Tate McRae @ the Echo Lounge & Music Hall, Dallas, TX

Words and photos by Scott Rowe

You may recognize Tate McRae from television as a finalist from one of the premier reality television shows here in the States. No, not American Idol. Not even the Voice. Yep, you remember her as being the first Canadian finalist from So You Think You Can Dance. Yes, dancing. While dancing may have been her calling in her younger years, Ms. McRae has since supplanted her dancing shoes with a stage and microphone. While singing may be her outlet, dancing has not gone by the wayside and is still very part of her being and her live show. Tate has not been that far removed from the DFW area, as she was part of the annual, star-studded Jingle Ball show put on by Dallas's iHeart radio station, 106.1 KISS FM. But this would be a headlining show in front of her fans. It's obviously a big deal for a budding artist.

While some may think of Tate as a dancer and some as a singer, after watching her take the stage at the Echo, it's obvious that she's an entertainer. A bit of both. Flanked by two dancers the majority of the set, McRae doesn't shy away from her dancer roots, as she takes on some heavily choreographed segments to her music. Say what you will, but being able to pull some of the moves she makes while singing, it's quite impressive. Hot on the heels of her current radio hit, "She's All I Wanna Be", the crowd was erupting for joy as McRae scorched through the majority of her two extended plays, including Too Young to Be Sad's "You Broke Me First". The Echo felt too small for an artist of her magnitude and I can only imagine the venue she headlines the next time she comes through Dallas. But if her performance was any indication of her trajectory, the sky is the limit for this young artist and I'll look back one day and say I saw her here.

Photos of the show are below:

Mimi Webb