# Tate McRae
**Tate McRae** (born 2003) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and dancer from Calgary, Alberta, known for choreography-forward pop that draws on her training as a competitive dancer. She first gained attention as a finalist on the Fox reality show *[So You Think You Can Dance](https://www.edgepedia.org/so-you-think-you-can-dance-american-tv-series)* in 2016, built an audience through YouTube, and broke through commercially in 2020 with the single "you broke me first."[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) • [2](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/) Her third album, *So Close to What* (2025), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and her Miss Possessive arena tour grossed $110.8 million according to Billboard Boxscore.[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) • [3](https://ca.billboard.com/music/awards/tate-mcrae-women-in-music-2026-hitmaker?debugld=stickybtest)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Calgary, Alberta, Canada; born 2003[4](https://www.liverate.com/artists/tate-mcrae) |
| Early career | Third place, 13th season of *So You Think You Can Dance* (2016); YouTube channel launched 2011[2](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/) |
| Breakthrough single | "you broke me first" (2020), RIAA certified 5x Platinum, over 2.5 billion streams[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) |
| Albums | *I Used to Think I Could Fly* (2022), *Think Later* (2023, No. 4 on the Billboard 200), *So Close to What* (2025, No. 1)[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) • [5](https://ca.billboard.com/music/features/tate-mcrae-greedy-tiktok-bbmas-billboard-cover-story-interview-1235472370/?bil=554&debugld=stickybtest&q=Fay+Olson-Vickery) |
| Biggest hit | "greedy" (2023), No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on Top 40 radio, certified 4x Platinum[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) • [6](https://www.grammy.com/news/tate-mcrae-greedy-think-later-tour-big-year-interview/) |
| Career streams | Over 15.1 billion[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) |
| Awards | Artist of the Year at the 2024 and 2025 JUNO Awards[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) |
| Touring | Miss Possessive arena tour grossed $110.8 million (Billboard Boxscore)[3](https://ca.billboard.com/music/awards/tate-mcrae-women-in-music-2026-hitmaker?debugld=stickybtest) |
## Dance background and early career
McRae trained in ballet from age 6, attended the training school for the Alberta Ballet company, and competed in dance competitions nearly every weekend as a child.[7](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tate-mcrae-cover-story-26/) • [8](https://au.variety.com/2026/music/features/tate-mcrae-interview-relationships-taylor-swift-sourdough-bread-39102/) At 12 she was selected through an online contest to dance on stage with [Justin Bieber](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-bieber) during a stop on his Purpose Tour.[9](https://los40.com/2024/01/18/tate-mcrae-la-industria-musical-es-una-montana-rusa-constante-intento-no-tener-hiperfijacion-ni-en-lo-mejor-ni-en-lo-peor/)
Her first public platform was video. In 2011 she started a YouTube channel to post her dancing, and in 2017 she posted a simple clip of herself performing her own ballad, "one day," which attracted millions of views and resulted in an independent release.[2](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/) In 2016, at 13, she placed third on the 13th season of *So You Think You Can Dance*.[2](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/) In fall 2017 she launched the weekly YouTube series *Create With Tate*, sharing new choreography and music covers.[5](https://ca.billboard.com/music/features/tate-mcrae-greedy-tiktok-bbmas-billboard-cover-story-interview-1235472370/?bil=554&debugld=stickybtest&q=Fay+Olson-Vickery)
