Tate McRae is revisiting the backlash to “What I Want,” her 2025 duet with Morgan Wallen, and the political assumptions some listeners made about her afterward.
“It’s crazy to think that one song could define a whole person,” the 23-year-old told W Magazine in a cover interview published Oct. 13.
The song appeared on Wallen’s album I’m the Problem and became McRae’s first U.S. No. 1 single. It debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 dated May 31, 2025.
“There are many aspects of my personality that three-quarters of my audience has no idea about,” McRae said. She hopes to find ways to show more of those sides as her career develops.
McRae Asked for a Break From Talking About Herself After Her Tour
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By the time her Miss Possessive tour ended in November 2025, McRae said she had grown uncomfortable with how much of her daily life revolved around her own career. She told W that she asked her inner circle for “no more conversations” about Tate McRae.
She wanted to ask questions, learn about other people and discuss things besides music. The singer described making a conscious effort to keep that perspective while working in an environment organized around her.
She Pointed to Charitable Causes When Asked About Her Politics
Some criticism of the duet concerned Wallen’s past behavior, including a 2021 video in which he used a racial slur. He apologized afterward, and his label suspended his contract at the time, the Associated Press reported.
In an Aug. 4 interview with Variety, McRae was asked about speculation that she supported Donald Trump’s MAGA movement. “I like to say my piece through organizations I support and the environment that I have on tour,” she said.
The magazine noted that she had promoted a “Little Miss Possessive” hoodie in 2025, with a portion of proceeds benefiting The Trevor Project, which focuses on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people, and the Global Fund for Women.
McRae said she hoped fans would recognize her values through where she directed her time and energy. She also spoke about keeping personal relationships private and focusing on the people close to her rather than speculation outside her control.
The Country Collaboration Felt Familiar to Her as a Songwriter
“I used to write to only guitar in the studio, so it felt natural,” McRae said of the duet in an earlier interview for Billboard’s 2026 Women in Music coverage.
Before her elaborate choreography became a signature, McRae was writing songs at home and uploading them to YouTube. She later worked with Ryan Tedder and Amy Allen to develop the dance-oriented pop that allowed her to combine songwriting with her background as a competitive dancer.
Wallen had been interested in recording with McRae for years. In a May 2025 Billboard interview, reported by ABC Audio, he said his sister introduced him to McRae’s music and that the two had discussed working together if the right song emerged.
He said the track was not originally intended as a duet. After listening to it repeatedly, he began imagining what McRae could add to it, praising both her songwriting and her voice.
“Housewife” Arrives Ahead of Her Victoria’s Secret Performance
McRae announced her next single, “Housewife,” on Oct. 7, with an Oct. 15 release date. The artwork shows her beside a baby carriage filled with cash, NYLON reported.
She is also among the musical guests booked for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, alongside KATSEYE, Megan Moroney and Megan Thee Stallion.
The show will stream live on YouTube at 4:30 p.m. PT, or 7:30 p.m. ET.