Canadian singer, dancer and songwriter Tate McRae rose to popularity through her appearance on the shows “Dance Moms” and as a finalist for “So You Think You Can Dance.” From her first debut song “one day,” McRae has since released over 300 songs, and “So Close to What” marks her third official studio album. With the release of her new album, McRae hopes to commemorate the beginning of a new era.
“With each year that passes, I feel a new sense of growth and maturation,” McRae said in an interview with Marie Claire. “I really feel like a woman now — not just a young girl. I think fans are going to get to see me as a more complex person in this next project as a result. It’s definitely my most vulnerable project yet.”
In the earliest eras of her music career, McRae released music heavily embodying the “sad girl pop” genre. Her first studio album, “I Used to Think I Could Fly,” and previous top Billboard music like “you broke me first” are proof of her connection to the moody alt-pop genre. These hits represent a deeply personal materialization of her raw and troubling sentiments during a confusing interim of her life.
“I was really insecure when I first moved out to Los Angeles and had no idea what I was doing or who I was,” McRae said in an interview with InStyle.
Totaling 15 songs, “So Close to What” is unique from her previous albums in its unapologetic mentions of mature topics. If the title “purple lace bra” was not enough of an indication of the sensual nature of this new album, lyrics like “I want your 2 hands on me at all times/f*** me good, f*** me up, then I gotta move towns, how’d I get from the gym to your couch?/did my purple lace bra get your attention?/ hey, cute jeans, take mine off me” further establish this assertion. The majority of the songs on this album deviate from the intensely intimate look into her qualms, insecurities and mental health struggles that heavily inspired her previous song “I Used to Think I Could Fly.” Songs like “feel like s***,” “hate myself” and “she’s all I wanna be” from her first studio album clearly communicate her complex sentiments regarding her perception of self at the time.
Her second studio album “Think Later,” released in 2023, was a soft transition to what we hear in her latest album. It featured a balance between angsty, sentimental tunes and more light-hearted dance-pop melodies with self-assured lyrics. This album was complete with discussions of her experience with betrayal, heartbreaks, regrets, friendships and hopes for the future — all the while capturing a glimpse into her growing self-confidence with songs like “Greedy” and “exes.”
There are a total of two featured artists in “So Close to What”: Flo Milli in “bloodonmyhands” and The Kid LAROI in “I Know Love” (the two are currently in a relationship). Milli’s rap verse is unique as McRae has traditionally opted for ballads and energetic pop sounds. Still, Milli’s section fits surprisingly well with the overall tune and rhythm of “bloodonmyhands.” Even though her feature with The Kid LAROI comes across as a relatively generic discussion of what it feels like to be in love, it comes together well with catchy lyrics in the chorus of “when it hits.”
Through the use of “true-to-modern-pop” electronic sounds and the mix of multiple music styles, from electronic to trap-pop, McRae’s new album sounds reminiscent of the Britney Spears 2000s “pop-girly” aesthetic. It perfectly embodies the alt-dance-pop genre of music complete with a sultry feel, a fast pace and playfully suggestive lyrics.
Unfortunately, at times her lyrics can come off as unoriginal and generic. In “Miss Possessive,” she expresses her jealousy over a partner as another woman attempts to flirt with them (“Running round tryna f*** a star”) and McRae then says, “I’ll be nice, up until I’m not.” Similarly, in “bloodonmyhands,” the topic of an annoying ex is brought up. Generally, the mention of pathetic exes and jealousy can come off as overused and cliché.
Still, cliche discussions of love, sex, heartbreak and relationships have become a staple of pop music, which it seems McRae aims to embody. After all, pop music audiences are not banking on the music delivering profound, slam poetry-level lyrics.
Surprisingly, McRae facilitates a full circle moment by featuring two ballads: “Greenlight,” a mix between a ballad and pop song, and “Nostalgia.” However, the only true ballad on her newest album — which includes a steady guitar solo in the background and a chance for her vocals to shine through, acting as the vessel for a beautiful melody — is my personal favorite. “Nostalgia,” true to the title, discusses feelings of regret and losing time and dreams as we all age. McRae mentions her parents, detailing simple yet effective anecdotes: “daddy went to law school, could’ve been an architect, now he’s turned 60 and wonders where the big dream went/my ma wasn’t raised right, all she ever knew was guilt, little did she know, that’s all her kids would grow to feel.”
I would have liked a few more tracks on this album similar to “Nostalgia.” As an album defining a pivotal shift between two eras of her life, impactful yet straightforward lyrics could help her better balance the feeling of emotional maturity and growth as well as a development in her sexuality and confidence.
Overall public reaction to McRae’s new album aligns with the idea that her music embodies a modern version of early 2000s pop songs. Critics largely believe that these new tracks are nothing groundbreaking in the music field. Like most trending music, they provide light-hearted, feel-good listening experiences.
“So Close to What” does well in capturing McRae’s transition to womanhood, complete with communicating to listeners her newfound confidence and sense of stability in her life. It displays a fierce persona who is unashamedly who she is. However, as an album that she hopes to signify transformation and settling into adulthood, it could benefit from more detailed discussions of her journey towards gaining her confidence. Overall, the album provided a smooth and exciting listening experience. Despite the slightly shallow lyricism, the addictive melodies, sensual alt-pop feel and the fast pace of these tracks merge to create an album I will be sure to revisit often.
Rating: 4.5/5
