(soft hollow music)
- I think I was just kind of freaking out
because it was something that I had really loved to do.
And then as the weeks went on, it was just a passion
for me to keep writing songs and releasing them
and starting to grow a fan base
was very, very natural because it was just me
and my screen and making videos every single week.
(bass music)
I'm Tate McCray.
And this is on the rise.
My mom was a dancer her entire life,
so she kind of got me
into dance lessons when I was around six.
And when I was 9 or 10 I went to a ballet school, full time.
It was really intense.
I remember I used to actually go to, you know,
ballet competitions and like dance competitions
and compete since 9 to 15 years old.
(upbeat music)
Me and my mom found this,
you know, one article and it was like
So You Think You Can Dance is having a show
for the younger generation.
And you know, So You Think You Can Dance was one
of my favorite shows ever,
and was kind of a dream for me since I was like super young.
We tried to get my own visa as fast as possible.
And it ended up working like the second right
before the last audition, which was in New York.
And I went there all the way from Canada
and auditioned and made it through.
And then it just was a whirlwind from there.
(Tate sings)
I always wanted to be a performer.
I always knew that when I was super young.
But,
it wasn't until I was
about 13 that I decided to really get into writing.
I started a YouTube channel.
It was mostly for dance,
but at one point I didn't have anything to post
for my dancing so I wrote a song.
This song was called "One Day".
And this was when I was 13 years old.
So that was like my first ever like kind of like break out
as a singer,
was my first song that I'd ever put out online.
And then the song ended up going viral.
On YouTube.
And, you know, I kept on posting original songs every week
because it was working and people were liking it.
And then I got contacted by 11 Labels,
flew out to New York and it kind of just started from there.
(upbeat music)
Honestly I think I first called myself a singer
when I was like two.
I thought I was a superstar when I was three years old.
Now I would say that I'm, you know, a bit more
of a recognized singer in the industry.
When I'm on YouTube, I think it was more of the passion
for me and I didn't really know where it was going to go.
But, I say now at 17,
I feel like I'm becoming a singer for sure.
(upbeat music)
It's been really crazy over this entire experience
because I'm still in high school.
So I've been trying to finish up grade 12
over the past couple months
while everything's been picking up and been kind of crazy.
So I'll be back and forth from writing an essay
to doing an interview,
to filming an award show.
It's kind of crazy.
I remember as the EMAs were on TV,
I at the same time was like studying for my social midterm
'cause it was the next day.
And it was the lamest thing ever.
♪ Petals fall and you don't call for days and days and days ♪
It was my first ever song with RCA records.
And I didn't actually write the song,
but Billy and Finneas did.
Obviously I'm a huge fan of both of them.
I love them both and they're writing,
so it was just a kind of a surreal process.
And then I got to meet Billy and Finneas at her show in LA
and we talked about it
and it was a really cool experience overall.
One of my dream collabs,
I say all the time but it's so true,
is Post Malone.
(Tate laughs)
I'm such a fan of his music and I have been for forever.
And usually I go through a lot of phases where I hate...
I hate this kind of music, I love this kind of music
and I'm back and forth between country and rap
and a million different styles.
Post Malone has always been my favorite and I love him.
So, him for sure.
♪ Maybe you don't like talking too much about yourself ♪
♪ But you shoulda told me that you were thinkin' ♪
♪ 'bout someone else ♪
Right before we were supposed
to shoot the "You Broke Me First" music video,
I was on this like little radio tour
and I got sent back to Canada like, in a day.
Like we didn't even know we were leaving,
and I got set back.
You know, we hadn't found the music video yet.
We were supposed to the next week.
So they basically said,
"Take your phone and do something day".
(Tate laughs)
"'Cause we can't help ya".
I basically went up with a friend,
took my mom's car,
tapped my phone to the front of her car.
And my friend drove backwards
on this random rooftop that we found.
And we literally just filmed the music video on Video Star,
which is the app you use when you're like seven
and you make like fake music videos.
I literally used that for a music video.
And it's just funny to look back like,
how many views it has,
considering it was literally filmed on a kid's app.
It's really funny.
(Tate laughs)
(synchronized piano music)
A huge moment for me was, I think Forbes 30 Under 30.
Just an honor to be in that category
with those people and making The Billboard charts
for the first time.
That was a huge, huge dream of mine.
And I remember like, sometimes I look back
at my notes 'cause I do little journal entries,
and that was like a huge goal of mine was,
make The Billboard charts.
And I literally, I got to cross it off.
Like a couple of weeks ago,
which is like a really weird feeling
but so much has happened over the past couple of months.
And it's weird to reflect.
(Tate laughs)
I feel like I will never feel like I've made it.
I'm like the type of person that is never satisfied
with what I do.
And no matter how awesome something is,
or what I think of it, I'm just never...
I don't think I'm gonna be satisfied.
I think I would define myself as,
you know, accomplishing some of my biggest goals.
Like one of my biggest dreams was to perform
at an award show and that happened like a month ago.
You know, singing and dancing at the same time
is something that I hadn't really been exposed to.
And when things are live and when things are legit
and you're going on stage and you're like,
"All right, you're about to be after Alicia keys".
(Tate laughs)
There's definitely some stress on the table.
And that's what kind of blows my mind is just
little goals that I set for myself, you know,
like coming true.
It's a weird feeling.
(Tate laughs)
(lighthearted guitar music)
I have a lot of big goals. I have since I was really young.
When I first started making goals I said,
"I'm going to make it on the one Spotify playlist".
Like there's small goals, but then they actually,
once you get to cancel them off,
it's like, "All right, now I can make other goals".
And I'm constantly doing that.
One of my biggest goals is obviously perform
at the Grammy's.
(Tate laughs)
But I mean, that's like a really far-fetched goal,
but it's still in my notes.
(upbeat music)
I always like picture, "How would you wake up in five years
and what would be your dreams?", you know.
So,
I think for me,
I would want to be living in LA,
definitely pursuing music.
Filming music videos
in the studio.
Hopefully have an album out.
And just be super proud of everything I put out
and be in a really happy place.
That's literally all I want.
(upbeat music)
(reverse record sound effect)
(upbeat music continues)