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.
you broke me first
Tate McRae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe you don't like talking too much about yourself
But you should've told me that you were thinkin' 'bout someone else
You're drunk at a party or maybe it's just that your car broke down
Your phone's been off for a couple months, so you're calling me now
I know you, you're like this
And like me, I did
But I ran out of every reason
Now suddenly you're asking for it back
Could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
But I don't really care how bad it hurts
When you broke me first
You broke me first
Took a while, was in denial when I first heard
That you moved on quicker than I could've ever, you know that hurt
Swear for a while I would stare at my phone just to see your name
But now that it's there, I don't really know what to say
I know you, you're like this
When shit don't go your way you needed me to fix it
And like me, I did
But I ran out of every reason
Now suddenly you're asking for it back
Could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
But I don't really care how bad it hurts
When you broke me first
You broke me first
What did you think would happen?
What did you think would happen?
I'll never let you have it
What did you think would happen?
Now suddenly you're asking for it back
Could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
But I don't really care how bad it hurts
When you broke me first
You broke me first
(You broke me first)
You broke me first, oh
Tate McRae's song "you broke me first" is a song about heartbreak and the aftermath of a failed relationship. The song starts with McRae addressing her ex, who had not been forthcoming about his feelings towards her. Perhaps he was seeing someone else or had been unfaithful. She goes on to describe how she fixed everything when things didn't go his way but eventually ran out of reasons to do so. Now her ex is back, asking for the relationship again after breaking her heart. McRae proceeds to ask her ex questions about his motives as she tries to figure out why he should have their relationship back.
The chorus of "you broke me first" echoes McRae's frustration and hurt caused by her ex-partner. She had denied the fact that her relationship was over and continued to linger on by staring at her phone waiting for his call. The lyrics of the song suggest that McRae has now accepted the fact that their relationship is over and there is nothing left to mend.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe you don't like talking too much about yourself
You have a tendency to not open up about your feelings
But you should've told me that you were thinkin' 'bout someone else
You should have told me that you were considering being with another person
You're drunk at a party or maybe it's just that your car broke down
You may have been intoxicated at a social gathering or your vehicle was in need of repair
Your phone's been off for a couple months, so you're calling me now
You had not been reachable for several months and are now trying to contact me
I know you, you're like this
I am familiar with your behavioral patterns
When shit don't go your way you needed me to fix it
In times of trouble, you relied on me for solutions
And like me, I did
I managed to solve your problems before
But I ran out of every reason
Unfortunately, I have used all my ideas and have none left to offer
Now suddenly you're asking for it back
Out of nowhere, you are requesting something from me
Could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
How do you have the audacity to make such a demand?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
It's possible that you long for the old memories we shared
But I don't really care how bad it hurts
Regardless of your feelings, I am not sympathetic to your pain
When you broke me first
You inflicted pain on me before, causing this situation
Took a while, was in denial when I first heard
It took some time for me to come to terms with hearing about your new relationship
That you moved on quicker than I could've ever, you know that hurt
It stung hearing that you were able to move on faster than I could
Swear for a while I would stare at my phone just to see your name
I admit that I used to look at my phone hoping to see a message from you
But now that it's there, I don't really know what to say
Now that you have reached out, I am unsure of how to respond
What did you think would happen?
What result did you expect from your actions?
I'll never let you have it
I will refuse to let you have what you are asking for
(You broke me first)
(You are the one who caused my emotional distress)
You broke me first, oh
You were the one who hurt me before anyone else did
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Blake Preston Harnage, Tate McRae, Victoria Riann Zaro
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ミスvio
my ears and heart are blessed. my brain is relaxed. TYSM TATE.
Christine
I couldn't have said it any better. It's been on repeat. 💛🌻
ミスvio
@72bpm can i give some feedback? The background music is pretty make the tune of the song a bit more vibe-y. I like it so much! keep up
72bpm
I SECOND THAT! If you like her songs, you should go check out my music! A minute would mean the world to me :D I make and do EVERYTHING myself! I'm 15 you will be very surprised, it takes so much hard work and its hard to get noticed even if it is good quality. promise you won't regret it!! I do not have a ton of money, this is all I got!
ミスvio
@Reena Srivastava she did very great. Keep it up!
Reena Srivastava
My daughter did a cover of you broke me first and I hope you will listen to it
here's the link: https://youtu.be/bhP2hxfvUw8
oishiki
she doesnt even need autotune
Iamteresaaa😋
Ye 😀
Wifi Mukbang
Autotune needs her
Shreya Gupta
Agreeed