Tate McRae first entered the public consciousness as a finalist on the American reality series So You Think You Can Dance in 2016. Since then, the Calgary-born artist has transitioned into a prominent pop musician, securing chart-topping success with her studio albums and singles while maintaining the technical discipline developed during her extensive formative years as a competitive dancer.
Early Training and Dance Career
Born on July 1, 2003, in Calgary, McRae spent three years of her childhood in Oman. Upon returning to Canada at age eight, she immersed herself in intensive dance training. Her background includes studies at the School of Alberta Ballet and the YYC Dance Project. By 2013, she achieved recognition at the Dance Awards in New York City, winning the Mini Best Female Dancer title. Her dance portfolio expanded to include voice acting for the Lalaloopsy franchise and featured performances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
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McRae began uploading original bedroom-produced songs to YouTube in 2017. Her early track One Day garnered significant viewership, leading to independent distribution and a gold certification in Canada. After signing with RCA Records in 2019, she released her debut EP, All the Things I Never Said. The 2020 single You Broke Me First marked a turning point in her music career, becoming her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 and achieving widespread international chart success.
Studio Albums and Chart Performance
The release of her debut studio album, I Used to Think I Could Fly, in 2022 established her presence on the Canadian charts. She continued her trajectory with the 2023 album Think Later, which featured the Global 200 hit Greedy. In 2025, she issued her third studio album, So Close to What, which secured the number-one spot on the US Billboard 200. Her recent work includes collaborations such as the 2025 Morgan Wallen single What I Want.
Fast facts
- Born: 2003, Calgary
- Citizenship: Canada
- Education: Western Canada High School
- First US Billboard Hot 100 entry: You Broke Me First
- 2025 US Billboard 200 chart-topper: So Close to What
- Occupations: singer, songwriter, dancer, voice actor
Questions readers ask
What was Tate McRae's first major television appearance?
She gained prominence as a contestant on the thirteenth season of the American reality series So You Think You Can Dance in 2016.
Which album earned her a US Billboard 200 number-one position?
Her third studio album, So Close to What, released in 2025, topped the US Billboard 200.
Achievements
- Genres: pop music, alternative pop and dance-pop
