Tate McRae’s new album “So Close To What” takes listeners on a journey through the highs and lows of love. During the release concert for her album, McRae shared that “So Close to What” is all about the excitement and fear of falling for someone new. The 16-track album dives into the thrill of fresh love, as heard in “I know love” featuring The Kid LAROI, while also exploring the pain of struggles and heartbreak in “Revolving door,” showcasing a real emotional roller coaster.
While some songs are light and full of hope, others explore the more difficult sides of relationships. McRae blends catchy beats with vulnerable lyrics, offering a mix that captures both the joy of falling in love and the pain that can come with it. Fans of her previous work will recognize her signature emotional depth and honesty, but there’s also something new in the way she experiments with different sounds and styles.
The album opens strong with “Miss possessive,” which sets a bold tone for the album. The song explores themes of jealousy, control and emotional intensity in relationships, with McRae sending a bold message to a girl who dares to cross the line with her man.
Another standout track is “Purple lace bra,” which explores the idea of wanting to be heard and understood in a relationship but still feeling like you’re not. McRae wrote the song during a break from her tour with the help of Amy Allen and Emile Haynie, while thinking about the frustrations of how people and the media perceive her. In the song, McRae says, “Would you hear me more if I whispered in your ear?” showing her true emotions of feeling ignored and frustrated as if no matter how much she tries, she still isn’t being truly heard. It’s about giving everything to someone but still feeling like they’re not truly listening.
Songs like “Revolving door” and “Siren sounds” take us to a more vulnerable place. These songs are less about the excitement of love and more about the pain of dealing with broken hearts, miscommunication, going back to someone and feelings of being stuck.
When the album dropped on Feb. 21, 2025, “It’s ok I’m ok” quickly became a fan favorite, resulting in McRae’s highest-charting debut on the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting the top 20 in countries like Australia, Canada, Norway, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The album’s title, “So Close to What,” was teased earlier in the “It’s ok I’m ok” music video, with the acronym “SC2W” spotted on the license plate of a black Jeep Wrangler and later on the orange McLaren in the “2 hands” music video. Three months ago, after the release of the “2 hands” video, McRae confirmed the name of the album.
Overall, “So Close to What” is an album that gives us a perfect balance between the highs and lows of relationships and explores the beauty and difficulty of falling for someone new. Tate McRae has really stepped up as an artist, blending catchy pop with meaningful lyrics. The album is likely to resonate with anyone who’s experienced the ups and downs of love, loss or just the rush of something new.
Whether you’re already a fan of Tate McRae’s music or you’re just looking for a new pop album full of emotional depth, “So Close To What” is a compelling choice.
