Rising pop star Tate McRae is opening up about her strong bond with her LGBTQ+ fans, admitting they are her “favorite” and sharing that her entire team is LGBTQ+. In an interview with Pride on Tuesday, February 25, McRae, 21, expressed how much she values the support from her queer audience, calling them her “number ones.”
“They’re my favorite. No one beats them. Nobody is better than them,” McRae said. “My whole team is gay! That’s the only opinion I really want when I’m releasing music. I feel lucky to have their advice. We want to do the most and push the boundaries, but it’s also the most brutally honest advice.”
McRae went on to praise her LGBTQ+ fans for their loyalty and support, saying, “You know that as much as you guys ride for me, I ride for you. I feel very grateful to have you guys in my life and surrounding me.”
The Canadian singer-songwriter has quickly gained popularity with hits like “Sports Car” and “She’s All I Wanna Be.” Her connection with the LGBTQ+ community has played a significant role in shaping her artistic journey, and she is unapologetically vocal about her appreciation for them.
Elsewhere in the interview, McRae shared her dream collaboration, revealing she would love to write with Grammy-winning artist SZA. “My dream is to write with SZA. She’s one of the coolest and best writers ever. I love her,” McRae said. When asked about what kind of music their collaboration would produce, she described it as a “mix of pop and R&B.”
“I’d let her take the charge!” McRae added. “I just want to always keep pushing my comfort zone. I never want to recycle and do the same things. As an artist, I want to be uncomfortable and shock myself sometimes.”
McRae also reflected on the pressure of being compared to pop legends, including Britney Spears, a comparison she called “flattering and scary.” Her comments come amid the release of her third studio album So Close to What on February 21, which includes the song “I Know Love,” a collaboration with her boyfriend, The Kid LAROI.
Tate Mcrae & The Kid LAROI Performing ‘Without You’ at Madison Square Garden. Photo: YouTube
Discussing the dynamics of working with a romantic partner, McRae shared that the creative process was “a little stressful” but ultimately rewarding. “It was a really funny process because me and Laroi have never really taken each other seriously,” she said. “You know when you’re in a relationship, and you sing around each other, you don’t really sing. So, it’s a little stressful being in the studio, singing and writing in front of him, but it was a cool experience to watch him in his process.”
As her music continues to gain traction, McRae’s openness about her LGBTQ+ fandom and her creative aspirations are making her one of the most relatable stars in pop music today.
