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.
don't be sad
Tate McRae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm sorry, I can't seem to do anything right
To be honest might delete this song tonight
Did you even notice I was here?
If I left the party would you even care?
So I guess that I was never what you wanted
It's not easy tryna tell you how I feel
When all you ever say is
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special, you're not special"
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special, you're not special"
(You're not special, you're not special)
"You're not special, you're not special"
(You're not special, you're not special)
"You're not special, you're not special"
I'm sorry, sorry that you just don't understand
You always tell me that it's only in my head
Then why's the Internet feel like my only friend
The only one that knows that this isn't pretend
Everyone's in therapy
Wouldn't go if you were there for me
Never should've told you how I felt
Cause all you ever say is
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special, you're not special"
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special, you're not special"
(You're not special, you're not special)
"You're not special, you're not special"
(You're not special, you're not special)
"You're not special, you're not special"
The lyrics to Tate McRae's "don't be sad" convey feelings of sadness, loneliness, and isolation, especially in the face of dismissive comments that the singer receives from someone they care about. The repeated refrain of "Don't be sad / The sun is shining / Just be happy / Why you whining?" suggests that the singer's emotions are being invalidated or minimized. This is further emphasized by the lines "Waiting room is getting crowded / 'You're not special, you're not special'," which seem to suggest that the singer's pain is being belittled by others who are going through similar struggles.
The song also touches on themes of social anxiety and awkwardness, as the singer wonders if anyone will notice them if they leave a party. The lines "Wasted all my money throwing pennies in a fountain / It's not easy tryna tell you how I feel" suggest a sense of frustration and helplessness, as the singer feels that they are not being heard or understood. The reference to therapy in the second verse also indicates that the singer may be struggling with mental health issues and not receiving the support they need from others.
Line by Line Meaning
D-d-don't be sad
The singer is telling someone not to feel sad
I'm sorry, I can't seem to do anything right
The singer is apologizing for not being good enough or doing things correctly
To be honest might delete this song tonight
The singer is considering deleting this song because they are unsure of its quality
Did you even notice I was here?
The singer is feeling unnoticed or unimportant
If I left the party would you even care?
The singer is questioning if anyone would care if they were gone
So I guess that I was never what you wanted
The singer is coming to the conclusion that they were never what someone else desired or needed
Wasted all my money throwing pennies in a fountain
The singer spent a lot of money on something that was ultimately pointless
It's not easy tryna tell you how I feel
The singer is struggling to express their emotions to someone
When all you ever say is 'Don't be sad'
The listener always tells the singer not to feel sad, but this advice doesn't seem helpful
'The sun is shining'
The listener tells the singer that everything is fine and they should be happy
'Just be happy'
The listener tells the singer to be happy and not worry about their problems
'Why you whining?'
The listener belittles the singer's emotions and makes them feel like they are complaining for no reason
Waiting room is getting crowded
The singer is waiting for help or understanding but isn't getting it
'You're not special, you're not special'
The listener is trying to diminish the singer's self-worth and make them feel ordinary or insignificant
I'm sorry, sorry that you just don't understand
The singer is apologizing for someone's lack of understanding
You always tell me that it's only in my head
The listener dismisses the singer's feelings and tells them their problems are imaginary
Then why's the Internet feel like my only friend
The singer feels like they can only find support and connection online
The only one that knows that this isn't pretend
The online world is the only place where the singer feels understood and like their problems are real
Everyone's in therapy
Many people are seeking professional help for their emotional issues
Wouldn't go if you were there for me
The singer doesn't feel like therapy would be helpful if the listener was there to support them
Never should've told you how I felt
The singer regrets opening up about their emotions to the listener
Cause all you ever say is 'Don't be sad'
The listener's response to the singer's emotions is always the same and unhelpful
'The sun is shining'
The listener tries to reassure the singer that things are okay
'Just be happy'
The listener tells the singer to cheer up and not worry about their problems
'Why you whining?'
The listener belittles the singer's emotions and makes them feel like they are complaining for no reason
Waiting room is getting crowded
The singer continues to wait for help or understanding but doesn't receive it
'You're not special, you're not special'
The listener tries to diminish the singer's self-worth and make them feel ordinary or insignificant
'You're not special, you're not special'
The listener continues to belittle the singer and make them feel unimportant
'You're not special, you're not special'
The listener repeats their message of making the singer feel ordinary and insignificant
'You're not special, you're not special'
The listener continues to try and bring the singer down and make them feel like they don't matter
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jeremy Dussolliet, Lawrence Principato, Tate Mcrae
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@butterfly_walk
“You’re not special, you’re not special”
Something I have heard my entire life
Edit: guys I’m fine I’m not depressed it’s just cuz people used to tell me I wasn’t special cuz I am dyslexic and I was always smiling- ALSO YOU GUYS ARE ALL SO SPECIAL AND AMAZING SO STOP TELLING YOURSELF THAT YOURE NOT AND DONT LET ANYONE MAKE YOU BELIEVE OTHERWISE
@tehreemghouri4375
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're special
You're very special
@jojobloxsplayzroblox
D—d—don't be sad
I'm sorry, I can't seem to do anything right
To be honest might delete this song tonight
Did you even notice I was here?
If I left the party would you even care?
So I guess that I was never what you wanted
Wasted all my money throwing pennies in a fountain
It's not easy tryna tell you how I feel
When all you ever say is
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special you're not special"
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special you're not special"
"You're not special you're not special"
"You're not special you're not special"
I'm sorry, sorry that you just don't understand
You always tell me that it's only in my head
Then why's the Internet feel like my only friend
The only one that knows that this isn't pretend
Everyone's in therapy
Wouldn't go if you were there for me
Never should've told you how I felt
Cause all you ever say is
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special you're not special"
"Don't be sad"
"The sun is shining"
"Just be happy"
"Why you whining?"
Waiting room is getting crowded
"You're not special you're not special"
"You're not special you're not special"
"You're not special you're not special"
@TateMcRae
go stream on spotify and apple!!!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!! https://smarturl.it/xdontbesad
@kesandrakendy5674
I love you tate keep it up girl!!!
@samiratahrraoui2085
HEY TATE LYSM
@user-if9pg3cj9k
Whoohoo
Tate McRae ilyssm❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️♾
@barathkumarr4440
Tate 💙💙
@maddiex249
I LOVE YOU! THIS IS AMAZING
@eleanormarshall8427
ok but can we just talk about how great her facial expressions are
@melancholicdissociator
Yes! Exactly!
@alyssagriffin8155
Yes! She's amazing
@millacruz750
She's literally talented in every way possible!