MC's MUSIC LOUNGE: The Year of Tate McRae

Few pop artists have seen more success in pop music this year than Canada’s own Tate McRae. After crushing it at the VMAs back in September, Tate’s visibility grew to an all-time high. Sprinkle in videos of her tour performances taking over the internet for the better half of the year, and she has managed to find her groove. She’s now released the deluxe edition to her latest album So Close to What, complete with five new tracks that bring this very successful album era to a close.

From hits like “Sports Car”, “Revolving Door”, “Just Keep Watching”, and “TIT FOR TAT” she has taken over both radio stations and streaming charts, and seems to only be growing in popularity as the latter track became her highest peaking single since “greedy” two years ago. The deluxe version of the album is also expected to help it slide back into the top 10 of the Billboard 200. Aside from the charts, she’s helped bring back choreography to pop concerts and that’s something that I feel has been missing for such a long time. The Britney Spears comparisons are still very strong and warranted to some degree due to the 2000s aesthetic that is prominent through much of Tate’s look and sound. However, with more success, those will eventually subside, especially as she continues to showcase her individuality. I’ve argued before that Addison Rae’s performance style is more similar to the Britney of recent years anyway. Tate certainly dances with a commanding style that is reminiscent of Brit, but no one can ever truly touch the magic that B put out in the world. Much love to all ladies involved of course, there’s room for them all to shine on their own terms.

Aside from immense success on the music front, this was the first year where Tate’s career surpassed the music and turned to the gossip blogs. Always a sign of someone’s star growing into the stratosphere, her personal life became a topic of conversation when her relationship with The Kid LAROI ended abruptly over the summer. Was there cheating or was it just a case of growing pains? Either way, there were headlines, something that Tate hadn’t seen before. This is the first time that there was even a conversation, and while there’s an argument to why an artist might not want that, it’s certainly telling of growing popularity. Double-edged sword maybe, but it makes for some great lyrics on new music. Besides, there’s no better revenge to a bitter breakup than becoming one of the most in demand pop stars in the world, am I right? Tate’s star only continues to rise with every career move, and she’s come a long way from the days of “You Broke Me First”.

Next week, we get some new music from Jessie J who is also heading out on tour in the new year. This week’s picks span three languages, so we have a fun little English, French and Spanish mix. Aside from Tate McRae, there’s Aya Nakamura, Tommy Richman with Brent Faiyaz, Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande and KAROL G. Plus, a Brandy deep cut makes its way through the TikTok dance community.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“NOBODY’S GIRL” by Tate McRae

Tate has adapted the laid-back pop lane very well in her recent albums, just enough to vibe to but can still be performed with high-level choreography. She recently called it quits with The Kid LAROI, and wrote about it in her last major hit “TIT FOR TAT”. This one seems like a continuation of some sort, with Tate responding to the media headlines that surrounded the breakup. One thing that I’ve grown to enjoy in her songs is when she speaks the lyrics of the bridge. Maybe she’s supposed to be rapping lol, but either way the sexy tone in her voice elevates the track. “They say real love doesn’t clip your wings” is a telling enough lyric about her thoughts on the breakup and music is always the most effective way to channel true feelings. Tate is owning her independence throughout and hones in on being “Nobody’s Girl” but her own, of course. The video has an old school home video aesthetic, which she’s used many times throughout this entire album era. I love the look personally, and I feel it fits the sound of her music well. It’s all very angelic, the white lace, the airy vocals, the perfectly tousled hair. She’s eating down. It’s a great way to tie up this album era which has seen her career reach new highs. It feels more artistic than anything she’s done before, and makes me excited for what her next music eras will bring. It may have taken me a little while to get on board, but I am now locked in on her and her pop star journey. Besides, we all know I’m a sucker for a 2000s vibe, and this entire video and song feels like something that would fit in perfectly both today and in 2006.

“No Stress” by Aya Nakamura

French queen Aya Nakamura has officially released her fifth studio album Destinée, coinciding with the announcement of three major shows at the Stade de France in Paris for 2026. For reference, that’s the same venue where acts like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar perform when they visit France. Major. The album includes features by Kali Uchis and Shenseea, but it’s the new single “No Stress” that stuck out, the perfect mix of pre-drink hype jam and smooth vibes. The song is entirely in French aside from the actual title being repeated a few times, and some slang terms here and there. I think North American audiences are ready for some French pop tunes to enter their lives. The video is her in her dancing bag which many fans in the video’s comment section are particularly excited about given that she hasn’t incorporated dance into her act many times before. Set in an underground club setting, she is serving looks and some serious sex appeal, as she struts her stuff in a white ensemble with piercing blue eyes. As her star continues to rise and transcend territories, so does her production and performance value and it’s incredible to see.

