Tate McRae, “So Close to What.”

Canadian pop star Tate McRae didn’t let a premature leak of what would eventually become her latest album, So Close to What, get her down. Instead, the singer refocused and went back to the lab, more fully fleshing out the existing tracks and writing new ones to create a record very different from what surfaced online previously. Now, it’s a solid straightforward pop record full of anthemic and self-assured songs.

So Close to What leans in to a tried-and-true sound while adding a few new ingredients to freshen McRae’s sound up. The 15-song set is filled with punchy tracks clocking in between two-and-a-half to three minutes. She also pushes the adult content, with the majority of the album carrying an explicit tag. Pointed opener “Miss possessive” explodes with a well-placed synth that adds a dramatic overtone. The song has swagger that recalls the best of Camila Cabello and an uptempo groove.

“Revolving door” presents an interesting clash of sounds, with a vocal that actually sounds more tailored to a slower tempo track while pairing it with a busy and urgent loop. “Bloodonmyhands” keeps the momentum while infusing a decidedly 2000s-era pop quality, along with a verse by rapper Flo Milli. One of the album’s highlights is the defiant “Dear god,” a sleek groove-heavy track that hits with an instantly infectious quality.

“Purple lace bra” calls on a lover to move past just the physicality of a relationship to find a deeper connection on a personal level.

“Did my dance on your lap pique your interest?/ Yeah. Now, I got you like that, let me finish,” she sings.

The envelope-pushing continues on the suggestive “Sports car,” which doubles down on the darkly sensual energy. Tate McRae duets with beau The Kid LAROI on percussive R&B tune “I know love,” which accentuates her strengths. Tracks like “Signs” and “Like I do” tap into a similar mid-tempo energy with McRae reaching into the high notes on her delivery.

The vocal acrobatics are there, but the words aren’t very deep. Songs like the breathy and bass-laden “It’s ok I’m ok” (an atmospheric treat) tend to work the best because they they stick out from the other similar-sounding material. While finding plenty of success in pop, and getting a coveted performer slot on “Saturday Night Live” last year, McRae is still on a tier below of the genre’s biggest stars. This album shouldn’t change that, but it’s a fun listen thanks to eagworms like “No I’m not in love” and punchy slow-burner “Means I care.”

“If I cut you off, it just means I care,” she sings on the latter.

The album follows a glide slope down to the end, with the balladry of “Greenlight” and stripped-down intimacy of “Nostalgia.”

“Funny thing about nostalgia/ Didn’t show up ’til I lost ya,” she sings in her parting shot.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at mikedewald.bsky.social.