Tate McRae says she was ‘shocked’ by Morgan Wallen backlash, stands by their collaboration

Pop star’s duet ‘What I Want’ became her first No 1 hit on Billboard Hot 100

Pop star Tate McRae is defending her decision to collaborate with country star Morgan Wallen. The 22-year-old told Rolling Stone she was “shocked” by how much backlash followed.

“I didn’t realize how much a song would be connected to all the other factors, and it really shocked me,” McRae told Rolling Stone earlier this month in “Tate McRae: How a ‘Very Sensitive, Very Introverted’ Singer Became a Pop Superstar.”

McRae, best known for pop songs like “Greedy” and “You Broke Me First,” told Rolling Stone that, despite the criticism, she doesn’t regret teaming up with Wallen to make the song. She said the collaboration stemmed from her love of country music, not Wallen.

A split-screen image showing country singer Morgan Wallen on the left and pop star Tate McRae on the right.

McRae told Rolling Stone she was shocked by criticism over their collaboration but stands by the chart-topping song that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Taylor Hill/WireImage; John Shearer/Getty Images)

“Honestly, country music is huge where I’m from,” said McRae, who is from Calgary, Canada.

“I’ve always wanted, at some point in my life, to do folk music or country, and I probably still will in the future. But I honestly just got the opportunity to do a country song, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is cool.’ And I wanted to cross genres really bad.”

Wallen has been a frequent target of criticism. In 2021, the country singer was caught on video using a racial slur. His music was temporarily removed from radio playlists, and his label suspended him.

Morgan Wallen performs onstage at a benefit concert inside the Ryman Auditorium.

Morgan Wallen performs during the 16th Annual Darius and Friends St. Jude Benefit at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., June 2. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ABA)

In 2024, he pleaded guilty after throwing a chair off a Nashville rooftop bar. Earlier this year, he went viral again after an “SNL” performance when he left abruptly and then posted the caption, “Get me to God’s country” on his Instagram page.

McRae and Wallen collaborated on the song “What I Want” off his album “I’m the Problem.” It was McRae’s first chart-topping hit, reaching the No. 1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100.

McRae said although the backlash surprised her, she does not regret the collaboration.

Tate McRae poses for photos at a red carpet event for Variety Hitmakers 2025.

Tate McRae attends Variety Hitmakers 2025 Dec. 6 in Los Angeles. (Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images)

“I don’t think you should regret anything in life because it gives you so much clarity,” she said.

“I think controversy and criticism is a way of learning and figuring out what you want to move forward with and how that shapes you as a person. I think it’s all important.”