Several songs into her headlining Lollapalooza set on Sunday night, Tate McRae pulled out a microphone stand to sing “Anything But Love,” as if to reiterate that she does, in fact, sing live in addition to performing high-energy choreography.
By no means a vocal dynamo, McRae is a competent singer, though audiences shouldn’t expect any vocal surprises. But the mic served as a symbol not of vocal prowess but an invitation to focus on McRae as a lyricist.
To her fans, she is not a manufactured pop star. Many of them have grown up with her since she began posting songs online as a teenager and resonate deeply with her lyrics, which often touch on heartbreak. They were likely happy with the set, which was surprisingly more subdued than expected.
But for casual viewers getting acquainted with her as a live performer, they may have left disappointed. There was more strutting, hair-flipping and back-arching than intense dance breaks. Even during songs like “Revolving Door,” “Greedy” and “Sports Car,” where high-level choreography was expected, McRae didn’t quite deliver.
Come back tomorrow for the full review.