Before wrapping her 2024 world tour, Tate McRae was already brainstorming ideas to enhance her next live experience. “It involves a lot of back-and-forth and just unloading my thoughts,” she explains about her creative ideation process with her director, Parker Genoway. “I come with numerous mood boards and various concepts… You envision as expansively as possible until you get the budget, then you have to refine it.”
Luckily for McRae, that budget increased, thanks to a stellar start to 2025. The 21-year-old artist’s So Close to What, her most sophisticated and self-reflective album yet, released in February and marked McRae’s first No. 1 position on the Billboard 200, achieving 177,000 equivalent album units — a record for the largest debut week for a female artist’s studio album in five months — according to Luminate.
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This chart-topping debut — along with a series of dozen entries on the Billboard Hot 100 from So Close to What and her electrifying performance of the top 20 hit “Sports Car” on Saturday Night Live — has firmly established McRae’s status among pop’s elite. It also led to her Miss Possessive arena tour, which kicked off in Mexico City on March 18 and was followed by several South American shows. In May, she’s slated to perform in Europe and will commence her North American tour in Vancouver in August.
McRae drew inspiration from a diverse array of influences for her tour themes, including traditional dance performances. “It’s been incredibly enjoyable to explore old musicals and vintage TV shows,” she shares, “and incorporate Fosse and classic Chicago elements, tapping into that quirky musical side we all possess.”
In the meantime, Genoway — who worked with McRae during her Think Later tour and led her performances on SNL and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this year — cites McRae’s “It’s ok I’m ok” music video as an indication of the artist’s contrasting styles, illustrating a blend of edgy and glamorous. McRae mentions, “I’m drawing from rap shows, looking at Kendrick [Lamar], Post Malone performances, and then I aim to present myself as a glam pop icon. It’s about striking a stylish balance.”
The upcoming tour features a “thrust stage” designed like a massive T, along with cranes. “You want to have the audience walk in and think, ‘What are we witnessing right now?’ and create your own environment in that space,” McRae states. Genoway adds that McRae should “feel as though she’s right in the midst of everything” surrounding the performance, which also entails a B-stage and varied stage heights.
Regarding McRae’s dance abilities, “[Her] technical skill is unparalleled,” notes Genoway, who is affiliated with Silent House Productions. “Tate elevates everyone around her. She’ll be at rehearsals late into the night, and so should you. She’s committed to hard work, and so will you.”
Despite performing at her largest venues to date, McRae’s pre-show routine has remained unchanged. “I always have one Grether’s Pastille to suck on,” she clarifies. Before engaging in a group prayer and a brief meditation, McRae warms up her vocals by doing the ad-libs to Rihanna’s “B—h Better Have My Money.” “My dancers probably think I’m insane,” she laughs.
This article appears in the March 22, 2025, edition of Billboard.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
