Tate McRae on Vulnerability, Songwriting, and the Hitmaker Award

Tate McRae: I want people to listen to my music and feel like the best, most elevated version of themselves. That’s what I approach in songwriting. I’m either honing in on my deepest vulnerabilities and insecurities or I’m dreaming as big as I can.

This award means a lot to me. Obviously, my true initial passion for all of this was writing, writing short stories or poetry, and starting it in my bedroom. Creating a career like this from back in my bedroom in Calgary, Alberta, is pretty crazy to me. Thinking about how much I’ve done means the world to me because I’m such a performer and dancer, it’s always nice to be recognized for the creation part of it, ’cause that’s all of it to me.

For me, a hit song is when all the puzzle pieces come together when the song feels like the full story has been told, there’s nothing left to say, and no fine-tuning is needed. You can feel that in your chest, and the listener can feel that in their chest. The exact message comes across perfectly. That, to me, feels like a hit song.

You just have to think with the most extreme and open mind when you’re writing. I say put it all out on the table when you’re in the room. You don’t have to release it or put it out there, but I think it’s all about exhausting your emotions. That’s the most beautiful thing about songwriting is going to the farthest depth of what one person can think.

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