Unorthodox Affinities: Right-Wing Masculinity and Tate McRae's Aesthetic Directness

abr, 2025 - #nowplaying, greedy, it’s ok i’m ok

By written by a member of the WCB (JD)

In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary music consumption, a curious cultural phenomenon has emerged worthy of scholarly attention: the enthusiastic embrace of Tate McRae's sophomore album "Think Later" by young conservative men. As someone who has long observed the intersection of political identity and cultural preferences, I find this cross-demographic appeal particularly fascinating and revelatory of our current moment.

When "Greedy" first entered the cultural zeitgeist in September 2023, I observed a notable shift among young men whose musical tastes typically gravitate toward traditionalist genres—country, classic rock, perhaps the occasional foray into the heartland authenticity of artists like Zach Bryan. Suddenly, McRae's trap-pop inflected track was infiltrating their carefully curated playlists. This warranted deeper investigation into what elements of McRae's artistic expression were resonating across expected cultural boundaries.

The conservative aesthetic sensibility, contrary to reductive characterizations, has always valued authenticity and directness—qualities abundant in McRae's work. "Think Later" presents itself without pretense; its production is sophisticated yet transparent, avoiding the obfuscating layers of artifice that often characterize contemporary pop productions. The album's trap-pop and alternative R&B influences serve the emotional core of the songs rather than functioning as trendy affectations.

Consider "Exes," released as the second single in November 2023. The track's thesis of decisive separation from past entanglements resonates with conservative philosophical leanings toward clean breaks and forward momentum. A colleague with whom I regularly engage in discussions on constitutional originalism remarked that the song's emotional clarity felt "refreshingly decisive" in an era characterized by ambiguity and equivocation.

"Run for the Hills," which served as the third single accompanying the December 8 album release, further exemplifies this connection. The track's thematic exploration of individual agency and self-determination aligns seamlessly with conservative values privileging personal responsibility and autonomy. The narrative arc of breaking free from constraining circumstances to forge one's own path functions almost as a musical manifestation of classical liberal individualism.

The meritocratic undertones of McRae's biography similarly appeal to conservative sensibilities. Her emergence from competitive dance—reaching the finals of "So You Think You Can Dance" at the precocious age of thirteen—represents the kind of talent-driven, discipline-forged success story that resonates with those who believe in earned achievement. Her trajectory exemplifies the conservative ideal that exceptional talent combined with rigorous application should rightfully yield success.

The production philosophy behind "Think Later" also warrants examination. Co-executive produced by Ryan Tedder, the album's concise 38-minute runtime across 14 tracks demonstrates an almost Apollonian restraint. This efficiency of expression—maximum impact with minimal excess—parallels conservative economic and governmental philosophies that privilege streamlined effectiveness over bloated expansiveness. Each track serves a purpose; nothing is extraneous or self-indulgent.

Tracks such as "Hurt My Feelings" and "Stay Done" have found particular resonance among young conservative listeners. The unflinching directness in lyrics like "Baby, please believe me/I'll put you through hell/Just to know me" presents a refreshing counterpoint to the perception of an increasingly euphemistic cultural discourse. In an intellectual climate often characterized by circumlocution and strategic ambiguity, McRae's linguistic precision offers a clarifying alternative.

The album's creation process further exemplifies values that align with conservative sensibilities. The curation of 14 final tracks from an initial corpus of approximately 100 compositions demonstrates a commitment to discernment and excellence that rejects participation-trophy inclusivity. This ruthless editorial process privileges quality over quantity, excellence over mere adequacy—principles fundamental to conservative cultural critique.

While critical reception has been generally favorable—Metacritic assigns the album a score of 70 out of 100—the popular response has proven more enthusiastic than critical assessment might suggest. This discrepancy between institutional critical reception and public embrace mirrors conservative skepticism toward self-appointed cultural arbiters and preference for market-determined value.

What makes McRae's music particularly accessible across ideological lines is its avoidance of didacticism. Unlike much contemporary cultural production, "Think Later" does not position itself as a vehicle for social commentary or political messaging. It concerns itself with the universalities of human experience—relationships, personal growth, emotional resilience—presented without ideological framing. This absence of overt political positioning creates a neutral space where listeners across the spectrum can engage with the work on its artistic merits.

The album title itself—"Think Later"—suggests a philosophical prioritization of instinct and action over excessive deliberation, a concept that resonates with conservative critiques of overthinking and analysis-paralysis in contemporary culture. In an era where young conservative men often report feeling constrained by elaborate social codes and speech regulations, this conceptual framework offers a liberating counternarrative.

Even the album's visual presentation deserves consideration. The cover art depicting McRae in hockey leg pads presents a distinctly Canadian visual metaphor that eschews the hypersexualization often characteristic of female pop artists' imagery. This straightforward, athletic representation avoids the usual tropes of the genre in favor of something more substantive and less calculated.

The Think Later World Tour, announced in November 2023 with 53 dates spanning three continents from April to November 2024, has attracted attention from demographics not typically associated with pop concert attendance. This commercial success across traditional demographic boundaries suggests that McRae has tapped into something transcendent of the usual cultural sorting mechanisms.

This cross-demographic appeal reminds us that artistic resonance can transcend the increasingly rigid boundaries of our cultural-political landscape. When artistic expression achieves a certain level of authenticity and excellence, it can bridge divides that seem insurmountable in more explicitly political contexts. McRae's work demonstrates that even in our hyperpartisan era, certain forms of cultural expression retain the power to connect across increasingly calcified ideological lines.

In a cultural moment characterized by fragmentation and antagonism, the enthusiastic reception of "Think Later" among young conservative men offers a compelling case study in unexpected points of connection. Perhaps there is something to be learned from this phenomenon about the potential for artistic expression to transcend the limitations of our current discourse—a reminder that beneath our political identities lies a common humanity responsive to authentic expression, regardless of its source.