REVIEW: ‘Housewife’ Is a Brand New Era For Both McRae and Her Fans
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY ADDIE WILLIAMS ☆
Photo by Pierre-Ange Carlotti
TWO MONTHS AGO—I began college, and had to say goodbye to my best friend Juliana, who happens to be the biggest fan of pop star Tate McRae that I have ever met. McRae’s music is so influential for her fans; it is more than just another song from the Hot 100 that fills the silence in an Urban Outfitters dressing room. In one of my first interactions with Juliana during my freshman year of high school, I remember she was telling me that she was heading to Toronto for McRae’s Are We Flying tour, so excited to see her favorite artist at HISTORY, a 2,500-capacity venue.
This was my first impression of my now-best friend: a Tate McRae fan. At the time, I had no idea the impact McRae would have on the industry. I had heard the main hits, but I thought she would be another one-hit-wonder, not selling out arenas and becoming one of the biggest pop stars of the decade, selling over a million tickets on her most recent tour.
When Juliana got back from Toronto, we became fast friends, initially starting our friendship upon making casual conversation over this new artist, Tate McRae, and building upon it. Sophomore year, I got my driver’s license and McRae released her sophomore album THINK LATER. Juliana and I started driving to school together as she introduced me to hits from the album, such as “greedy” and “exes,” although my personal favorite had to be “plastic palm trees.” From the album release through the summer, we belted out “we’re not alike,” cried to “stay done” and danced along to “guilty conscience.”
That summer, Juliana asked me to go to McRae’s Think Later World Tour, where we spent weeks choosing our outfits and I worked to memorize the lyrics to the setlist—Juliana already had them down pat. At the show, we sang our hearts out as we took turns recording each other’s favorite songs so that the other could be present. The concert brought us together in a way different from ever before, surrounded by confetti, pop music, hockey jerseys and laughter; it was the essence of girlhood and it was absolutely amazing.
That fall, just when we thought all of our Tate McRae talk would die down, McRae released “It’s ok I’m ok” as we ventured into 11th grade. The So Close To What era perfectly matched this new, stressful period of our lives as we continued to grow more independent and life got more complicated. So Close To What is messy, bittersweet and fun, just like our lives at the time. The summer before our senior year, we went back to Toronto to see Tate McRae together again, this time at Scotiabank Area. Seeing her dance in front of nearly 20 thousand fans was surreal; the soundtrack of our car rides to school, the gym and coffee runs together was performed before us, with flames shooting out as she and her dancers performed perfectly choreographed routines. Hearing her play the songs that Juliana and I sang along to on our guitars in each other’s bedrooms reminded me of how Tate McRae has been this invisible string that brought us together.
Juliana and I now live over 600 miles from each other and I miss her every day. But just as it was for all the other milestones in our lives that we have gone through together, McRae is creating a brand new era, beginning with her hit single “Housewife.” On the release day, Juliana immediately texted me asking for my opinion on the song, reminding me that even though my best friend and I are at different colleges, we will continue to grow up alongside these iconic albums.
“Housewife” perfectly captures this new period in our lives as we move out of our hometown, highlighting the thrill of independence. McRae sings about prioritizing your own success and independence, and letting love be a separate, added bonus. The lyric "I don't need you, I want you, and that's my favorite thing" embodies that exact sentiment, showing the importance of prioritizing yourself in a fun and flirtatious manner. This theme is a double-edged sword, and McRae acknowledges this. Just as Juliana and I had to part ways to find our own paths, McRae sings about the isolation and sacrifice that lies beneath the glamour of total freedom. Talking to Juliana about the music video, shot in the South of France, she explained how “Housewife”’s sound was not what she expected, loving McRae’s fresh sound. With brand new choreographer Sergio Reis, we agreed that McRae’s dancing felt more carefree, matching the themes of love and independence.
McRae is entering a new era, dominated by themes of hard work, glamour and independence. Recently launching her debut fragrance, TATE 01, headlining at festivals such as Lollapalooza and Osheaga and performing at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show this month, McRae is taking on pop culture as a dominating force. Even though we are hundreds of miles apart, “Housewife” is bringing Juliana and I together just as each previous Tate McRae release has. Fans who have been with her through each of her previous albums are eager for this new era of confidence and independence, watching McRae continue to wow the world with her fun, yet meaningful pop hits.
