Tate McRae says one song should not define her after Morgan Wallen duet backlash
Tate McRae has addressed the backlash to her duet with Morgan Wallen in a W cover story published Oct. 13.
The singer from Calgary, Canada, said the criticism that followed the collaboration did not change how she views the song. She also said much of her personality remains unknown to large parts of her audience.
The song at the centre of the dispute is “What I Want.” It gave McRae her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the US singles chart, as a 2025 collaboration with Wallen, according to Billboard. The track appeared on Wallen’s album I’m the Problem, released in May, according to Billboard Canada.
McRae faced intense criticism in the summer of 2025 after promoting the duet. The response was linked to Wallen’s past. In 2021, Wallen faced controversy for his use of the N-word, for which he apologised saying he was “embarrassed and sorry,” according to Billboard.
“It’s crazy to think that one song could define a whole person,” McRae told W. She said many sides of her personality are unknown to three-quarters of her audience.
That point matters to her. McRae, recognised for pop hits such as “Greedy” and “Tit for Tat,” said she does not want a single collaboration to fix how listeners see her.
She has also said she has no regrets over working with Wallen despite the controversy, according to Yahoo Entertainment. The comment was first reported in December 2025 and restated in the new cover interview.
McRae previously described the writing session as straightforward. She told Billboard in April that co-creating “What I Want” with Wallen did not feel “out of the ordinary” and felt natural because she used to write to only guitar in the studio.
Wallen confirmed in April 2025 that McRae would feature on “What I Want” from his new album, according to Rolling Stone. The two artists later placed close together on Billboard’s Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 list, with McRae at No. 7 and Wallen at No. 8.
What makes this stand out for listeners is the gap between chart math and public reaction. A No. 1 hit counts the same whoever sings it. The argument around it does not.