## Recording career
McRae signed with [RCA Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/rca-records) and released two EPs, *All the Things I Never Said* (2020) and *Too Young to Be Sad* (2021).[10](https://americansongwriter.com/tate-mcraes-journey-from-dance-prodigy-to-pop-superstar-and-the-album-that-changed-everything/) Her first Billboard Hot 100 appearance came in 2020 with "You Broke Me First," a midtempo ballad that went viral during the pandemic and became her signature early hit; it is certified 5x Platinum in the United States with over 2.5 billion streams.[3](https://ca.billboard.com/music/awards/tate-mcrae-women-in-music-2026-hitmaker?debugld=stickybtest) • [1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) Early coverage classified her as a "sad pop" songwriter and drew comparisons to [Billie Eilish](https://www.edgepedia.org/billie-eilish).[5](https://ca.billboard.com/music/features/tate-mcrae-greedy-tiktok-bbmas-billboard-cover-story-interview-1235472370/?bil=554&debugld=stickybtest&q=Fay+Olson-Vickery)
**The pivot to dance-pop.** Her debut album, *I Used to Think I Could Fly* (2022), debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and supported a headlining tour of clubs and small theaters.[5](https://ca.billboard.com/music/features/tate-mcrae-greedy-tiktok-bbmas-billboard-cover-story-interview-1235472370/?bil=554&debugld=stickybtest&q=Fay+Olson-Vickery) The turn came with "greedy," the lead single for her second album *Think Later* (2023). McRae has said her producer [Ryan Tedder](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-tedder) pushed her to write an upbeat song, with [Nelly Furtado](https://www.edgepedia.org/nelly-furtado)'s "Promiscuous" and [Britney Spears](https://www.edgepedia.org/britney-spears) as her stated inspirations.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/tate-mcrae-greedy-think-later-tour-big-year-interview/) "Greedy" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on Top 40 radio, and No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, and was certified 4x Platinum; *Think Later* debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/tate-mcrae-greedy-think-later-tour-big-year-interview/) • [1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) The album's follow-up single "exes" was written and produced with Tyler Spry and Ryan Tedder.[11](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/with-both-swim-and-please-after-the-initial-hour-or-two-of-writing-i-took-a-step-outside-listened-to-them-and-they-felt-special-we-speak-to-tyler-spry-about-producing-and-co-writing-for-k-pop-sensations-bts)
**So Close to What and arena status.** Her third album, *So Close to What* (February 2025), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, her first chart-topping album in the United States and Canada. Its tracks "Revolving Door" and "It's ok I'm ok" both hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart.[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) Critics described the record as a sultrier, R&B-inflected step forward; the Associated Press called it "post-Britney Spears, dirty, breathy pop," while Pitchfork judged it her most mature release but found the 2000s-inspired sound reheated.[12](https://apnews.com/article/50f4450ce3956d5567bff4a0ccb91402) • [13](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what/) In 2025 she also contributed "Just Keep Watching" to *F1 The Album*, the soundtrack for the film *F1*.[14](https://apnews.com/article/45c84933792b955da06b4bc60d56d17d)
In October 2026 she released the single "Housewife," which reached the top spot on Spotify with over a million streams, and confirmed she is working on her fourth album, started in February 2026 with songwriter Amy Allen, who co-wrote "greedy" and "Just Keep Watching." She has cited a book of [Dolly Parton](https://www.edgepedia.org/dolly-parton)'s lyrics among her inspirations for the project.[15](https://ca.billboard.com/music/pop/tate-mcrae-new-music) • [16](https://www.whowhatwear.com/fashion/celebrity-style/high-slit-skirt-trend-tate-mcrae-victorias-secret-fashion-show-2026) • [17](https://digital.abcaudio.com/news/tate-mcrae-working-something-shes-really-excited-about)
## Performance style and touring
McRae's stage identity centers on demanding choreography performed while singing live over a backing track, a setup common among pop acts. Reviewers consistently single out the dancing: a Guardian review of her first arena tour at London's O2 Arena described her as "Britney-channelling" and noted her knack for elaborate choreography, while a Star Tribune review of a 2025 Minneapolis-area show concluded she "dazzled with her dancing, not her voice."[18](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/21/tate-mcrae-review-uk-tour-o2-arena-london) • [4](https://www.liverate.com/artists/tate-mcrae) A critics' consensus aggregator rating her on 36 concert reviews calls her a watchable live performer with decent shows overall.[4](https://www.liverate.com/artists/tate-mcrae)
