The Savage Meaning Behind Tate McRae's Breakup Anthem
Canadian pop sensation Tate McRae has sent shockwaves through the music industry with her brutally honest new track 'Anything But Love', featured on the deluxe edition of her album 'So Close To What'. Released on November 9th, the expanded album contains all original tracks plus five new additions, including the already-controversial single 'Tit for Tat'.
Fans have been particularly captivated by 'Anything But Love', which represents McRae at her most raw and vulnerable. The song serves as a scathing indictment of a former lover, with biting lyrics that leave little to the imagination about her feelings towards this mysterious ex.
Dissecting the Brutal Lyrics
The track opens with what might be some of the most savage lines in recent pop memory: 'My dad hates you, my dog hates you, my brother hates you, and I do too/I asked all of California, they all happy that you moved.' McRae doesn't hold back from the very first verse, establishing immediately that this is no tender reflection on lost love.
The chorus drives the message home with devastating clarity: 'I got anything but love for you/I mean it, like, na-na-na, na-na-na.' This isn't just a simple breakup song - it's a full-scale rejection that borders on contempt.
Perhaps the most telling lyric comes when McRae references her stage persona: 'You say you hate me, but let's be real, you only hate 'cause you like the drama/And if you hate me, then why you keep on jacking off to Tatiana?' This suggests the relationship involved some level of public scrutiny and performance anxiety.
The Kid Laroi Connection
While McRae has yet to officially confirm the inspiration behind 'Anything But Love', fans are convinced the track targets her ex-boyfriend The Kid Laroi. The timing certainly adds weight to this theory - McRae ended her relationship with the Australian rapper in July, and many of the deluxe tracks appear to reference their split.
Another compelling piece of evidence comes in the second verse: 'My fans hate you, my friends hate you, and Ryan hates you, and I do too/You're tryna make this competition but no one lets you in this room.' This could be interpreted as a response to Laroi potentially releasing music that criticised their breakup.
The reference to 'Ryan' likely points to McRae's manager, Ryan Lofthouse, suggesting the professional fallout from the relationship extended beyond just personal heartbreak.
A Growing Pattern of Diaristic Songwriting
'Anything But Love' continues McRae's trend of deeply personal songwriting that has become her signature style. Like 'Tit for Tat' before it, the track reads like pages torn directly from her diary, offering fans an unfiltered look into her emotional world.
The song builds to its final, dismissive outro: 'So take a walk, baby, make it long' - repeated multiple times for emphasis. It's the musical equivalent of a door slamming shut, leaving no room for reconciliation or second chances.
As fans continue to dissect every line for clues about McRae's relationship with The Kid Laroi, one thing remains clear: this track solidifies her position as one of pop's most fearless truth-tellers, unafraid to transform personal pain into powerful art that resonates with millions.
