Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae released her third studio album So Close To What on February 21, 2025. I love how the album intertwines upbeat music with emotional lyrics.
Her album features 15 songs, including “I Know Love” featuring her boyfriend The Kid Laroi and “Blood On My Hands” featuring artist Flo Milli. This album focuses more on love instead of heartbreak, which her previous albums have been inspired by. If you enjoy Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo, you will enjoy Mcrae’s music.
My favorite song is “Nostalgia”, which leaves listeners to ponder on the past, present and future. The song was inspired by a conversation between McRae and her dad. It serves as a reminder to focus on the present instead of being so scared of what’s to come in the future or dwelling on the past: “Hit me fast and slow / Funny thing about nostalgia / Didn’t show up ’til I lost ya (Ooh)”. I like this song because it has a perfect mix of sad and upbeat emotions.
I also enjoy “Greenlight”, which reflects on the emotional struggle of being stuck on unresolved feelings and past wounds: “Stuck up in a rewrite of the same song/ Band-Aids and bullet holes don’t go/ Guess I never healed right”. I like this song as McRae is able to make a serious topic sound upbeat and happy.
To promote her album, McRae is going on tour between March 18 to November 8 2025, which has already sold out. She will be coming to Boston on August 26 and 27.