By Alyssa dillela, Jrn 101 Student
Tate McRae’s third studio album, So Close to What, released Feb. 21, marks a significant evolution in her musical journey.
McRae began to teach herself piano and songwriting at the age of 14. Now, at 21, the Canadian songwriter, singer and dancer is having an artistic revolution ranging from her earlier moody bedroom pop style to embracing a sound reminiscent of early 2000s pop icons like Britney Spears.
Although she is frequently called the next Britney Spears, So Close to What is McRae’s creative signature, and each album she releases further defines her sound. This 15-track collection delves into themes of feminism, heartbreak, love and being perceived by the media.
This album opens with a voice recording of the actress Sydney Sweeney saying, “No seriously, get your hands off my man.” A unique, upbeat opening was just what McRae needed to kick off her third studio album. “Miss Possessive” entails her experience of what it’s like dating rapper The Kid LAROI and how girls pretending to be her friend use her to be closer to him to achieve a higher social status.
“Revolving Door” may be the most relatable track on the album. At its core, the song uncovers the helpless feeling of going back to something that has repeatedly hurt you. This track also covers the feeling of being indecisive and wondering how to beat a repeating cycle.
McRae is known for her dancing abilities after her singing abilities. She viewed “Sports Car” as a song that would be fun to dance to and provide an entertaining performance for those who go to see her live on her So Close to What tour. The whispering in the song is unique, and she claims to have had inspiration from the Ying Yang Twins song in which they also whisper.
The fifth track, “Purple Lace Bra”, has an upbeat melody. However, as the song continues, listeners discover what the song actually means. As a woman, if you are not being sexualized, you are not actually being paid attention to by a male audience. When McRae began to be sexualized by the media, she felt as if she was almost out of control of her own femininity.
McRae’s first published collaboration with her boyfriend The Kid LAROI was highly anticipated. She teased the collaboration on TikTok of her and LAROI lipsyncing to “I know love” and received 3.1 million likes with 20.7 million views. McRae said it was nerve wrecking to make a song with LAROI, and that being in the studio with him was a vulnerable experience. This song dives into how their relationship came to be with lyrics like “We started out friends, how we end up here?/I don’t know but I don’t see no problems.”
McRae describes her inspiration for “Greenlight” as knowing you should move on from someone who does not serve you anymore, but not being able to accelerate onto bigger and better things. She relates “Greenlight” back to the feeling of your friends and family telling you a partner is not good for you, but still having a glimmer of hope that they will eventually change.
“Nostalgia” is the last song on the album and is easily the most heartbreaking. According to McRae, the inspiration for the song was interrogating her parents about their biggest regret while they were visiting her on tour.
During this track, McRae allows the audience to take a glimpse into her family life. She looks back on her life experiences and the foundational stepping stones her family instilled in her to be able to follow her dreams. This track is also reminiscent of her first album, i used to think i could fly, which is a full circle ending to So Close to What.
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