Generally, people can either sing or dance. 

It’s not a both kind-of-thing; it’s pretty difficult to find someone whose talent lies within both singing and dancing.

As a dancer myself, I’ve been a follower of the dance world for years. Frequently, I see incredible dancers attempt to produce a song or two, but the majority of the time, it doesn’t work out in their favor. 

Just because someone is well-known for a single talent of theirs doesn’t mean that they should automatically take that as a sign to pursue something else in that range of artistry because of their prior fame. 

Few truly find success in being that double-threat; singer-songwriter Tate McRae is one of those few.

McRae, being just one year older than myself, is not only formally known for her ridiculously good dancing but now is known for her abnormal vocal talent as well.

I had idolized her ever since her debut on the reality TV show So You Think You Can Dance. I’ve stayed attentive with where McRae’s career goes for years now, and personally, I think she has reached her peak in 2020 with her music.

McRae is most known for her songs “you broke me first” and “that way” for their sentimentalism and catchiness. All of her songs have a similar tune, so for me, it’s easy to identify her music. Plus, her impressive range of voice sticks out like a sore thumb—but in a good way.

All of McRae’s releases from this year have been huge successes, and to continue on that legacy, she released her song “r u ok” just last week.

Her single “r u ok” is a song blatantly based around current heartbreak. In an interview, McRae subsequently stated “[It’s] a song that I never thought I’d write. It has a very sassy and feisty tone, which made it a challenge to dive into that perspective as I think I’m quite the opposite.” 

Just from listening to her other songs, I can easily tell that “r u ok” was written far out of her comfort zone. McRae tends to produce sad, heartfelt tracks that dive deeper into her true feelings rather than what she portrays on the outside. But, with this new release, I hear more anger than depression behind her lyrics. 

“You’re up and down / I’m inside out / you ripped my heart right from my mouth.”

These few lyrics are showing just how much hurt this anonymous individual has carelessly put McRae through, but the whole of the song discusses her feelings after a breakup and how she has dealt with the hurtful things he’s done. 

As seen in both the chorus and the title, despite all of the pain he has forced upon her, McRae is still intimately wondering about his well-being and if he’s “ok.” From my perspective, she is explaining his rollercoaster of emotions and how she cannot get anything genuine out of him. Even though this boy played with her feelings like a toy, throughout the song, McRae is showing that she still cares and worries for him and how he’s coping with their split.

Although McRae states that she is “finally now doing fine,” she obviously still has remorse and emotions towards this mysteriously broken relationship. To me, this boy sounds like a hostile, selfish person who treated McRae awfully poorly. Especially so when she says:

“You missed my birthday and my shows / you made me feel so damn alone.”

This is undeniably proving his insincerity and disrespect he has for their love story. And that right there is exactly where McRae’s subtle exasperation is stemming from behind her lyrics. 

McRae’s music career after releasing “r u ok” is at an all-time high, and undoubtedly, she is making 2020 her year. Her music is distinguishable and catchy but stunning and alluring. Her decision to pursue music aside from dance was a fortunate choice that is giving her what she deserves in return. It’s ultimately giving her the ability to make relatable, prosperous music that is conscientious of her loyal audience.

“r u ok” deserves undivided attention and glory for McRae’s leap beyond her comfiness, her beautifully accentuated vocals, and the overall backstory and execution.