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If you L-O-V-E sad girl songs, (think Billie Eilish), with gentle lyrics and a bedroom pop sound, it's time you listen to Tate McRae. Having 20 million monthly Spotify listeners—nearly half as many as Olivia Rodrigo—is a vast accomplishment. At only 18, Tate is proving herself as a dancer *and* singer/songwriter in the entertainment industry. 

Originally from Canada, Tate made a name for herself dancing competitively in America. As she gained exposure to the industry, her only natural result was moving up, including dancing on the Teen Choice Awards and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She was no longer an average teen dancer anymore, but she continued to post dance videos on YouTube (like videos doing improv to Billie Eilish songs). 

Tate's dance videos helped her gain a following, but her original songs and covers made her viral. It was no surprise she could dance, but adding singing to the mix was something new. In 2017, she posted a song on her YouTube titled "One Day." As the video started bringing in millions of views, it encouraged her to release the tune as a single. She kept writing and releasing songs, inevitably helping her sign with RCA Records (ZAYN and Doja Cat are also signed there).

When she put out her first EP, all the things i never said, she co-wrote "tear myself apart" with Billie Eilish and Finneas. While these songs did exceptionally well, in April 2020, "you broke me first" came out and topped the charts (with 800,000,000+ streams to date!). her second EP, TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD, came out a year later and brought in even more success. In late 2021, Tate toured with Shawn Mendes—and she will headline her own tour in early 2022.

@tatemcrae

While numbers can be argued to measure success, Tate writes with sensitivity and understanding of her audience. Her experiences of love and heartbreak, shown throughout her music, are authentic to her. You can hear metaphorical echoes of Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo in her songs, as these sad pop girls mimic their feelings through writing. Overall, her songs scream Tate McRae, and you can hear that loud and clear.

Love reading about pop girl musicians? Check out these related posts:
🎤  The evolution of Gracie Abrams
🎤  Everything you need to know about Holly Humberstone
🎤  5 things you need to know about Olivia Rodrigo

Let us know your fave Tate McRae song on Insta @girlslifemag

Slider image: @tatemcrae
All GIFs via Giphy

by Kelly Schwint | 2/21/2022