Tate McRae is back, and she’s baring it all. The rising pop superstar has officially entered her next era with her highly anticipated third studio album, So Close to What, out now via RCA Records (Feb. 21).
More than just a collection of songs and dance-floor-ready beats, the album is a full-blown statement—an unfiltered deep dive into the emotional chaos of young adulthood, wrapped in slick, addictive pop production. McRae doesn’t just sing about love, heartbreak, and self-doubt; she lets listeners live inside the turbulence with her.
Leading up to the release, she built anticipation with viral singles like “It’s ok I’m ok,” which soared to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart, and “Sports Car,” which caught fire on TikTok with over a million creations. But So Close to What isn’t just a collection of hits—it’s a fully realized body of work that plays out like a cinematic journey, capturing both the rush and the wreckage of young adulthood.
The album leans into collaborations, adding new textures to McRae’s signature sound. While the vibrant “Bloodonmyhands” feat. Flo Milli shakes things up with a fiery, rap-infused energy that cuts through McRae’s typically wistful delivery, “I Know Love,” a duet with her boyfriend, The Kid Laroi, offers a more intimate moment—but recording it wasn’t as effortless as one might assume.
“It was a really funny process, because me and Laroi have never really, like, taken each other seriously,” she admitted with a laugh. “You know when you’re in a relationship and you sing around each other, but you don’t really, like, sing? So it was a little stressful being in the studio singing and writing in front of him, but it was a cool experience to watch him in his process.”
Sonically, the album finds its balance between high-energy confidence and raw introspection, thanks to shimmering pop production from hitmakers like Ryan Tedder, Julia Michaels, Grant Boutin, and Amy Allen. But at its core, So Close to What isn’t just about love and heartbreak—full-circle reflection on growth, self-discovery, and the chaos of life in your early 20s. McRae’s signature vulnerability is still here, but there’s a noticeable shift in perspective.
Where her previous album Think Later was all about reckless decisions and living in the moment, So Close to What sits in the messy aftermath—figuring out what it all meant and who you are once the dust settles. That tension—between nostalgia and reluctant growth, impulsivity and hesitation—bleeds into every track, from the bold self-assurance of “Miss Possessive” to the eerie, dreamlike “Revolving Door.” The latter’s music video, directed by Aerin Moreno, visually mirrors this theme, trapping McRae in a surreal liminal space, dancing through doors that lead nowhere.
With the album out, McRae is wasting no time bringing it to life on stage. Her Miss Possessive Tour kicks off March 18 in Mexico City and will take her through Europe, Canada, and North America, with newly added shows due to overwhelming demand. With Zara Larsson and Benee joining on select dates, the tour is shaping up to be one of the biggest pop spectacles of the year. She’s already given fans a preview with a dynamic performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and her upcoming Saturday Night Live debut on March 1 will only add to the momentum.
Riding the momentum of her sophomore album Think Later—which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and catapulted her into pop’s upper ranks with the smash hit “Greedy”—So Close to What feels like Tate McRae’s most self-assured era yet.
At just 21, she’s already amassed billions of streams, multiple platinum hits, and high-profile collaborations, but this album feels like a defining moment—one that proves she’s not just a one-hit wonder, but a mainstay. With So Close to What, McRae isn’t just knocking on the door of pop superstardom—she’s tearing it off its hinges.
Listen to So Close to What on Spotify below:
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