Album Review: Tate McRae – So Close to What
3 min read
Tate McRae first made her name as a successful dancer, touring with Justin Bieber and appearing on a Canadian reality show “So You Think You Can Dance”, as well as garnering a large following on social media. Tate’s pivot to pop made a splash with her hit You Broke Me First going viral on TikTok. Often named in the same batch of up-and-coming pop stars as Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan, McRae has yet to achieve as much critical and chart acclaim as her contemporaries. Her more traditional pop stylings and Tiktok dancer background left her struggling to shake off her teenage image. Her third studio album So Close to What challenges this image as she aims to take on a more mature style.
The album is heavily inspired by 90s pop, with dance beats and club music styling. Miss Possessive is reminiscent of The Pussycat Dolls’ tracks, with a rhythmic beat and heady vocals. Means I Care channels an upbeat irreverent styling, with biting lyrics as she sings “The second I knew I felt it too I was gone”. The album is produced by long-time Kylie Minogue producer LostBoy who adds a layer of authenticity to the 90s club beats and joyous backing. I Know Love leans more into early 200s pop sounding like a nod to early Rhianna tracks, with a slight R&B infused feel. It features her boyfriend Kid LAROI which adds a fun element with the two voices and styling working well together.
The album is immaculately produced, with One Republic’s Ryan Tedder joining LostBoy to produce many of the tracks. This glossy finish gives the 22-year-old star real legitimacy but also means that wonkier moments stand out even more. McRae’s lyrics occasionally tip into the ridiculous, with the country-inspired Nostalgia featuring the line “Its a truckload of regret“, and the line “oh golly gee I can’t take no more” really interrupting the vibe in the otherwise sultry Sports Car. However, McRae makes up for these with otherwise fun and danceable lyrics. She even aims at critics of her in Revolving Door singing “I confess I’m not that versatile”, suggesting that though she might stick to pop she is very good at it.
The pop is highly catchy and infectious throughout, however spanning 18 tracks, (not counting the two bonus tracks) and even the best start to blend. No, I’m not Love and 2 Hands are both fun tracks but with their similar lyrics and sound they become virtually indistinguishable. The stand-out songs become the ones that break from the mould such as the breathy Purple Lace bra that criticises men who over-sexualise the star and her representation in the media. It’s a clever, introspective track that shows McRae’s full potential. It’s probably the closest the album comes to really showing a more mature side of McRae.
The album is impressive and very listenable, with tracks designed for club dancefloors and TikTok videos. However, despite its lengthy runtime it still doesn’t seem to say anything new about McRae herself. So Close to What’s inspiration comes from everyone from Brittney Spears to Charli xcx to Addison Rae but there is still no clear McRae sound. The album is very well done but doesn’t bring McRae any closer to carving out her much-needed niche among the “pop girls”.