Her choreography also circulates independently of her own performances. The "Revolving Door" backbend in heels became a TikTok challenge, and a self-choreographed solo dance break by her backup dancer Maycee Steele, set to the same song, drew more than 4 million views on TikTok.[19](https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/06/26/tate-mcrae-revolving-door-backup-dancer/) Her choreographer Sean Bankhead staged the breakneck routine for the "Greedy" video, set in an empty hockey arena.[20](https://ca.billboard.com/music/pop/tate-mcrae-greedy-video-career-1235457878/)
Onstage she performs as a fierce alter ego she calls Tatiana, distinct from the introverted songwriter she describes offstage; her fan base is known as the Tater Tots.[3](https://ca.billboard.com/music/awards/tate-mcrae-women-in-music-2026-hitmaker?debugld=stickybtest) • [7](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tate-mcrae-cover-story-26/) The Miss Possessive Tour, her first arena run, grossed $110.8 million and included sold-out shows at [Madison Square Garden](https://www.edgepedia.org/madison-square-garden).[3](https://ca.billboard.com/music/awards/tate-mcrae-women-in-music-2026-hitmaker?debugld=stickybtest) • [7](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tate-mcrae-cover-story-26/) Her 2025 [MTV Video Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/mtv-video-music-awards) medley of "Sports Car" and "Revolving Door" was nominated for a 2026 Emmy for outstanding choreography for variety or reality programming, the first VMA performance to receive that recognition since [Michael Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-jackson)'s 1995 medley.[15](https://ca.billboard.com/music/pop/tate-mcrae-new-music)
## Reception and comparisons
The Britney Spears comparison follows McRae closely: she recreated Spears's black lace [Dolce & Gabbana](https://www.edgepedia.org/dolce-and-gabbana) minidress from the 2001 VMAs at the 2024 ceremony, and critics and fans debate the resemblance in style, dancing, and early-2000s pop references.[2](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/) • [13](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what/) McRae herself has called the comparison "flattering and terrifying," saying no one can be compared to Britney Spears.[21](https://los40.com/2025/02/25/ni-taylor-swift-ni-beyonce-la-artista-con-la-que-comparan-a-tate-mcrae/) Critical opinion of her recordings is mixed: *So Close to What* drew scores of 90 from AllMusic and 80 from NME, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, and The Telegraph, alongside a 5.9 from Pitchfork.[22](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1132915-tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what.php) • [13](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what/) Her vocal ability is the most common point of criticism in reviews and fan discussion, while her dancing is the most common point of praise.[4](https://www.liverate.com/artists/tate-mcrae) • [13](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what/)
Commercially, the trajectory has been steep. [Sony Music](https://www.edgepedia.org/sony-music) credits her with over 15.1 billion career streams, multiple No. 1 [Top 40](https://www.edgepedia.org/top-40) hits, and a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, along with Artist of the Year at the 2024 and 2025 JUNO Awards and nominations for five [Billboard Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/billboard-music-awards) and three MTV VMAs.[1](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/) Time, naming her to its 2025 TIME100 Next list, cited her sold-out arena tour, No. 1 song, No. 1 album, two *Saturday Night Live* bookings, and an MTV VMAs performance as evidence of her emergence as a cultural force.[2](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/) The IFPI Global Music Report 2026 highlighted her release strategy of touring relentlessly before and through her album cycle, even debuting new songs live, rather than following the traditional album-then-tour model.[23](https://ifpilatina.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GMR2026_SOTI2.pdf)
