Back in 2019, I clicked on a simple video of a girl singing her original songs accompanied by a soulful-sounding keyboard in her bedroom. Little did I know I would still be listening to her today—six years later. From her sad songs prominent in her early career to the pop anthems are taking the world by storm, Tate McRae’s music has evolved significantly as she’s grown into her early twenties. A former competitive dancer, Tate McRae began to gain fame with her viral song, “greedy,” which stayed on the Billboard Top 100 for months. Every song of Tate’s from her early releases like “Slip” and “stupid” have captivated me just as much as her newer songs like “plastic palm trees” and “want that too.”
Preceding her latest album, So Close To What, Tate created a masterpiece called Think Later filled with soulful ballads and uplifting pop songs. I had extremely high expectations, as I played Think Later on repeat, singing all the lyrics at the top of my lungs in my living room until my family exiled me to my bedroom to continue. She announced the album mid-November of 2024 and released it in February of 2025. Safe to say, it was a highly anticipated album because of the wait. On the 21st, I anxiously awaited So Close To What, reloading the page constantly until the clock hit 9:00 P.M.
I was not disappointed. Her past music mostly delved into the world of tearful ballads which evoked an abundance of emotion from listeners, but this album signified a change from her past into a new era of pop. With suggestive, catchy lyrics, evocative imagery, and sexy beats, this album exceeded my expectations completely and quickly rose to my most listened-to on Spotify. Now, my family enjoys the music with me as I blast the songs on my mini JBL speaker in the living room. The 15-track album spans just over 40 minutes, making it the perfect thing to play on your car speakers with the windows down.
My top three songs on the album are “I know love (feat. The Kid Laroi)”, “Greenlight”, and “Purple lace bra.” “I know love” features her boyfriend, the Australian rapper/singer, The Kid Laroi, who is most known for his viral hit with Justin Bieber, “Stay.” The song hits extremely hard and their voices intertwine to create a beautiful melody of sound. The catchy chorus and beat are sure to have you singing along and will undoubtedly become one of your favorite love songs. “Greenlight” is one of my favorites because it reminds me of Think Later. A slower song with less bass, “Greenlight” describes the difficulty of moving on from a past relationship after an immense amount of heartbreak and confusion. The lyrics expertly and vividly tell a story of struggle that resonates with many around the world. Lastly, “Purple lace bra” has been one of the more popular songs from the album, and for good reason. The raunchy writing has a deeper meaning that holds an extreme amount of emotion when explored and analyzed deeper. Below are my rankings of the songs, I hope you enjoy the album as much as I do!
- I know love (feat. The Kid LAROI)
- Greenlight
- Purple lace bra
- Revolving door
- Siren sounds (bonus)
- Signs
- Dear god
- Better than I was (deluxe)
- Sports car
- Like I do
- Means I care
- No I’m not in love
- Nostalgia
- bloodonmyhands (feat. Flo Milli)
- 2 hands
- Miss possessive
- It’s ok I’m ok
- Call my bluff (deluxe)