Coming off an explosive 2024 that included a successful sophomore album rollout, sold-out world tour and several memorable live performances of the TikTok sensation “Greedy,” Tate McRae seems to slowly be cementing her place in Gen Z’s new “main pop girls.” Longtime fans will know that McRae started her career as an emotional, ballad-singing heavy hitter. However, in her third studio album, “So Close To What,” she sheds her sad-girl persona in favor of irresistibly addictive pop hooks that, when paired with her mesmerizing choreography and dance ability, make a strong case for her belonging among the ranks of other recent breakout stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan.
Supported by the three moderately performing singles — “It’s ok, I’m ok,” “2 hands” and “Sports car” — feels like the ultimate test of whether McRae can successfully pivot from TikTok hitmaker to mainstream artist or will simply fade away — failing to produce another hit as massive as “Greedy.” Sonically, the album checks all the boxes for mainstream appeal. However, long-time fans, myself included, may feel like the album erroneously chooses style over substance. The lack of her typical ballads and lyrical depth on the record is sorely missed.
The album opens with “Miss possessive” which showcases McRae’s breathy vocals — a style that she has not explored much before but excels in. The production on the track with its heavy beats, engineered vocals and electronic sound clearly leans into the dance-pop direction that the singer has shifted her career toward and provides a glimpse of the album’s overall style.
“2 hands,” the album’s second single, leans into a more traditional pop sound — perhaps to a fault. Although it contains the perfect beat drop that the singer will no doubt use for a dance break, the song feels unremarkable and fails to stand out, especially as a single.
The third track, “Revolving door,” is probably the most sonically interesting on the album. The pulsating beat throughout the whole track creates a feeling of anxiety for the listener which, when paired with raw lyrics like “say I’m good but I might be in denial / takes one call and that undoes the dial,” touches an emotional chord that the rest of the album is missing. McRae also dropped a fantastic music video for the album, which furthered its appeal.
The first misstep of the album comes with “bloodonmyhands” which features rapper Flo Milli. While this track would have been great as a standalone collaboration, the song does not blend well with the rest of the album and McRae is totally outshined by her collaborator to the point that it doesn’t feel like her song anymore.
“Dear god” sees the return of McRae’s breathier, higher range but this time, it is seamlessly combined with her bigger vocals, creating a definite standout track. The electronic, beat-heavy production returns in several other tracks; “Sports car,” “I know love,” featuring her current boyfriend The Kid LAROI, “Like I do” and “It’s ok, I’m ok,” seemingly indicating a new musical direction for the singer. The tracks signal McRae’s transformation from a hopelessly romantic, teenage songwriter to a sultry and seductive pop star.
However, despite this new genre shift pairing well with McRae’s skills as a dancer and certainly contributing to her recent rise to fame, some of her best tracks are those where she embraces a brighter, more traditional pop style. “Signs” is a highlight of the album. With an undeniably fun beat and catchy production, the track acts as a breath of fresh air on an album with an otherwise cohesive sound. Similarly, “No I am not in love,” with its repetitive chorus and engineered vocals, is definitely a song that I can see myself going back to replay often — even if lyrically it is not the most interesting.
As I made my way through “So Close To What,” the lack of McRae’s signature ballads was quite surprising. However, much to my satisfaction, the singer rounds out her third album by giving longtime fans a trace of her previous sound in the last three tracks. “Means I care” strips back the heavy production that the rest of the album employs, while on “Greenlight,” McRae’s lyrical prowess finally shines through with a captivating story about the messy process of mourning a past relationship. Finally, she concludes the record with “Nostalgia,” in which her raw vocals belt over a simple guitar as a wonderful callback to the style of her first album.
Overall, “So Close To What” has all the ingredients to turn Tate McRae into a hit. Thumping beats and heavily edited vocals make the album perfect for those who want to dance and create vast opportunities for live performances — a huge strength of the artist. However, her sudden and total commitment to this big identity shift may leave some feeling uneasy. In the era of TikTok and streaming, it’s extremely easy for artists to turn completely commercial and lose the authenticity and charm that originally captivated their audience. Only time will tell if McRae will fall victim to this same trend.
