by Jenna Dobson
Assistant Editor
Tate McRae’s “Think Later” has earned over 688 million streams worldwide. After her song “you broke me first” went viral in 2020, McRae, a Calgary native, really came into her own in the music industry. Since then, the Canadian pop sensation has only continued to improve her craft. McRae has captured the hearts of many due to her style of performing: energetic dancing while maintaining a distinctive pop voice in tune.
The 14-track, 40-minute album “Think Later” explores confidence, girlhood, rebirth, and heartbreak. “cut my hair,” the album’s first song, depicts McRae’s “glow-up” following a breakup. McRae did an excellent job of introducing the pop sound that will be featured throughout the majority of her album through the first song.
With more than 500 million streams, “greedy,” the second song on the album, is both the most streamed song on the album and by McRae herself. Because of McRae’s lyrical delivery of the song, it exudes confidence and boldness. McRae playfully brags throughout the song about how she “would want herself,” and she tells listeners not to let their feelings for her or their outward “greed” get the best of them.
Moving on to the seventh song, “exes,” emerged on TikTok and the Billboard top 100 almost instantly. McRae’s energetic, fast-tracked song pays a passionate and snobby tribute to her ex-boyfriends. The song emphasizes McRae’s impulsive and reckless approach to relationships, but she doesn’t feel the need to apologize, as she is content with who she is and how she acts.
“we’re not alike,” McRae’s eighth song, offers a fresh perspective on heartbreak: the heartbreak of a friendship coming to an end. This song tells the story of a friendship “break-up” brought on by betrayal. With its funky bassline and jazzy undertones, track eight adopts a new pop sound that makes it stand out from the rest of the album.
Song nine, “calgary,” takes a more sentimental tone and explores the angst that comes with growing up through a ballad. Over the course of the song, McRae expresses uncertainty about her future and if she will ever be able to have the life she desires. Over a gentle and repetitive guitar melody, she grows insecure and begins to worry that she is trapped and will always feel unhappy with the way she is. In the song’s ending, she offers a hint of hope that things might eventually turn around for her.
Overall, McRae’s “Think Later” was a great stepping stone in her career. While some parts of the album seemed to drag on, McRae made up with her show-stopping pop voice and passion. If there is an album that allows one to live out a pop diva fantasy, it’s this one.
Grade: B