Tate McRae has addressed the backlash she received following her chart-topping duet with Morgan Wallen, ‘What I Want’, which arrived in May 2025 as part of Wallen's I'm the Problem album. Various fans criticised the link-up, and labelled McRae ‘MAGA’.

It's worth flagging from the outset that Wallen has never publicly spoken about his political allegiance, and has always made a point of not discussing politics during interviews.

Even so, many mainstream and pop listeners seemingly assume the ‘Last Night’ chart-topper leans towards the ‘MAGA’ end of the spectrum. There also appeared to be concerns from McRae fans about Wallen's somewhat chequered past, referencing his 2024 chair-throwing incident and his 2021 racial slur furore.

As a result, when it was revealed that McRae would be appearing on a Wallen song, this sparked uproar across social media. The ‘MAGA’ claims intensified when the Canadian popstar started being romantically linked to US ice hockey player Jack Hughes, who infamously laughed at a joke from President Donald Trump where the latter said he would “have” to invite the US women's team to a White House dinner.

In a new interview with Variety, McRae has responded to this criticism, “I like to say my piece through organizations I support and the environment that I have on tour”.

The ‘TIT FOR TAT’ hitmaker goes on, “I think it’s pretty obvious what kind of person I am and the things I support. And I hope that my fans can see that through the things that I’m putting my energy towards”. One such cause that McRae has supported, as Variety highlights, is The Trevor Project, which works towards suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth. McRae promoted a Little Miss Possessive hoodie across social media, with a portion of proceeds going towards this nonprofit.

During a December 2025 interview with Rolling Stone, McRae shed additional light on why she was more than happy to collaborate with Wallen on ‘What I Want’, “It was just about the song for me. I didn't realize how much a song would be connected to all the other factors, and it really shocked me. I don't think you should regret anything in life, because it gives you so much clarity”, adding, “I think controversy and criticism is a way of learning and figuring out what you want to move forward with, and how that shapes you as a person. I think it's all important”.

Shortly after its release, ‘What I Want’ surged straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming McRae's first song to reach the pinnacle of the prestigious all-genre listing.

Within the country community, aside from surprise at Tate McRae's decision to dip her toes into the country sphere, there was no major backlash or concerns about McRae's involvement in ’What I Want’. It's an infectious crossover anthem that showcases both artists’ penchants for blurring the lines between neighbouring genres.

It also didn't mark the first time McRae has shown an interest in the country world, with the ‘NOBODY'S GIRL’ singer-songwriter teaming up with Megan Moroney on numerous occasions on-stage. Furthermore, elsewhere in her Variety interview, McRae revealed she's been listening to Dolly Parton and reading a Parton-inspired coffee-table book as she looks to draw inspiration for her next studio album.