McRae caught the attention of RCA Records in 2019 after her 2017 song "One Day" gained virality on YouTube and TikTok, preceding the release of her debut extended play, all the things i never said. McRae soon gained wider recognition after her 2020 single "You Broke Me First" became an international hit, peaking at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2021, McRae was the youngest musician featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. Her second EP, too young to be sad, was the most streamed female EP of 2021 on Spotify. Her debut studio album, i used to think i could fly, was released on May 27, 2022. The album was met with positive reviews from critics, reached the top 10 in various countries, and entered at number thirteen on the US Billboard 200. Her 2023 single, "greedy" achieved further success on the chart, preceding the release of her second studio album, Think Later.
McRae has named Post Malone, The Weeknd, Khalid, Jessie Reyez, and Jeremy Zucker as her biggest musical influences. She cites Zendaya and Dua Lipa as all-around influences and has described both women as her biggest idols, noting that she looks up to them in all aspects of life. She has also named Bruno Mars, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Ciara, Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Timberlake as inspirations for bringing dance into her performances while naming Taylor Swift, Julia Michaels, and Alec Benjamin as songwriting inspirations. Further, McRae has called herself a "huge fan" of Swift and described her as "one of the greatest songwriters." McRae has also expressed an admiration for Billie Eilish.
McRae has been described as "the teen dance star turned future pop idol" by i-D, "the new teen queen" by Notion, "Canada's answer to Billie Eilish" by Elle, and "one of pop's bright young hopes" by The Independent. She has also been noted for her honest lyrics, impressive vocals, and relatable music. Additionally, McRae has received considerable acclaim as a dancer, and has been praised by artist, dancer, and choreographer Paula Abdul who declared her a "gift from God", and choreographers such as Stacey Tookey and Blake McGrath both of whom stated that she's talented beyond her years, with the latter describing her as "one of the best dancers he has ever worked with" as well as two-time Emmy winner Travis Wall who has named her as one of his muses. Margaret Furher of Dance Spirit Magazine described her dancing as virtuosic both technically and artistically. As of December 2023, her YouTube channel has over 1.25 billion views and has gained over 6.7 billion career streams across all platforms.
Teenage Mind
Tate McRae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They attend every party, but it′s taking them nowhere
Some think it's funny, say they don′t even care
But on the inside they wish they were there
What have we come to now?
We all wanna be like the rest
Can't describe just how
One moment, we′re broken and then we′re fine
"He called you back?" "Wait, wasn't he mine?"
One moment, we′re broken and then we're fine
Lost in the puzzle of the teenage mind
Some boys make the trouble and think they′re all it
Constantly in company or thrown to the ditch
And some are just there to have a good time
Ignoring every bit of drama and each little lie
What have we come to now?
We all wanna be like the rest
Can't describe just how
But we′re all a beautiful mess
One moment, we're broken and then we're fine
"He called you back?" "Wait, wasn′t he mine?"
One moment, we′re broken and then we're fine
Lost in the puzzle of the teenage mind
What have we come to now?
Can′t describe just how
One moment, we're broken and then we′re fine
They said hello, but missed goodbye
We are all insane inside
And no one's gonna figure out the teenage mind
In the song "Teenage Mind" by Tate McRae, the lyrics speak about how teenage life can be perplexing and confusing. The first verse illustrates how some girls try to fit in by losing their identity to gain popularity. These girls attend every party but are still unhappy inside. The chorus talks about how everyone tries to be like their peers but can't describe how, leading them to become a "beautiful mess." The second verse shows that boys have their own struggles, with some making trouble and others trying to have fun but ignoring the drama that comes with it. The second chorus emphasizes the same theme as the first, that everyone is lost in the complex puzzle that is the teenage mind.
The song touches on how teenagers' emotions can change rapidly, leading to confusing situations. The lyrics "one moment, we’re broken and then we're fine" emphasizes how quickly their emotions can fluctuate. The line "can't describe just how" suggests that this is a complex issue that is hard to put into words. The last line of the song "and no one's gonna figure out the teenage mind" suggests that these feelings and complexities are impossible to understand for anyone who does not go through them.
Line by Line Meaning
Some girls get all done up, lose their face to repair
Some girls put on a lot of makeup to the point where they look unrecognizable in order to feel confident about themselves.
They attend every party, but it's taking them nowhere
Some girls try to make a name for themselves at every party, but it doesn't get them anywhere in the long run.
Some think it's funny, say they don't even care
Some girls pretend like they don't care about the opinions of others, but deep down, they really do care.
But on the inside they wish they were there
Despite their outward appearance, some girls secretly wish they were like the popular crowd.
What have we come to now?
What has happened to our generation?
We all wanna be like the rest
We all want to be like everyone else and fit in.
Can't describe just how
We can't even explain how we feel or why we want to fit in with everyone else.
But we're all a beautiful mess
Even though we may be struggling, we all have our unique qualities that make us beautiful in our own way.
One moment, we're broken and then we're fine
Our emotions can flip from one extreme to the other very quickly.
"He called you back?" "Wait, wasn't he mine?"
Teens often get caught up in drama and worrying about who likes who.
Lost in the puzzle of the teenage mind
The complexity of teenage emotions and experiences can be hard to navigate and understand.
Some boys make the trouble and think they're all it
Some boys think that causing trouble and acting tough makes them cool.
Constantly in company or thrown to the ditch
Boys either have a lot of friends or are left out and ignored.
And some are just there to have a good time
Not all boys are concerned with causing drama or trying to impress others, some just want to enjoy themselves.
Ignoring every bit of drama and each little lie
These boys choose to distance themselves from the drama and gossip that goes on around them.
They said hello, but missed goodbye
Even though they may seem like they don't care, boys still struggle with relationships and missed opportunities for connection.
We are all insane inside
Inside, everyone is struggling with their own issues and emotions.
And no one's gonna figure out the teenage mind
The complexity of teenage emotions and experiences is very hard for anyone to fully understand.
Writer(s): Tate Mcrae, Beau Laine Shiminsky
Contributed by Christian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.