After Tate McRae released her renowned album “Think Later” in 2023, it was no surprise that she had more coming. Released on Feb. 21, 2025 by RCA Record, “So Close to What” takes a more mature approach to music, voicing her frustrations and attacking life’s challenges head-on. With the producing expertise of Blake Slatkin, Emile Haynie, Ilya, Lostboy, Rob Bisel, and Ryan Tedder, McRae composed 43 minutes of catchy, contemporary and dance pop.
McRae is known for her captivating stage presence and eye-catching choreography at her concerts, and it is clear that the composition of these upbeat tracks were constructed to fit and enhance her performances. However, this album simultaneously aims to symbolize the long and winding journey of maturing; McRae used the album lyrics to signify her self-love and discovery as she navigates life as a young pop star.
The 15-track album begins with “Miss Possessive,” opening with a spoken verse from Sydney Sweeney—an American actress known for her role as Cassie in the HBO series “Euphoria”— to sassily, yet fittingly, open the record: “No seriously, get your hands off my man.” The song then jumps into a catchy and synth-driven beat, making it a dance-inducing, pop-perfected track. The chorus, “Better, better keep your, keep your, keep your eyes off,” though repetitive, is one of the most upbeat and catchy pieces of the album. This song is not only an edgy start of her new album compared to past works, but also the start of a melodic, more mature era of McRae’s music.
After a few more lively and synth-heavy songs, McRae’s third supporting single and seventh track on the album “Sports Car” takes a small turn. This song marked her second-highest chart debut, hitting number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though the song is nothing short of her typical sultry and rhythmic mood, the breathy pre-chorus is less than satisfying. McRae whispers the lyrics, making it difficult to focus on anything besides her low, grating voice. The music video features McRae in various outfits and locations, symbolizing her rise as a fashion icon, but that gets overshadowed by her hiss-like whispers and uncomfortably sensual lyrics.
Possibly the best and most addictive of her new songs, “It’s ok I’m ok,” combines an enticing and mellow beat with introspective and emotional lyrics to create this bittersweet masterpiece. Through this song, McRae describes the need to stay resilient in a vulnerable moment. Her pain of realizing another girl is happy with the man she used to love is heartfelt, raw, and wonderfully poetic. The melody of this song, among many others in the album, sets McRae up for a stellar choreographic performance at her concerts.
The final track of her album is titled “Nostalgia,” and sharply contrasts every other song on this album. McRae’s haunting vocals, tied with the simple and somewhat bare melody, allows the listeners to focus on the story she is telling. The song resembles Conan Gray—an indie/alternative pop industry staple—and his style of music, specifically “Family Line,” with McRae reminiscing on past memories. The line “Funny thing about nostalgia, didn’t show up till I lost ya,” is just one of the many heartbreaking lyrics of this song. What makes this song even more powerful, though, is the feeling of acceptance that also comes with this song. McRae illustrates the feeling of pain and growth and she reminisces on her past mistakes, making this song the most complex track of the album. This song closes both the album and a point in McRae’s life, opening doors to more well-written and lively music. “Purple lace bra” and “Revolving Door” also focus on more mature topics as she describes her struggles of constantly being sexualized and returning to those who hurt her.
McRae’s previous hits have become some of the highest trending songs used on social media, especially TikTok and Instagram, and it is clear that this album will not be any different. Her upbeat melodies, rhythmic choreography, and passionate lyrics leave this album her best yet. The highs and lows of this record accentuate the delicate balance of personal identity and growth. This album highlights the fact that, like McRae, personal growth is normal and it is okay to not always have things figured out.
