Tate McRae had a “very specific vision” when building her career as a pop star.
The Canadian singer has reflected on her early ambitions, explaining that she had a clear idea of the artist she wanted to be from the outset.
Speaking to Billboard, Tate stated, “I had a very specific vision. I remember being like, ‘I want to be a pop star. I want Sean Bankhead. I want to write over this tempo. I want to do it in a hockey rink. I want this to be the aesthetic.’ I could see it all in my brain.”
The Sports Car hitmaker was referring to choreographer Sean Bankhead, who has worked with artists including Lil Nas X, Cardi B, Normani, Usher and FKA Twigs. He has also choreographed several of Tate’s major music videos and performances.
Tate added that surrounding herself with the right collaborators was key to turning that vision into reality.
“It was about collecting the right people around me to make it a reality,” she told the publication. “Sometimes you get signs and messages on where you’re supposed to go in life, and you ignore it.”
The singer continued, “And then finally, it becomes the most piercing feeling in your gut, and you wake up and you’re like, ‘All right. No more time to waste.'”
Tate began her career as a child dancer before achieving international success in 2020 with her single You Broke Me First, which went viral. Her popularity surged again in 2023 with the release of her hit Greedy.
Elsewhere in the interview, the 22-year-old named Lana Del Rey as her dream collaborator, describing herself as “just the biggest fan”.
Asked which other female artists she admires, Tate named Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo.
“I’m so excited for her to drop music again. She’s an unbelievable songwriter,” she said of the latter. “She never fears brutal honesty or laying out all her insecurities or feelings on the table. She’s like that as a friend too, just the most open, honest person.”
