Tate McRae

Overview

Canadian singer, songwriter, and dancer Tate McRae has garnered over 15.1 billion career streams, multiple No. 1 Top 40 hits, and a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. The Calgary native's 2020 single, "you broke me first," is certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA and has amassed over 2.5 billion streams. Her debut album, i used to think i could fly, landed at No. 1 on Spotify's Global Top Albums Debut Chart and reached the Top 10 in multiple countries. This was followed by her certified Platinum sophomore album, THINK LATER (2023), which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The album featured the 4x Platinum single "greedy," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, Spotify's Global chart, and Top 40 radio. Her third album, So Close To What, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. McRae's accolades include being named Artist of the Year at the 2024 and 2025 JUNO Awards, along with nominations for five Billboard Music Awards and three MTV VMAs. She has also been featured on Forbes'2021 30 Under 30 list, Variety's 2022 Power of Young Hollywood list, and Billboard's 21 Under 21 list for four consecutive years.

Early life and origins

Tate McRae is a singer, songwriter, and dancer from Calgary, Canada. She first gained recognition for her dancing before launching a music career by uploading original songs to her YouTube channel. McRae began releasing music independently in 2017, starting with her debut single, "One Day." The online attention from her self-released tracks helped her build a fanbase and led to her signing with RCA Records in 2019.

Career

Tate McRae began releasing music independently in 2017. After signing with RCA Records, she released her debut EP, all the things i never said, in January 2020. Her breakthrough came later that year with the single "you broke me first," which has since been certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA and has amassed over 2.5 billion streams. She followed this success with her second EP, TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD, in March 2021.

McRae released her debut studio album, i used to think i could fly, in 2022. The album reached the Top 10 in multiple countries and debuted at number one on Spotify's Global Top Albums Debut Chart. Her certified Platinum sophomore album, THINK LATER, was released in 2023 and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was propelled by the single "greedy," which became a global hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart, Spotify's Global chart, and at Top 40 radio. The track is certified 4x Platinum.

Her third album, So Close To What, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It includes the tracks "Revolving Door" and "It's ok I'm ok," both of which topped Billboard's Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart. Across her career, McRae has garnered over 15.1 billion streams. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including being named Artist of the Year at the 2024 and 2025 JUNO Awards. She has also received nominations for five Billboard Music Awards, three MTV VMAs, and multiple People's Choice and iHeartRadio Music Awards. McRae has been featured on Forbes' 2021 30 Under 30 list, Variety's 2022 Power of Young Hollywood list, and Billboard's 21 Under 21 list for four consecutive years.

Style and influences

Tate McRae's music is primarily categorized as pop, with significant elements of alternative pop and dance pop. Her songwriting frequently explores emotional and vulnerable themes, with her work often described by moods such as heartbroken, sad, melancholic, and longing. These lyrical hallmarks are evident in tracks like "go away" from her debut album,`i used to think i could fly`, which details the difficulty of moving on after a breakup.

McRae's sound has evolved since her initial breakthrough with the alternative pop single"you broke me first."Her 2023 sophomore album, `THINK LATER`, marked a notable shift toward a more pronounced dance-pop sound, led by the success of its single"greedy."This sonic direction continued with her third album, `So Close To What`, which featured tracks like"Revolving Door"and"It's ok I'm ok"that topped Billboard's Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart.

To craft her sound, McRae has worked with a number of prominent songwriters. Her list of collaborators includes Ryan Tedder, Julia Michaels, Amy Allen, and Jasper Harris. Her musical style places her among contemporaries such as Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde, and Taylor Swift.

Recent highlights

Tate McRae's third album, So Close To What, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album includes the tracks"Revolving Door"and"It's ok I'm ok,"both of which reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart. McRae was named Artist of the Year at the JUNO Awards in both 2024 and 2025. Her certified Platinum sophomore album, THINK LATER (2023), debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single,"greedy,"is certified 4x Platinum and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, Global Excl. US, and Spotify Global charts, as well as at Top 40 radio. McRae has garnered over 15.1 billion career streams, with her 2020 single"you broke me first"certified 5x Platinum and surpassing 2.5 billion streams. As of late 2025, she has approximately 56.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and over 13 million followers on TikTok.

Recognition and awards

Tate McRae has received numerous accolades, including being named Artist of the Year at both the 2024 and 2025 JUNO Awards. She has also earned nominations for five Billboard Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, and multiple People's Choice Awards and iHeartRadio Music Awards.

McRae has been recognized by several major publications. She was featured on Variety's 2022 Power of Young Hollywood list and appeared on Billboard's 21 Under 21 list for four consecutive years. In 2021, Forbes included her on its 30 Under 30 list, where she was the youngest musician featured.

Several of McRae's works have been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her single"you broke me first"is certified 5x Platinum. Her sophomore album,"THINK LATER,"is certified Platinum, and its single"greedy" is certified 4x Platinum.

Similar artists

Tate McRae's peers and comparable artists include Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, and Sabrina Carpenter. The list of similar artists also features Zara Larsson, Lorde, Madison Beer, Gracie Abrams, Benson Boone, The Kid LAROI, Charli XCX, Tinashe, Alex Warren, RAYE, sombr, benny blanco, and Addison Rae.