Tate McRae is pushing back on the backlash surrounding her duet with Morgan Wallen. The singer says one collaboration should not determine how people view her personality or beliefs.
Her comments come more than a year after “What I Want” became a major chart success. The song also fueled online speculation about McRae’s political views.
Tate McRae says one song should not define her after “What I Want” drew criticism
In a new cover interview with W Magazine, Tate McRae reflected on the reaction to “What I Want.” Her 2025 duet with Morgan Wallen gave McRae her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it also brought criticism and assumptions about her politics.
“It’s crazy to think that one song could define a whole person,” McRae said. She added that fans only know certain sides of her personality. Moreover, she hopes to show more of herself publicly over time.
The backlash followed McRae’s collaboration with Wallen, whose past controversies include a 2021 racial slur incident and a 2024 arrest after he allegedly threw a chair from a Nashville rooftop bar. Rolling Stone Canada noted that McRae also faced criticism for working with him. McRae explained that she had simply received an opportunity to make a country song and thought it sounded “cool.”
The criticism eventually expanded into speculation about McRae’s political views. As Just Jared reported, McRae said she prefers to show what she supports through the organizations she works with and the environment she creates on tour.
Still, McRae did not attach a political meaning to the Morgan Wallen duet in her latest interview.
Instead, she framed the backlash as part of a broader challenge that comes with growing fame. McRae told W that people often project ideas onto pop stars. She admitted that dealing with those assumptions can become overwhelming.
The attention has hardly slowed her momentum. Tate McRae recently launched her TATE 01 fragrance, a move that could broaden her career beyond pop. She is also preparing to release her new single “Housewife” on Oct. 15.
For McRae, the message behind the duet backlash is simple. She does not believe “What I Want” defines who she is. Nor does she think one Morgan Wallen collaboration tells audiences everything about her.