“BOTHER ME” by Tommy Richman, Brent Faiyaz

After back-to-back hits in 2024, this past year has been quieter for Tommy Richman. This time around he’s teaming up with R&B heavyweight Brent Faiyaz for this track that had my head bopping in the first two seconds. I believe the exact words that came out my mouth were “sh-t, I need to add this to my liked songs right away”. The song is the breakout from his new EP, Worlds Part*, and has both Tommy and Brent looking at their toxic ways in relationships and all around issues with commitment. I don’t want to say I relate to this, but enough failed relationships will get you to that point. I’m working on healing though, that’s a fact! The lyric “I was in my head last week, and I want you to bother me” showcases the back and forth that one with a toxic mindset can tend to have. Think about the type of man that Katy Perry was singing about in “Hot N Cold”, this is basically the male in question singing his side of that story 17 years later. No, this is not an official response to that song but that’s what my millennial brain told me so I’m sticking with it. The music video gives all the 90s feels from shots in the pouring rain and the all-around black-and-white aesthetic. While the song isn’t the same club banger vibe as his previous hits “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” and “DEVIL IS A LIE”, it definitely is still a bop and fits perfectly for a dance party at home, while still having the swag that you’d expect from an R&B cut.

“For Good” by Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande

The final chapter in the Wicked saga is now out in the world, and whatever your opinions on the actual film were, I think we can all agree that the moment between Elphaba and Glinda where they sing to each other was so beautiful, regardless of the different paths their lives have taken, they can still find that appreciation for one another and the beauty that came out of them knowing each other. Elphaba at this point certainly recognizes that she’s done too much to be accepted back by the people of Oz, but that still doesn’t change the love and deep connection that she and Glinda shared. “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good” gives me chills every time I hear it, but hearing it sung by the angelic voice of Ariana Grande? Just take me now!

“Única” by Tainy, KAROL G

Most people would associate both Tainy and KAROL G with their upbeat reggaeton tracks, but this new collaboration between both artists is a much more emotional and melancholic approach, and the result is nothing short of gorgeous. Tainy is a record producer whose most recent album Data hit the top of the charts in Spain and #11 in the USA back in 2023 and has worked with the likes of Janet Jackson, JLo and more. Meanwhile KAROL G is breaking records everywhere she turns, most recently winning two Latin Grammy’s earlier this month. These two powerhouses coming together just makes sense. KAROL’s fans have already begun their dissection of the lyrics about loneliness, speculating that they are reflective of her relationship with longtime boyfriend Feid. Whether those assumptions are true or not, most relationships do have their ups and downs and if a beautiful song can come out of a moment of difficulty then that to me reads as a healing experience. The video, which was filmed in sunny Malibu, is something out of a high fashion photography book, with beaming lights and KAROL’s angelic presence. It’s giving beautiful princess in a castle longing for a rekindling of a love she once knew. This is Tainy’s second new release in just a month’s time, which has fans wondering if a full-length album is around the corner.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“I Thought” by Brandy

As you can imagine, I’m very much still reeling from my experience seeing Brandy & Monica live in concert over the weekend and the show’s set list has stayed on repeat ever since. While there are a ton of moments from the show that have been making noise online, I’m always a sucker for the traditional dance centered viral trend, and when it comes to Brandy, it has arrived in the form of the official choreography to her 2002 album cut “I Thought” which lives on the album Full Moon. The song itself was produced by her longtime collaborator Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, and has a serious Electronic-R&B feel, a sound that Rodney helped to cultivate and make mainstream in the early aughts. Just take a listen to the Spice Girls album Forever which was released a year and a half later. Those two albums are basically sister albums sonically – well, maybe just the Rodney beats and not the vocals but you catch my drift. I know, the idea of Spice Girls and Brandy going hand in hand may not make sense but listen to both records back to back and then come back to me.

The song was never released as a single but remains a fan-favourite that has a permanent place on any set list of hers. Now that The Boy Is Mine Tour has been running for over a month, the choreography to “I Thought” has caught some major traction on social media by both fans and celebrities like NLE Choppa, Sean Bankhead and more, each crafting their own spin to the dance. Even Brandy herself has gotten in on the action, thanking fans for playing along to the moves and sharing their respective videos across all social platforms. Frank Gatson who has worked with Brandy since 1994, along with Usher, En Vogue and Beyoncé (just to name a few) is the lead creative director and choreographer for Brandy’s portion of the show, and is the man behind the moves that has thousands of people across America dancing.

@brandy
I love seeing all your videos so I wanted to join the fun. Keep them coming!! ❤️❤️ #brandy #IThought #TheBoyIsMineTour #fyp
♬ original sound - brandy

@billboard
Brandy had the whole arena up when she broke into the “I Thought” dance break at her NYC tour stop for the New York stop of Brandy and Monica’s The Boy Is Mine Tour. #brandy #monica #theboyismine
♬ original sound - billboard

@skootah
“I THOUGHT” with the QUEEN HERSELF BRANDY! we hope you guys have been enjoying the tour! dc : @ChrisGranted @brandy people in video : me, @Danny @kingjata @romeiljohnson @jaredjjenkins @Noel Frias @🇨🇴 Lil Andrew 🇨🇴 @Charm or Dre @Jodii B @Jus’t Chase #theboyisminetour
♬ original sound - brandy