Often hailed as Gen Z’s Britney Spears, pop artist Tate McRae’s album “So Close to What,” released on February 21 of this year, proves that the 22-year-old artist lives up to the name through the nostalgic yet modern twist on the 2000s dance pop production.
McRae got her first taste of stardom in 2020, when her song “you broke me first” went viral on TikTok, earning a spot in the top 10 on charts worldwide and peaking at no. 17 in the United States. McRae later dropped “greedy” in 2023, which exploded into a whirlwind of virality as the song reached no. 1 on the charts worldwide and peaked at no. 3 in the United States.
“So Close To What” is by far McRae’s most mature, with songs such as “Sports car” taking on a more explicit nature lyrically. Speculated to be about her relationship with fellow artist The Kid LAROI, the song features McRae singing in a sultry whisper laid over a Timbaland-esque beat. The lyrics are suggestive and seductive, as she whispers, “In the alley, in the back / In the center of this room / With the windows rolled down,” and alludes to a “sports car” where “We can uh-uh in it / While you drive it real far.”
McRae brings this mature energy to “2 hands,” where she commands, “I just want your two hands on me / At all times, baby / If you let go (I want your two hands) / Better put ’em right back fast / Want your two hands on mе / Like my life needs savin’.”
McRae also delves into the downsides of said explicitness in “Purple lace bra,” where she sings, “You only listen when I’m undressed / Hear what you like and none of the rest, ‘est (Ooh) / I’m losin’ my mind ’cause giving you head’s / The only time you think I got depth (Ooh) / Hear what you like and none of the rest.” While expressing frustration with women’s worth only being acknowledged when it aligns with men’s desires, McRae highlights deeper issues regarding patriarchy and gender roles. In turn, this further highlights a more mature side of McRae,allowing listeners to see past her celebrity persona and humanize her in the process.
The singer also ponders past relationships and the reluctance to let go. The simple, fast-paced production of “Revolving door” highlights McRae’s breathy vocals as she professes her obsession and rebound with an ex-lover. The lyrics “I still think ‘bout that night out in Boston” refer to the title track of her previous album, “THINK LATER,” in which she sings “Met you in a night out in Boston.” “Revolving door” is where McRae is able to find a balance between her vocals and the instrumentals, making for a fresh listen.
The desperation of letting go ramps up as the album progresses. On “Dear god,” McRae alludes to confiding in God to remove him from her thoughts and take control of her mind, singing,“All the memories, babe, I play ’em all, play ’em all, play ’em all, play ’em all back / To erase his name, I’d give it all, give it all, give everything that I have.” Here, McRae references the relentless replay of memories that overshadow her urge to let everything go and forget her ex-lover— it must have been one hell of a night out in Boston.
As mature as the album is, its coherence suffers from the inclusion of generic production. This is clearest on “I know love,” featuring The Kid LAROI. One would hope that a collaboration between the two lovebirds would curate a heartfelt and intimate song, but this is far from the case. The production sounds like something inadequately reconstructed and recycled out of the mid-2010s, and its lyricism sounds like it was written by pre-teens who have only dated for a week. Though McRae sings, “I know love when it hits, when it hits, when it hits / Yeah, I know love, yeah / Yeah, I know love when it hits, when it feels like this / It’s a little like drugs,” the bland and superficial nature of the lyrics say otherwise.
“bloodonmyhands” featuring Flo Milli also suffers a similar fate. Though less generic-sounding, Flo Milli’s feature dominates McRae’s presence on the song, making it feel like she is the featured artist instead. Flo Milli’s strong cadence and clean bars contrast drastically with McRae’s subtle, airy vocals (which are not helped by a lack of enunciation) as a good chunk of the song is inherently inaudible — unfortunate for a song with such strong potential.
For an album that came only a year after its predecessor, it’s surprising how many of the tracks sound fresh. McRae successfully captures the nostalgic sounds of the 2000s, with an added modern flair. However, the rushed nature of the project peeks through some of the tracks through their recycled sound and lyricism.
Rating: 7/10
