“Right now, I’m not even about you.” (McRae, “TIT FOR TAT”)
Tate McRae, a global pop star and talented performer, has been silenced. The VMA’s “Song of the Summer” winner was confirmed to be in a relationship with her longtime friend and music idol, The Kid LAROI, on April 14th, 2024. Both artists are known for their heartfelt music, raw emotional lyrics, and catchy beats. The now 22 year old singer once admitted that she had liked Laroi’s music since she was 16, long before they sparked any rumors of romance.
However, after months of happily dating, new rumors were added into the batch back in July of 2025: rumors of a breakup.
While together, Tate McRae and The Kid LAROI had had a highly publicized relationship. They appeared in many paparazzi photos together, they collaborated on Tate McRae’s song “I know love,” and they often talked about each other on social media, in interviews, and at concerts. This spotlight on their relationship led fans to immediately notice when Laroi didn’t post for McRae’s birthday on July 1st of 2025. People began talking, but nothing was confirmed until later that month, when Laroi posted a screenshot on X claiming to be on good terms with his now-ex-girlfriend, Tate. Sophomore Kendall Westervelt, a fan of Tate McRae and The Kid LAROI, said, “I thought they were cute [dating], but at the same time, when they broke up, I didn’t care that much.”
While this was over six months ago, Laroi released his new album just last month, titled, “BEFORE I FORGET.” Nearly, if not all, fifteen songs seem to be written about Tate McRae. Many of his tracks even made it very clear how much he wanted to date her again, prompting some of his internet fans to nickname him and Tate the “new Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez”. Bieber and Gomez are also known for having had a very public relationship, and for breaking up multiple times and writing many songs targeted at each other. One song on Laroi’s new album, “RATHER BE”, even features the raw line, “I’m begging you, baby, to text me.”
Since the release of this album, fans immediately stormed the internet. Videos have blown up applauding the lyricism and artistry of his album, as well as the pure emotional rawness he shared in it. On the other hand, many other fans have been analyzing any activity McRae has posted online. It seems these two artists can’t escape each other. Laroi’s comment sections are filled with hate and photos of Tate McRae, while Tate’s comments have been seen asking about Laroi and if the two are getting back together. One fan even wrote that Tate is “stronger than [they are],” claiming that if they were in her shoes, they would have already been “running back to Laroi”.
However, there’s been no sign of McRae acknowledging the album released about her. In fact, she seems to be posting more and more about herself, proving just how moved on and confident she is despite the situation.
So how did these two artists get here? From friends, to dating, to “on good terms”, to not even acknowledging each other?
Senior Emma Monaghan shares her opinion, saying, “I think that obviously, the more attention you pay to public figures going through a breakup, the harder it makes it for them… I definitely see how being so publicized contributed to [their breakup].”
Tate McRae released an album, So Close to What, in February of 2025, while she and Laroi were still dating. Her album was heartfelt and received many positive reviews, but some noticed that the songs showcased lyrics sounding almost unhealthy for a relationship, such as the lines, “if I cut you off, it just means I care,” and, “been a full year now and we both know that it’s bound to end.” These lyrics both portray how fans interpreted her mindset in the relationship, and it wasn’t good. Additionally, Kendall says, “I feel like Kid LAROI is not the person to be, like, locked in.” Based on his previous albums and the lyrics he’s written about relationships and girls, this is an opinion many fans shared.
At the time of McRae’s album release, Laroi wasn’t dropping much music. However, after the two broke up in July, he released a few songs, some of which sounded angry and targeted at his ex, even going as far as to call her toxic. Eventually, he broke through with his song, “A Cold Play,” featuring the main line, “it’s really hard to accept the fact I can’t fix you.”
Following this song, the two artists have been writing trending songs back and forth. Tate McRae released her viral song “TIT FOR TAT”, and a few other songs about Laroi in the So Close to What deluxe album. And finally, we’re back in 2026, with The Kid LAROI releasing “BEFORE I FORGET” and Tate having no visible response.
Now, Laroi has been seen out with another girl, and Tate is rumored to be dating American hockey player Jack Hughes. Fans are left wondering: was this the end of one of their favorite couples? After months of writing songs to each other, have Tate and Laroi really made peace? Or are they just finally moving on — and leaving their fans behind?
kendall:
“I thought they were cute, but at the same time, when they broke up, I didn’t care that much.”
“I feel like Kid LAROI is not the person to be, like, locked in.”
“I listened to both [of their songs about each other], obviously I’m a bigger fan of Tate McRae, so I listened to her music first… then I was like, oh, let me give [The Kid LAROI] a try, and then I actually liked his music.”
“I just feel like it was kinda funny that they wrote songs about each other.”
Emma:
“I do like Tate McRae, I like some of The Kid LAROI’s music, but I’m not as big into him as Tate McRae.”
“I really don’t follow celebrities’ personal lives, I just really follow their music.”
“I think that obviously, the more attention you pay to public figures going through a breakup, the harder it makes it for them, which is a little bit unfortunate, I definitely see how being so publicized contributed to it, because I know obviously the Kid LAROI’s team, there were some allegations they were like, leaving hate comments, and so he had to shut that down and stuff, but I think that definitely makes it harder.”
“Bet you thought I’d never be this cold, bet you thought I’d never sing this song.”
