Tate McRae has been slowly working her way up to the highest echelon of pop culture fame since childhood. The dancer-turned-musician was an award-winning dancer at only 10 years old. She has always been dedicated to her craft and her diligence has paid off. After putting eight years of diligent work into her music career, the Canadian singer has made it to the top of the charts with her albums Think Later and So Close To What. She may be on the brink of losing the career she built over one collaboration.
The internet is ablaze with outrage and disappointment since the revelation that Tate McRae will be featured on Morgan Wallen's album, I'm The Problem. Morgan Wallen is just as controversial as he is successful. The musician is often simultaneously in the headlines and at the top of the country music charts as his songs and bad behavior earn him attention.
Tate McRae and Morgan Wallen's Confirmed Duet
McRae Will Feature On The Song "What I Want"
The announcement of this collaboration was more of a whimper than a bang. According to Rolling Stone, the tracklist for Wallen's next album was casually released to fans on his official fan 's Instagram broadcast channel. The tracklist revealed that McRae would feature on the song "What I Want." It took a minute for this news to catch up with T8's fan base because the overlap between Morgan Wallen's country fans and her own 2000s pop fans is very minimal.
It is unclear what people should expect from this collaboration. Tate McRae makes straightforward pop music that rigidly adheres to the pop algorithm with some early 2000s R&B influence. She has never released a song that lends itself to the country genre. The closest is she once posted a TikTok of her singing "I Had Some Help," a Post Malone song featuring Morgan Wallen, during a soundcheck. Although that post's caption read "lil country gal at heart," I am unconvinced that country is the right genre for her brand.
Morgan Wallen's Controversies
Why Artists Are Wary Of Wallen
Morgan Wallen has not only earned himself the disfavor of the public but also a rap sheet for his bad behavior. Although Wallen is one of the largest artists in America right now, he is rarely seen collaborating with other big stars. That may be because they fear staining their spotless reputation in the way that McRae has.
According to Today, Wallen has gotten into trouble with the law more than once for reckless behavior while intoxicated. In 2016, the singer was charged with a DUI, kicking off a long list of alcohol arrests. Wallen has a history of acting erratically and destructively while under the influence. He was once arrested for public intoxication after being thrown out of Kid Rock's steakhouse, kicking decor, and wrestling with friends in the bar. In 2024, he was charged with reckless endangerment after throwing a chair off a six-story rooftop bar onto the street below in Nashville.
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Morgan Wallen's most infamous controversy was his use of a racial slur in a video, released in 2021. In the video, Wallen casually and blatantly throws out the N-word to someone who seems to be a friend. While it can not be confirmed, this video led the public to speculate that the use of bigoted slurs was a normal fixture of Wallen's personal life. As a result of his racism, he was banned from award shows, including the Billboard Music Awards and the American Music Awards.
Recently, Wallen was back in the hot seat after walking off the set of SNL prematurely. This is not regular behavior from a musical guest and is perceived as a rude disregard for the audience and cast of SNL. After his performance on the show, Wallen posted an ominous Instagram story that read "Get me to God's country" from his private jet. People online were quick to make fun of him, using the caption to post about many different locations. His first appearance on SNL was canceled in 2020 after Wallen was spotted partying without a mask at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, kick-starting a strange and potentially strained relationship between Wallen and the team behind SNL
What Will This Mean For Tate McRae's Career?
McRae May Face A Career-Defining Downfall
It would be an understatement to say that fans are displeased with Tate McRae. An interesting analogy has been made surrounding this controversy: this collaboration is similar to an R&B or hip-hop artist collaborating with Chris Brown after abuse allegations were raised against him. Meechan Whitson Meriweather on Threads likened it to Tinashe's collaboration with Chris Brown, which she did through their shared label, RCA Records. He points out that McRae and Wallen do not share a label, making this collaboration even more puzzling.
Still, some fans have defended McRae, saying that she is likely contractually obligated to remain credited on Wallen's album. In 2014, Ariana Grande faced a similar situation with the aforementioned Chris Brown. She recorded a song, shot a music video, and even appeared in press interviews for the song "Don't Be Gone Too Long" by the time she backed out of the collaboration. When Brown's allegations surfaced, Grande was quick to cut ties, showing that artists are not entirely powerless in their collaborations.
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According to Rolling Stone, Noah Kahan was once ed as a writer on the song "Your Turn" that will appear on Wallen's album. However, after fans voiced their disappointment, Kahan has disappeared from the album credits, replaced by "Unknown Writer." If it was possible for Kahan to remove himself from the project, it stands to reason McRae could potentially do the same.
Tate McRae is in a difficult position. She has already created a tie with Wallen, recorded a song with him, and is likely locked into a contract with his label. McRae and her team likely believe this is a strong career move for her, but the reasons are difficult to parse. This song could reach an audience that has never heard of McRae, but a country music audience may not be drawn to her pop music. It is rumored that McRae scrapped a collaboration with the rising pop star, Tyla, that would have been much more in her wheelhouse. Fans are disappointed that this project was abandoned, but her collaboration with Wallen seems set in stone. Only time will tell if this can break McRae's career, but this career misstep may prove to be a major setback.