If I thought Canadian singer Tate McRae’s 2022 “I used to think I could fly” and 2023 album “Think Later” were really good, her newest album “So Close to What,” which was released on February 21, topped it.
With twelve songs to enjoy, from “Sports Car” to “Revolving Door” and “Dear God,” her album embodies life as a young woman and pop star and different aspects of falling in love.
Following her album’s debut, its popularity skyrocketed, becoming McRae’s first #1 album on the Billboard 200, which ranks weekly most popular albums and songs. “Sports Car” and “It’s ok, I’m ok,” which were posted before the release, have also been on the Hot 100 and accumulated millions of streams on Spotify.
Her album’s release, as a whole, was the biggest debut week studio album by a woman since singer Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n Sweet” album debut back in late August and early September.
Not just that, her music videos incorporate incredible choreography and storyline. Her talent for dancing in heels during her “Revolving Door” music video will never cease to amaze me.
I also especially loved how she created a song and music video with her now-boyfriend and Australian singer The Kid LAROI. The video gives such retro 2000s vibes that I absolutely love, and their depiction of love as both scary and exciting was, to say the least, relatable.
Her lyricism is also vulnerable, confident, and snappy all at the same time. I love that many of her songs address different facets of love. Miss possessive is one of my favorites, and her quoting actress Sydney Sweeney in the beginning showcases the protectiveness many women claim over their boyfriends to prying eyes. It was just a vibe and a great way to start her album’s tracklist.
Although I’m not a huge fan of “Purple lace bra,” the lyricism addressing how people view her for her body and not her actual music was really powerful. It’s especially such a stigma for female artists, and I thought it was really cool how she emphasizes the frustrations behind being a woman in this part of the industry.
In all, this album was an exciting balance of important messages and an upbeat setlist, one that I would recommend giving it a listen to because if you’re a fan of pop, “Dear God,” you’ll enjoy it “Like I Do.”
