Several songs into her headlining Lollapalooza set Sunday night, Tate McRae pulled out a microphone stand to perform “Anything But Love,” as if to reiterate that she does, in fact, sing live in addition to executing high-energy choreography.
By no means a vocal dynamo, McRae is a competent singer, though audiences shouldn’t expect any belting or melisma. 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 her lyrics, which often touch on heartbreak, resonate deeply with them. They were likely happy with the set on the T-Mobile stage, which was surprisingly more subdued than expected. In fact, some seemed more excited about a new era they believed she was teasing with her visual presentation — she finished the set by dipping herself in gold body paint — than the concert as a whole.
But casual viewers getting acquainted with her as a live performer for the first time 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.
McRae is a trained dancer who has been marketed as the next Britney Spears for years. She has previously demonstrated her undeniable talent in her music videos and TV show appearances, including a performance at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, which received an Emmy nomination for outstanding choreography. Thus, expectations are high for her live shows when it comes to stage design, costumes and, most of all, dancing.
Of course, there is only so much that can be done in an approximately hour-long set at Lollapalooza. McRae did kick off the show in dramatic fashion, as fireworks ushered in rendition of “Just Keep Watching,” recorded for the “F1” movie soundtrack. She also presented a cohesive visual image of a Greek goddess-like figure, as she wore all white and moved across a set piece designed to look like a Greco-Roman palace. But the costume changes, which amounted to trading in white pants for a plain white skirt and, later, a pair of matching shorts, were underwhelming.
Any moments of exciting choreography were fleeting. There was an interesting eight-count here, a drop into the splits there, but no sustained period of truly thrilling dancing. An especially egregious moment occurred during “Revolving Door,” when McRae dramatically removed her high heels as if to foreshadow a sizzling solo that never materialized. Instead, her team of proficient dancers shouldered the weight by flipping and turning — but they were only given a matter of seconds to shine.
McRae’s fans seemed content with just hearing the lyrics of their favorite songs from the singer’s three studio albums, “I Used to Think I Could Fly,” “Think Later” and “So Close to What.”
Mandy Murr, 21, of Colorado, said she has been listening to McRae since she was younger.
“I kind of grew up with her, and it was like, ‘Yes, I love you. Exactly what you’re talking about — that’s what I’m feeling right now,’” Murr said.
Carrie Ulmer, 21, of Atlanta, said she admired McRae’s “unapologetic” songwriting.
“I like her lyrics a lot,” Ulmer said. “They’re catchy and they s–t on men.”
Emily Lejman, a 27-year-old English teacher from Ingleside, Ill., praised McRae’s ability to connect with young women with her music. She cited McRae’s song, “Stay Done,” as an example.
“That song specifically speaks to women who are with somebody that they know they shouldn’t stay with, but they stay until it gets to a point where there’s no other option but to leave,” Lejman said. “I feel like so many women in this younger generation face that.”
Lejman said McRae, along with Eminem, were on her bucket list of performers to see. Before the show started, she said she was looking forward to witnessing McRae’s skill of singing and dancing simultaneously in action.
“I hope I see that energy that just doesn’t seem to stop,” she said.
One wonders if Lejman was satisfied with McRae’s set, which the star herself seemed to acknowledge was a bit of a departure.
“So you came to my show to watch me?” McRae was heard saying in a voiceover as she crawled across the stage. “You thought you had me figured out, then I switched it up again. I’m always chasing something new. Think you can keep up?”
Carrie Ulmer is among many fans who are willing to go along for the ride.
“It was very sensual,” Ulmer said after the show. “New dance [style], new outfits. The gold dipping is very new. I think she’s just trying to elevate, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Lollapalooza 2026 set list
Just Keep Watching
2 Hands
Hurt My Feelings
Tit for Tat
Purple Lace Bra
Anything But Love
Like I Do
Dear God
Trying on Shoes
Siren Sounds
Cut My Hair
You Broke Me First
Run For the Hills
She’s All I Wanna Be
Revolving Door
Exes
It’s OK I’m OK
Greedy
Sports Car
