Tate McRae reveals how a clear artistic vision shaped her success

Canadian pop star Tate McRae has opened up about the clear creative direction that shaped her rise in the music industry, revealing she always had a “very specific vision” for the artist she wanted to become.

In a recent interview with Billboard, the “greedy” hitmaker reflected on her early ambitions, explaining that she imagined her pop career in detail long before achieving mainstream success. 

From choreography to aesthetics, McRae said she could already picture the full scope of her artistic identity.

“I had a very specific vision,” she said, describing how she envisioned working with choreographer Sean Bankhead, building music around specific tempos, and even designing visual concepts in unique settings. “I could see it all in my brain,” she added.

McRae credited much of her success to surrounding herself with the right creative collaborators who helped bring that vision to life. 

She emphasized that finding the right team was essential in transforming ideas into fully realized performances and music videos.

The singer also reflected on moments of intuition throughout her career, suggesting that artists often receive “signs” about their path but don’t always act on them immediately. 

Eventually, she said, that instinct becomes impossible to ignore, pushing her to fully commit to her direction.

Before becoming a global pop star, McRae began as a competitive dancer before breaking into music with her viral 2020 single You Broke Me First. 

She later solidified her status in the industry with the success of her 2023 hit Greedy.

In the same interview, McRae also spoke about her musical inspirations, naming Lana Del Rey as her dream collaborator, while also praising contemporary artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, and Olivia Dean.