Pop star Tate McRae responds to Britney Spears comparisons: 'It's flattering but also scary
The Canadian pop star, Tate McRae, releases her third album, "So close to what" and addresses comparisons to Britney Spears.
Tate McRae is quickly becoming one of pop music’s most talked-about rising stars, often compared to icons like Britney Spears for her dynamic choreography and compelling vocals.
With her newly released third album, So Close to What, McRae moves away from the teenage themes of her earlier hits. In a recent interview, McRae opened up about these comparisons, as s she prepares for her extensive Miss Possessive Tour.
McRae speaks about Britney Spears comparisons
Tate McRae's dynamic choreography and sensual pop vocals have drawn comparisons to Britney Spears, a notion the rising pop star finds both "flattering" and "scary." Speaking with The Independent in an interview published Sunday, McRae reacted to the comparison with awe.
“It’s wild to even think about being compared to Britney Spears," she said. “It’s like someone comparing you to Michael Jackson—she’s the original!”
On Friday, the Canadian singer released her third album, So Close to What, marking a shift away from the teenage angst and youthful desire of her earlier work, and exploring the complexities that come with growing fame. Speaking with Rolling Stone, McRae described the album as capturing “moments of detachment, the pressure of controlling everything, being constantly watched, and the feeling of being 21, yet feeling older and younger simultaneously.” The record features notable collaborators like Amy Allen, Julia Michaels, and Ryan Tedder.
McRae has spent over a decade in entertainment, beginning her career at just 10 years old as a voice actor in the children’s cartoon Lalaoopsy, and later competing on So You Think You Can Dance at age 13. At 17, she moved to Los Angeles to focus fully on her music. In 2022, she released her debut album, I Used to Think I Could Fly, followed by her second album, Think Later, featuring the R&B-infused single "greedy," which peaked at Number Three on the Billboard Hot 100.
When Tate McRae's new album coming?
In March, McRae will embark on her 50-date Miss Possessive Tour in support of her latest album, kicking off in Mexico on March 18. The tour will cover major U.S. cities including Chicago, Boston, Baltimore, New York, and Atlanta. Reflecting on how performing live has influenced her approach to music-making, McRae told Rolling Stone:
“As I mature and gain more experience performing live, I now create songs with a clear vision of how they’ll translate to the stage—the audience singing along, the lights, the atmosphere—it's all part of the process.”