Tate McRae streams jump as singer hints at what’s next
Tate McRae in a promotional image for her 2025 album So Close to What. Photo: Charlie Denis/Sony Music Canada.
Photo: Charlie Denis/Sony Music Canada.
Calgary pop star Tate McRae is back in creative mode after back-to-back festival headlining sets in Montreal and Chicago sent listeners back to her catalogue.
McRae’s music generated more than 38.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams from Aug. 3 to 7, an increase of nearly six million — or 18 per cent — over the comparable period the previous week, according to Luminate data reported by Billboard.
The jump followed a major weekend for the Canadian singer. McRae headlined Montreal’s Osheaga festival Aug. 1 before headlining Lollapalooza in Chicago the following night. Osheaga listed McRae among its three 2026 headliners.
The performances also showcased a new visual direction.
McRae worked with designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin and image director Ignacio Muñoz on predominantly white stage looks designed to work alongside the choreography, music and visuals. Both festival performances ended with a dramatic gold-paint finale during “Sports Car.”
McRae had also begun teasing new visuals on Instagram ahead of the festival weekend, leading fans to speculate that another chapter of her career may be approaching. Billboard described the posts as fuelling expectations of a new era, but McRae has not formally announced one.
She has, however, confirmed that she is working on something.
Speaking to Vogue after the festival weekend, McRae said she was “pretty much going back into creative mode” and had been spending much of her time working on a project she was excited about.
“I’m really excited for everyone to see what I’ve been making — hopefully soon,” she told the magazine.
McRae has not announced a new album, single or release date. Her official website continues to feature material from So Close to What and its deluxe edition, with no new project currently listed.
The renewed attention comes after a quieter stretch for the Calgary native, who grew up in the city and began writing songs there as a teenager. Sony Music Canada identifies McRae as a Calgary native, while McRae told the Osheaga crowd earlier this month that she began writing songs in her Calgary bedroom.
For now, the clearest indication of what may be coming next is McRae’s own: she is creating again, and she hopes fans will see the results soon.
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