McRae’s latest project pulls from the early 2000s playbook, drawing comparisons to Britney Spears, Rihanna, and Nelly Furtado. The production, spearheaded by Ryan Tedder, Lostboy, and Amy Allen, is sleek and club-ready, reflecting a level of polish that signals McRae’s arrival in pop’s upper echelon. Yet, as she told Vogue in a recent interview, the album is not just about aesthetics—it’s a personal evolution.
“I really felt like a woman for the first time—feeling confident about my sexuality and empowered—but then some days waking up and feeling sexualized in a way I didn’t enjoy,” McRae explained. “I felt very conflicted, and like a walking contradiction, and So Close to What perfectly summed that up.”
The album explores the push and pull of relationships, ambition, and identity. Tracks like “Miss Possessive” and “Revolving Door” lean into McRae’s flirtatious, high-energy persona, while “Purple Lace Bra” and “Nostalgia” peel back the layers, offering a more vulnerable side. She even collaborates with her boyfriend, The Kid Laroi, on the romantic duet “I Know Love,” marking a shift toward more openhearted songwriting.
Despite her rapid rise to fame, McRae remains grounded in the reality of being a young artist navigating the demands of pop superstardom. In the same Vogue interview, she reflected on the pressures of constant reinvention and chasing perfection. “I was hitting a few milestones and doing things that I had dreamed of forever, and still not feeling satisfied with myself or my work,” she admitted. “And I was like, Oh my God. Am I going to feel like this for the rest of my life?”
McRae is set to take So Close to What on the road with the Miss Possessive Tour, a 57-date arena trek kicking off in Mexico City on March 18. With sold-out shows across North America, South America, and Europe, the tour cements her status as a rising pop powerhouse.
With a polished new album, a global fanbase, and a growing presence in the industry, McRae’s next chapter is unfolding in real-time. Whether So Close to What will deliver her biggest hit yet remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—she’s no longer just a rising star. She’s arrived.
