With dreams of becoming a dancer, Tate McRae first gained recognition after becoming a finalist in the reality TV show “So You Think You Can Dance.” But in 2017, after her song “One Day” went viral, she quickly shifted her track in the entertainment industry. McRae began to grow her fanbase with many singles, including the sad-girl anthem, “You Broke Me First,” in 2020, and later with her debut album, “I Used to Think I Could Fly,” in 2022.
Now, she is back with her sophomore album, “Think Later.” Released on Dec. 8, 2023, the pop-dance album consists of 14 tracks and shifts McRae’s stance in the music industry from her previous sad-girl music to a confident artist. Blending her passion for dance with her new songs, McRae also released multiple music videos with full dance choreography.
Among her music videos is “greedy,” the second track and the first pre-released single from the album. With her breathy vocals, McRae’s unapologetic lyrics and playful tunes led the song to becoming a fast hit on social media. But “greedy” is more than just another TikTok hit. McRae transforms a chance encounter with a stranger into a song exploring feelings of self-assurance.
“I would want myself / Baby, please believe me / I’ll put you through hell just to know me, yeah-yeah / So sure of yourself / Baby, don’t get greedy,” McRae sings.
With a rock-pop feel to it, the first track on the album, “cut my hair,” sets the tone for McRae’s newfound self-worth and reinvented persona. She cleverly cuts her hair to symbolize the shedding of her old self, becoming more confident in her identity now.
“Just wanna cut my hair, lose myself / Make you sweat / Go out and get messed up,” McRae sings.
She shifts away from her electrically-charged music to the more vulnerable ballad, “grave.” McRae explores the relatable feelings of the aftermath of a failed relationship and her recovery through it.
“I could never make you want me like I wanted to be wanted / I could never really change you like I thought that I could,” McRae sings.
But as she starts to move on, McRae also learns her ex-partner wants her back. She shifts from longing for someone to realizing they were not worth it despite them wanting her back, a feeling many listeners may relate to.
“Tables turned, now I’m out, and you just called like 30 times / Always a funny thing watching the tough guy plead, oh, baby,” McRae sings.
“Calgary” is an ode to her hometown in Canada. The song rehashes the past as McRae sings about not being able to escape the same pattern she once did in her youth. Her lyrics reveal her experience with substance abuse and create a story that some listeners may be able to connect with.
“Old friends, downtown / They didn’t like me then and don’t like me now / I’m drunk, oh wow / All my habits came back around,” McRae sings.
In “think later,” a notable song toward the end of the album, McRae leads with her heart and wholeheartedly embraces the emotions that come as a result of it. She dismisses the repercussions, instead choosing to use intuition as her guide when it comes to love.
“Live now, think later, I do it so well / Fall hard, heart breaker, I want him, oh well,” McRae sings.
“Think Later” shows McRae’s growth as an artist finding her way through the music industry. Breaking away from her sad-girl persona, she leads with confidence, impulse and self-worth in her new album. McRae proves herself as a progressive artist by passionately blending her own experiences into her music, creating songs more than just short radio hits as a result.