At the height of pop superstardom, Tate McRae is learning how to stay present

CBC

24-02-2025

In what's become something of an annual check-in, Q 's Tom Power has had the chance to talk to Tate McRae for three years running on her rise to superstardom.
What's interesting is that the first time they spoke in 2023, the Calgary-born pop star told Power she wished she knew how to enjoy the moment. She was reflecting on the time Paula Abdul called her a "gift from God" when she auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance at age 12.
But now, at the height of her fame as Canada's reigning pop princess, McRae says she's getting better at slowing down and appreciating each and every one of her successes. That includes her 17 total Juno nominations, with five nods this year alone, and three studio albums. Her latest record, So Close To What, just dropped today.
WATCH | Tate McRae's full interview with Tom Power:
"Things do move really fast and you also are in a mode where you're like, 'Let's focus, let's nail this,'" McRae says, adding that her therapist gave her a helpful tip for staying present.
"Any time you get to soundcheck or get to a place, try to pick up on every lining of the walls and every detail of the room and remember what it looks like, what it feels like, what it smells like. I remember doing that at SNL, standing at soundcheck, being like, what colour are things? What do people look like? How far is this camera away from me? And it did help me remember way better the moment, and remember the feeling very specifically. So I try to do that as much as possible."
While fame comes with intense criticism and scrutiny, McRae has a good attitude about her career, choosing instead to focus on all the reasons why she loves performing.
"These moments are sick," she says. "They're so cool. Like to be on Saturday Night Live and to play for 20,000 people and experience things for the first time.
"My therapist also told me you'll never experience the beginning of something ever again. Like your first time playing an arena, your first time going on this show, even though it feels like you're a newbie and no one cares, and there's all these insecurities. The adrenaline of the first time is so special."