Tate McRae Addresses Drama Stemming From Morgan Wallen Duet: 'It's So Crazy to Think That One Song Could Define a Whole Person'

Tate McRae is addressing the backlash she faced following her duet with controversial country singer Morgan Wallen last year.

McRae teamed up with Wallen for their May 2025 collaboration, "What I Want," which introduced the young singer to a wider audience. However, the track also sparked criticism, with some questioning her decision to work with the country star given his history of controversies.

"It’s crazy to think that one song could define a whole person," she told W. Magazine as part of a new cover story. "There are many aspects of my personality that three-quarters of my audience has no idea about. You hope one day you figure out a way to show all aspects of it."

One of the reasons people have criticized McRae for the collab is that they believe the association with Wallen makes her MAGA.

Although the pop star rarely speaks publicly about her political views, she has previously expressed hope that her actions speak louder than words.

"I like to say my piece through organizations I support and the environment that I have on tour," she told Variety earlier this year. "I think it’s pretty obvious what kind of person I am and the things I support. And I hope that my fans can see that through the things that I’m putting my energy towards."

As an example, she sold a merch hoodie with parts of the proceeds benefiting The Trevor Project, a nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ youth. Other supporters of the organization include famously left-leaning celebs including Daniel Radcliffe and Sabrina Carpenter.

Wallen is something of a controversial figure, most particularly because of his use of the N-word in recorded footage shared by TMZ in 2021.

The singer promptly apologized, saying, "I’m embarrassed and sorry. I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better."

He also pledged to donate to organizations serving the Black community following the incident.

Wallen was also arrested after he threw a chair off the roof of a bar in Nashville in 2024, among other controversies.

As for McRae, she was accused of being MAGA because she collaborated with the country star. While Wallen has never publicly declared support for Donald Trump or any particular political party, the singer is often viewed as "MAGA-coded."

While McRae appeared to hint at her liberal views in the Variety interview, fans further hypothesized that she was MAGA while she was dating the NHL player Jack Hughes.

The hockey pro caught slack after he said he and his teammates were "super excited" to visit Trump's White House after the Winter Olympics. "We’re so proud to represent the U.S.," he said. "When you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the president, we’re proud to be Americans and that’s so patriotic. No matter what your views are, we’re super excited to go!"

McRae and Hughes dated for a few months, but in August, Page Six reported that they broke up over "red flags" the musician was seeing in the athlete.