Tate McRae

Usually I'll be with my friends and I'll observe everything, and grab emotions from that to write my songs.

I'll be a wreck for the simplest things in life, and just not affected by cool things.

I'm bad at doing social media. I don't feel like I post enough. My content is so random.

There are so many situations when you feel like your heart is breaking. I keep those emotions pent up, so I can create stories around them and shape what I would say from another perspective.

With writing, I felt like it was just my free place where no one told me what to do because it was just my own.

My idea of my music is constantly changing so I feel like how other people react to my old songs just ends up putting more pressure on myself from my own perspective.

Yeah, I started on YouTube. I posted videos every Friday and wrote new songs every week. Back then, I was in a very vulnerable place with all my fans. Now in a pandemic, it feels like I'm going back to my roots and playing on my OG piano that I played when I first started.

Part of me is super private, and I'm put in this position where it's scary sometimes because you never know what people are gonna think. It's just making sure that you show what you want to show and making sure that you're presenting your best self always and making the right decisions.

As a dancer, you get trained to carry on no matter what happens. You have to stay professional.

As a dancer, when you're moving, you're listening to music so much because you're trying to portray it with your body. You're dissecting a song way more than anyone would actually think you are.

I just kind of transitioned right out of the dance world into the music industry. I started writing and I just fell in love with the whole process.

I am obsessed with turquoise water, waterfalls, swimming holes... Wherever I am, there has to be lots to do, though, because I am not good at sitting around. I do not enjoy sun-tanning or sitting and always need to be going somewhere or exploring!

I have this rubber band that I have all the time on my wrist, and sometimes when I get nervous or anxious, I'll do this twiddle thing with my finger and I'll snap the rubber band. A lot of people use rubber bands to cope with things like anxiety and depression and addiction.

You know those little talking relationships that never go anywhere on Snapchat? Those are the worst. You dedicate so much time and energy to one person just to find out that they're talking to 50 other girls at the same time.

The interesting thing is I don't get nervous for big things. I don't know why this happens, but I will get like, puke-nervous when I'm going to do a presentation at school or go fill up my gas, but if I'm about to go on Jimmy Fallon, I am stress-free.

I always say The Weeknd and Post Malone are two huge dream collaborations. Ariana Grande would be cool.

I have some big dreams. I really want my work to be worldwide and for a lot of people to hear it, just because I have a lot to say.

My mom used to be a dancer, so I always wanted to be like her growing up.