On March 26, 2025, Tate McRae posted “Lmao I’ve lived like 18 lives” on TikTok, reflecting on her time as a dancer and ballerina compared to where she is now. If you have been on social media, Tate McRae is a name you should be familiar with. I was lucky enough to attend her show in Charlotte, NC during the “Miss Possessive” tour, and I still talk about it when I get the chance. With her newest single “Housewife” on repeat and the “So Close to What” album, it is safe to say we have entered the TM4 era, and I am so invested.
McRae first rose to stardom as a finalist on the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2016 and placed third. She also spent much of her childhood and teen years in the dance studio and competitive stages. On Oct. 20, 2017, McRae released her first song, “One Day.” While she released many singles and EPs, her debut album, “I Used To Think I Could Fly,” was released in 2022 with songs like “Chaotic” and “She’s All I Wanna Be.” I would argue that her second album, “Think Later,” really pushed her into the spotlight with songs like “Greedy” and “Exes.” In the “Think Later” era, she performed at the NHL All-Star Game in 2024, after the TM2 album had only been out for about one month. This is where we really begin to see McRae regularly with performances on “Saturday Night Live” and guest starring on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
At this point, McRae is a household name with her music career and two successful albums. McRae then took to Instagram on Nov. 26, 2024, to announce that her first-ever arena tour, the Miss Possessive tour, had sold out before adding more shows (all BEFORE her album’s release). Keeping in mind the fact that she was only 22 at the time, it is astonishing to see her growth as an artist and performer from her “Create with Tate” series on YouTube to where she is now.
Accomplishments and accolades
Both 2025 and 2026 have really been the “years of Tate McRae.” On Feb. 21, 2025, she released her third studio album, “So Close to What,” and it has certainly received its well-deserved flowers. For example, on Dec. 6, 2025, McRae won the Powerhouse of the Year award at Variety’s 9th Annual Hitmakers Event, acknowledging her success as a young woman in the music industry. Honestly, “powerhouse” is one of the coolest ways to describe her because of her dramatic rise to stardom and how quickly she became an icon in the music industry. This year, she even headlined the Lollapalooza Music Festival and ended her set by dipping herself in liquid gold on Aug. 2, 2026. This was a perfect wrap-up of TM3 and the best way to welcome a new stage in her life. Recently, McRae has been exploring other avenues in Hollywood to build her brand. McRae found herself at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026, with a “Best Dance Pop Recording” nomination following her hit, “Just Keep Watching,” from F1 The Movie. Another major accomplishment of hers is the fact that she released her debut fragrance: Tate 01. Elle Magazine interviewed Mcrae about the release. “I feel like it’s a piece of the character that I’m building for my next world…” McRae said. All I can say is that McRae knows how to take a personal brand to the next level.
Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of McRae’s career to date is her performance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 18, 2026. Due to all the excitement leading up to this year’s event, social media has called the show a “girls’ Super Bowl.” The second Tate McRae was teased as a performer alongside Megan Thee Stallion, KATSEYE, and Megan Moroney for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, I was SAT; because after going to McRae’s concert last year and witnessing her “star quality” in person, I had a feeling her performance was going to be amazing. One thing is for sure: the show and performances did NOT disappoint. I LOVED to see McRae perform her “independent woman” anthem, “Housewife,” after it was only released three days ago.
final thoughts
Tate McRae has definitely been in the limelight for a long time, and I think it’s so cool to see how much she has grown as an artist from her days on YouTube to now selling out arenas and attending award shows. While my friends and I won the Ticketmaster war in 2025, I can imagine getting tickets for her next tour will be even MORE competitive. In my opinion, McRae has always released great music, and her newest single is no exception. All I can say is that I am so excited to see what comes next for miss McRae and TM4.