STACK #244 February 2025

MUSIC FEATURE

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Tate the Great is set for her biggest hit yet with her third album, So Close to What . CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

So Close

to What by Tate McRae is out Feb 21 via Sony

T hree decades after Alanis Morissette became a music sensation, Tate McRae is following a similar path – a Canadian child star who became an international chart-topper. McRae was just 13 when she became the first Canadian to make the finals of the American version of So You Think You Can Dance . She is now a global star. The 21-year-old explains her new album: “Through unfiltered

the road ahead feels infinite and the destination increasingly elusive. It’s an introspective exploration of self-discovery, love, and searching for balance in moments of insecurity.” The first single, It’s Okay

CHART FACT

Tate McRae is shooting for her first chart-topping album with So Close to What . Her debut, I Used to Think I Could Fly , hit number ten in Australia, while 2023’s Think Later rose to number two.

I’m Okay , was sparked by a conversation in the recording studio. When McRae was asked if she’d

like a drink, she replied, “It’s okay, I’m okay.” The producer, Ilya, thought that was a catchy line, so they wrote a song about a woman talking

lyricism and raw

Tate McRae was nominated for Best International Artist at last year’s ARIA Awards. The trophy went to Taylor Swift for the fourth time. ARIA ACTION

emotions, So Close to What represents the journey of growing up when

about her ex-boyfriend. “It’s okay,” McRae sings. “I’m okay. Had him in the first place… You can have him anyway.” Jeff Jenkins

Tate McRae

Photo credit: Beth Saravo

AUSSIE ALERT Tate McRae’s boyfriend is Aussie star The Kid Laroi, who confirmed the relationship on stage in Dublin last year. “I need everybody in here to sing this as loud as they can because my girlfriend’s here tonight and I don’t want to look lame,” he told the crowd.

CHART FACT

INHALING THE WORLD Irish band Inhaler plan to break wide open with their third album, Open Wide .

It’s hard to compete with a legend, but Inhaler’s debut album, It Won’t Always Be Like This , topped the UK charts, and their second album, Cuts & Bruises , hit number two. By contrast, U2’s first two albums, Boy and October , peaked at 52 and 11. Inhaler singer Elijah Hewson is the son of U2 frontman Bono. Born in 1999, his full name is Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q Hewson. Guggi was a tribute to the Irish artist who was a member of the Virgin Prunes, while Q was in honour of legendary producer Quincy Jones. Elijah was featured on the cover of U2’s 2017 album Songs of Experience . SON OF A GUN

“W e’re not here to be a mid-bill festival band,” Inhaler declared when they released their second album, 2023’s Cuts & Bruises . “You have to keep pushing to the very top.” The Irish band is shooting for the stars with their new album, Open Wide . “We’ve finally gotten to a point on this album where we actually sound like the band that we want to sound like,” drummer Ryan McMahon told NME . “There’s a strong sense of arrival for us.” The pulsating rock record was inspired by New York, “our

second home”. “It’s like the Mecca of everything,” singer Elijah Hewson says. “The centre of the universe. It was exciting to harness that energy and put it into music and lyrics.” Inhaler made Open Wide with producer Kid Harpoon (real name Tom Hull), who is best known for his work on Harry Styles’ Harry’s House . “He was from outside the circle and was a fresh listener of the band,” Hewson says. The recording approach was simple: “Let’s just enjoy making this thing and then, at the end, we’ll just see what we have. And that was really refreshing.” Jeff Jenkins

Inhaler

Open Wide by Inhaler is out Feb 7 via Universal

NAME GAME When Elijah Hewson, Robert Keating, and Ryan McMahon started the band at high school, they were initially called The Collapsible Chairs, but later became The Inhalers, due to Hewson suffering from asthma. That was later shortened to Inhaler.

42 FEBRUARY 2025

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