## References
1. [Tate McRae, Sony Music UK artist page](https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/tate-mcrae/)
2. [How Tate McRae Found Her Way, TIME (2025 TIME100 Next)](https://time.com/7321459/tate-mcrae-interview-time100-next/)
3. [How Tate McRae Leveled Up To Main Pop Girl Status, Billboard Canada](https://ca.billboard.com/music/awards/tate-mcrae-women-in-music-2026-hitmaker?debugld=stickybtest)
4. [Tate McRae – Live Tour & Concert Review Consensus, LiveRate](https://www.liverate.com/artists/tate-mcrae)
5. [How Tate McRae's 'Ballsy, Obnoxious' Alter Ego Is Fueling Her Breakout Year, Billboard Canada](https://ca.billboard.com/music/features/tate-mcrae-greedy-tiktok-bbmas-billboard-cover-story-interview-1235472370/?bil=554&debugld=stickybtest&q=Fay+Olson-Vickery)
6. [Tate McRae's Big Year: The "Greedy" Singer Reflects On The Moments That Made Her A Pop Superstar, GRAMMY.com](https://www.grammy.com/news/tate-mcrae-greedy-think-later-tour-big-year-interview/)
7. [Tate McRae: How a 'Very Sensitive, Very Introverted' Singer Became a Pop Superstar, Rolling Stone Canada](https://ca.rollingstone.com/tate-mcrae-cover-story-26/)
8. [Becoming Tate McRae, Variety Australia](https://au.variety.com/2026/music/features/tate-mcrae-interview-relationships-taylor-swift-sourdough-bread-39102/)
9. [Tate McRae interview, LOS40 (January 2024)](https://los40.com/2024/01/18/tate-mcrae-la-industria-musical-es-una-montana-rusa-constante-intento-no-tener-hiperfijacion-ni-en-lo-mejor-ni-en-lo-peor/)
10. [Tate McRae's Journey from Dance Prodigy to Pop Superstar, American Songwriter](https://americansongwriter.com/tate-mcraes-journey-from-dance-prodigy-to-pop-superstar-and-the-album-that-changed-everything/)
11. [Tyler Spry interview, MusicRadar](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/with-both-swim-and-please-after-the-initial-hour-or-two-of-writing-i-took-a-step-outside-listened-to-them-and-they-felt-special-we-speak-to-tyler-spry-about-producing-and-co-writing-for-k-pop-sensations-bts)
12. [Music Review: Tate McRae's 'So Close to What', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/50f4450ce3956d5567bff4a0ccb91402)
13. [Tate McRae: So Close to What Album Review, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what/)
14. [How the 'F1' soundtrack came together, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/45c84933792b955da06b4bc60d56d17d)
15. [Tate McRae Confirms That She's Working on New Music, Billboard Canada](https://ca.billboard.com/music/pop/tate-mcrae-new-music)
16. [Tate McRae Just Wore the Naked Skirt Trend, Who What Wear](https://www.whowhatwear.com/fashion/celebrity-style/high-slit-skirt-trend-tate-mcrae-victorias-secret-fashion-show-2026)
17. [Tate McRae is working on something she's 'really excited about', ABC Audio](https://digital.abcaudio.com/news/tate-mcrae-working-something-shes-really-excited-about)
18. [Tate McRae review, The Guardian (21 May 2025)](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/21/tate-mcrae-review-uk-tour-o2-arena-london)
19. [Meet the artist behind the viral Tate McRae 'Revolving Door' dance break, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/06/26/tate-mcrae-revolving-door-backup-dancer/)
20. [Tate McRae's 'Greedy' Is an Artistic Turning Point, Billboard Canada](https://ca.billboard.com/music/pop/tate-mcrae-greedy-video-career-1235457878/)
21. [Ni Taylor Swift ni Beyoncé: La artista con la que comparan a Tate McRae, LOS40](https://los40.com/2025/02/25/ni-taylor-swift-ni-beyonce-la-artista-con-la-que-comparan-a-tate-mcrae/)
22. [Tate McRae – So Close To What, Album of The Year (critic ratings roundup)](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1132915-tate-mcrae-so-close-to-what.php)
23. [IFPI Global Music Report 2026](https://ifpilatina.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GMR2026_SOTI2.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › Pop singers, 2000s to present › Mainstream pop singers, 2020s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license