Pop star Tate McRae is having a massive moment right now, but behind the fame and hits, there’s a backstory filled with insecurity, ambition, and major growing pains.
At just 21, Tate has already built a name for herself with tracks like “Greedy” and a fast-growing fanbase, but she says that being Tate McRae misunderstood was a big part of her teenage years, and a driving force in how she got here.
Talking to Paper Magazine, Tate got real about how her goals kept shifting as she grew up. “My idea of the future kept shifting,” she said. “Around 15, I started getting really into pop culture and wanted to be a back-up dancer. And somewhere between 14 and 16, I just felt so misunderstood.” And that’s when things clicked for her creatively. “That’s when I started writing every day. It became my lifeline.” For someone who’s always been hyper-driven, writing wasn’t just an outlet, it was survival.
The road to stardom has moved fast for Tate, but she’s still grounded. She’s totally aware of how fame could mess with her creativity if she let it. “Creating and making art while seeing yourself so much on the internet is really confusing,” she admitted. “It can interrupt the flow of creating your best work.” That kind of self-awareness is rare, especially for someone in the middle of a breakout career. But for Tate McRae, feeling misunderstood early on taught her to protect her craft at all costs.
It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, she was playing her first show at The Moroccan Lounge in front of 100 people. Now? She’s packing out the Kia Forum for three nights straight. “Sometimes I walk into rehearsal and get full-body chills,” she said. “Just knowing I’m going to perform for that many people … it feels like my biggest dream has come to fruition.” That rise didn’t just happen overnight, though, it came from serious grind, relentless focus, and a vision she never lost.
Tate’s also not shy about how goal-oriented she is. In an interview with Pride, she admitted, “I always have things that I’m setting my sights on. I’m a very goal-driven person. Sometimes, I think I’m a little clairvoyant. I’m really good at manifesting!” One dream she’s still chasing? Performing at the MTV VMAs. “I would die to perform at the MTV VMA’s,” she said. “That’s something I’ve watched all my idols do for so many years. For some reason, that specific performance is something I’ve always wanted.”
What would her dream set look like? “My ideal performance is a perfect balance of dance, outfit, singing, and musical arrangement. When they’re all balanced perfectly, that’s my ideal performance.” It’s clear she doesn’t just want the spotlight, she wants to earn it and make every second onstage count.
And maybe the most relatable part of all this is how shocked Tate still is by her own success. “I can’t believe this is my job,” she confessed. “Four years ago, I played my first ever show at The Moroccan Lounge… it was the size of a shoebox. I could see my grandma, my mom, and everybody that I knew. Now, we’re performing three nights at the Kia Forum. It’s the biggest dream of my life. It’s insane!”
So yeah, Tate McRae might have felt misunderstood growing up, but it turns out those teenage years shaped her into one of the most authentic voices in pop right now. Her ambition, creativity, and self-belief were there long before the fame, and clearly, they’re not going anywhere.
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