Rising pop star Tate McRae released her third studio album, “So Close To What,” on Friday, Feb. 21. The album, featuring 15 tracks with a total runtime of 42 minutes, delves into themes of heartbreak, self-discovery and the complexities of young adulthood.
McRae collaborated with several well-known artists on this project, including Flo Milli on “bloodonmyhands” and her boyfriend, Kid Laroi, on “I Know Love.” The album also features actress Sydney Sweeney, who delivers a spoken-word introduction on the opening track, “Miss Possessive.”
According to Vulture, McRae’s experience working and recording with The Kid Laroi for the first time was both exciting and nerve-wracking.
“It was a really funny process, because me and Laroi have never really, like, taken each other seriously,” McRae said. “You know when you’re in a relationship and you sing around each other, but you don’t really, like, sing? So it was a little stressful being in the studio singing and writing in front of him, but it was a cool experience to watch him in his process.”
During an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” McRae discussed how the album was leaked online five weeks before its official release. In response, she decided to drop additional songs, giving fans even more to look forward to. She also shared how Sydney Sweeney ended up contributing to the album’s introduction.
“Glen Powell, who I do Pilates with sometimes, just connected [us]. Sydney was such a legend. She just sent me like 10 versions of this little, like, voice-memo thing, and it was like three days before the release,” McRae said.
Despite the leak, “So Close To What” has been a massive success, earning McRae her first No. 1 in the United States. The album dominated the charts, making her the top female artist of the week and achieving the biggest opening numbers for a female artist this year.
According to Variety, Tate McRae’s “So Close To What,” achieved 137 million streams, marking the biggest streaming week of her career, along with 71,000 album sales, a personal best. In total, the album accumulated 177,000 equivalent album units, making it the largest debut for a female artist since Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet,” which opened with 362,000 units in September.
For many students at Staples, McRae’s album has been a standout release, resonating with fans who have followed her journey from the start.
“Personally, I love Tate McRae’s new album “So Close To What” and definitely think it’s her best so far, ” Bridget Menninger ’25 said. “It’s so unique, and I think compared to her first album, it really shows how she has grown as an artist. I have it on repeat all the time.”
