Tate McRae, a 21-year-old singer and songwriter, released her newest album, ‘So Close to What’ on Feb. 21. Her third album is an exquisite blend of nostalgic pop, as many of the songs bare a resemblance to the iconic Britney Spears — who has interviewed McRae for GEN V.
Spears, a pop star and a true star in the field, has been cited by McRae as a source of inspiration. “Looking back at iconic performances (like yours) is also very motivating,” said McRae in their interview together.
As someone who has had Spears in their Spotify top five for the past couple of years, McRae is reaching that level in terms of voice, performance and overall concept as an artist. So, without further ado, let’s get into “So Close to What.”
“No seriously, get your hands off my man” is the introductory lyric to the opening track: “Miss Possessive,” spoken by the one and only Sydney Sweeney — confirmed by McRae in this TikTok caption. This song reminded me of Spears the most. Something about the lyrics, the beat and the overall energy of the song was serving early 2000s realness in the best way. “Take home whoever walks in / Just keep your eyes off him,” says McRae, and trust, she’s heard.
“2 Hands” and “Revolving Door” follow the same route. All I could think about when listening to these songs — and the whole album if I’m being honest — is that McRae has mastered the art of making a catchy song. These tracks will be stuck in my head the way a new Disney movie soundtrack typically is, and I’m not complaining.
“Bloodonmyhands” featuring Flo Milli was a vibe. “Dance like I can’t be bothered, know it kills you / Bounced back and found another, and he hates you / Oh baby boy, you’re seeing stars / And it fucks you up so hard,” sings McRae, while Flo Milli follows through with “He don’t believe it’s over, he stallin’ / I’m pretty and worth it, my feelings ain’t hurtin’ / Won’t stay if it ain’t workin’.” Their voices work well together, and this is my favorite out of the two features McRae had on this album, with the second being “I Know Love,” featuring the Kid LAROI.
McRae has the breathy-pop-catchy-beat vibe down. Although, to be frank — and this could be on me — it is sometimes a tad too breathy. I wish she would enunciate more, but I also understand that there is a certain vibe she is going for here. While I am all for it, I think a song like the closing track, “Nostalgia,” is one that truly highlights her vocals and allows us to hear McRae’s singing abilities fully.
But that’s not to say I dislike the other tracks. On the contrary, I think my favorites are ones that fully lean into and embrace the Spears-esque “If U Seek Amy” vibe. For example, “Purple Lace Bra,” my favorite song on the album, has everything: the vibe, the lyrics and the energy I needed. I love listening to music and do it every chance I get, and I think this goes beyond simply being background music. I found myself trying to memorize the lyrics as soon as I listened and honestly looked up how much tickets cost for her next tour.
With “Purple Lace Bra,” McRae channels the frustration of a relationship where you know you’re not genuinely being appreciated for who you are, but only for your body. “Would you hear me more if I whispered in your ear? / Made all my inner thoughts sound like ‘Ah, ah’ / Would you hear me more if I touch you right here?” I think she did something extraordinarily well with this song, and that continued when it transitioned to “Sports Car,” which has just the right amount of repetitiveness without being insufferable.
“Nostalgia” has the listener reflecting alongside McRae, closing the album perfectly with, “And I, I manifested you would leave / So the day you did, I had you beat / Three steps ahead of everything.” She laments, “Funny thing about nostalgia, it didn’t show up ‘til I lost ya,” which rings true for many people, myself included. I thoroughly enjoyed the sincerity McRae has in her songs. While most are upbeat, listening to the lyrics reflects something deep and meaningful, which I think is part of why this album was so enjoyable.
Tate McRae is going places, and I know she’ll go far. This album was an honest, refreshing pop album I was not expecting to love as much as I did. McRae immediately hooked listeners in with “Miss Possessive” and did not let go until the very last second. I felt that she was able to do what she wanted and is reaching that “pop princess” level in her own way.
This might only be her third studio album, but McRae has demonstrated that she’s got what it takes to push through and release wonderful pop music. I’m a fan! And if you’re looking for a new album to listen to, I think this might be the one.
Rating: 4/5