Maeve Bidonde, Staff Writer
On February 21st, Tate McRae released a new album titled “So Close To What” and according to Spotify, the album has 15 songs with a run time of 42 minutes. McRae had already gained a bit of popularity with her song “Greedy” becoming a frequently used sound on TikTok in 2024. On the heels of that popularity she released “So Close To What” soon we’ll see how the album fairs on the “BillBoard Hot 100” list.
In an interview with culture reporter Ellie Muir for The Independent, McRae says “I’m a very private person. I keep my circle small, But I do feel like I keep it real in my songwriting, it feels pretty transparent.” McRae’s new album has a track called “I Know Love” which features her boyfriend The Kid LAROI as well as a track featuring Flo Milli titled “bloodonmyhands.” These tracks are the only ones featuring other artists leaving most of the album to be a solo venture.
The inaugural track to kick off the album is titled “Miss Possessive” and is about being jealous about someone else looking at your significant other resulting in possessive behavior. The next song on the album follows the theme of toxic relationships and it is called “2 hands.” The lyrics mention not needing to hear the phrase I love you seventeen times a day or being told your someone’s number one and everyone else is number two.
In the interview with Muir, McRae mentions needing a little help from an alter ego of hers named “Tatiana” while she was writing and making the songs for the album. She credits “Tatiana” for some of the more spicy songs on the album like “Dear God.” McRae goes on to say “I think everyone puts on a specific type of armour or guard to feel like they’re their best, most confident self and empowered self. And I think that’s my alter ego; I channel her whenever I wanna be careless and say f*** it and really take back the power.”
McRae, now 21 at the time the album was released, seems to have gone in a less angsty direction with her music. Previous releases such as “Teenage Mind,” “You Broke Me First,” and “That Way” have an angsty undertone highlighting the teenage experiences with love and broken hearts. In comparison, “So Close To What” shows how McRae has matured since those releases and her move from being a teenager to a young adult in the world.
While the album has spicier songs like “Purple Lace Bra” listeners still get some tamer songs like “I Know Love.” Listeners also get a taste of angst with songs like “Means I Care.” McRae’s new album has something for every listener from songs with a heavy bass line to songs that slow things down to send a message. The album has songs for angry and hurt people as well as the hopelessly in love people of the world. The album is worth a listen especially if you’ve been looking for something new.
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