Midway through Tate McRae’s sold out Madison Square Garden debut, the singer took a breather from her dance-heavy show, sat down onstage and addressed the crowd. “To play this venue is one of my biggest dreams in the entire world,” she said emotionally. “I know so many of you have been here for so long — since I was 13 years old.
I love you guys more than anything and that’s what makes this such a special show to me.” But MSG is the self-proclaimed “world’s most famous arena,” and artists often have something special in store. A surprise guest had been hinted on social media in the days leading up to the show, and shortly before McRae took the stage, the crowd roared when it recognized rapper Kid Laroi, the singer’s boyfriend, walking toward his seat in a rear center section.
But special guests usually are brought out late in the set, and McRae, sporting an army green two-piece outfit, soared through her performance. She’s been on her “ Think Later” tour — named for her recent sophomore album — for much of the year and the poise and experience showed: During the opening song, her microphone slipped out of her hand after the line “I’m just at the Ritz with the door locked” and fell to the floor, but without missing a beat, she grabbed it just in time for the following line, “Live now, think later, I do it so well.” The 21-year-old Canadian singer and her dancers rocked through the following series of songs — “Hurt My Feelings,” �.