Tate McRae is a singer, songwriter and dancer who took the industry by storm after her hit song ‘You Broke me First’ gained international recognition in April 2020. At just 17, she has made a name for herself, with some of her biggest accomplishments being the youngest musician to be listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, Billboard’s Hot 100 and being nominated for a VMA – all while never leaving her bedroom. Cosmo caught up with the rising pop star for an exclusive interview where she opened about the pressures of being a role-model, the inspiration behind her music and her biggest career achievement.
“The scariest thing is that I’m just 17. And I will go through days where I am mature and wise. And some days I’m like ‘What was I thinking?’ There is a process of growing up where you are still learning and figuring things out. Some days I don’t even know what I want and can’t make decisions. When you are a role model, people look at you like you are perfect, and you are never going to slip up and that is an impossible expectation to live up to. It is scary because you do not want to make any wrong moves.”
When asked about her opinion on cancel culture, Tate did not shy away from talking about how much she hated it. “I think it is the most vicious and brutal thing I have ever seen. People don’t realise that nobody is a robot. Like cyber bullying, there is a screen which makes them feel like it’s not real. Everyone has emotions and everyone is going through their fair share of problems. I don’t believe that canceling someone for one thing is the most reasonable thing to do.”
The Canadian singer who is best known for her relatable music also spoke about the inspiration behind her work. “I’m a pretty hard shell but I’m super sensitive on the inside. I collect a lot of emotions and build it up inside until I get into a writing session and then I spill everything. The only way I cope with things is if I release all my thoughts. It is my subconscious brain speaking when I get into a writing session. Writing is the biggest way to get something out of me.”
But apart from the accomplishments and the hit music, what makes Tate McRae, Tate McRae? “I’m a genuinely unfiltered person. I am pretty straight up. I can come across as harsh to people sometimes, but I am a softie. If I don’t like you, I don’t like you and if I love you, I will love you and care about you and be your best friend. But I’m a very black and white person. There is no fake filter on top of myself, which is one of my favourite traits about myself.”
In her latest song ‘Rubberband’ which was released in January 2021, Tate speaks about the taboo topic the song was centered on. “Rubberband was written about an addiction and a lot of people, when they have an addiction to something, try to cope with it using something else. In this song, I have a rubberband on my wrist all the time and we made the song about an addiction to a person. It was a cool concept to carry out.”
The teen popstar cites her Forbes 30 Under 30 crowning as one of her proudest moments to date. “I just thought that was such an honor. I have been looking at Forbes for the longest time and to be listed amongst businesspeople and musicians while being the youngest person blew my mind! Taylor Swift was judging too, which was crazy.”
2021 has just begun, but Tate already has a lot of exciting new projects coming up! “I will be announcing something on Wednesday. I also have lots of music videos, songs and collaborations that will be published this year and hopefully a tour in September.”