Women in music have been shining brightly, with many of the hottest female performers releasing powerful songs. And Tate McRae‘s latest single and accompanying music video titled “It’s ok, I’m ok” falls into this category. The song, which was released on Sept. 13, discusses McRae’s hypothetical prior love and how she is over him even when a new woman is thrown into the picture. The song reflects McRae’s faith in letting go of the circumstances and how she’s a better person without him. If you weren’t already intrigued by the song’s message, the lyrics show that McRae is just that girl.
The intro verse starts off by highlighting McRae’s ex’s new girl as the two are now in a relationship. McRae warns the girl to be cautious, implying that her new man isn’t all he’s cracked up to be. She sings, “See you so excited (Mm)/ You got him locked down (Yeah)/ You’re movin’ like I did (Mm)/Before I found out.” The verse continues, “He ain’t just a pretty-faced talker/ Good with his money, close to his mother/ You’re seeing one-sided (Sided)/ You got him right now.” The verse portrays McRae’s ex as someone who presents an idealized version of himself to his partners, showcasing only his positive traits while concealing his true self. It suggests that he may not be fully genuine or wholehearted in his relationships.
In the pre-chorus, McRae emphasizes that her ex has many sides, which the new girl is unaware of. McRae assures her that she has been in her same shoes and understands how she must feel, singing, “And she be like, ‘He’s so perfect’/ I be like, ‘Oh, what version?’/ Ain’t nobody got me this nervous/ Oh, baby, I been there (Hey)/ And right in that same position (Hey).” In a change in tune, the verse continues, “So, baby, don’t get this twisted (Hey)/ No, nothin’ could make me miss it/Take him, he’s yours.” McRae wants to make it clear that she is over the relationship and would gladly give her ex away to the new woman in his life.
This sentiment is highlighted in the song’s chorus, where she reiterates that she’s OK and that the situation is OK because she already dealt with him in the first place. McRae goes on to sing, “It’s okay, I’m okay, had him in the first place/ It’s okay, I’m okay (I’m okay, yeah, yeah)/ It’s okay, I’m okay, I don’t really gotta say/ It’s okay (Okay).” She twice says, “You can have him anyway,” after the chorus of the song, letting the new woman know that she doesn’t want him.
Moving on to the song’s second verse, McRae reflects on how the previous relationship changed her, from being a romantic to now not caring as much and preferring not to look back. She sings, “Was such a romantic (Romantic)/ You got me like, ‘F*ck that’/ Some months and some long flights/Now I can’t go near that.” The song ends with how McRae previously addressed the relationship in the post-chorus, emphasizing that she is fine without him and that the girl should just “take him.”
The music video, which was released at the same time as the song, shows McRae in a new light, emphasizing a Y2K pop sound and style as she parades around as different versions of herself while roaming the streets of New York City.
This is not coincidental, as McRae herself stated in an interview with The Rolling Stone at the 2024 VMAs that “It’s ok, I’m ok” was inspired by previous pop divas. She shared references to the MV, saying, “So many pop videos. Old Britney, old Christina. It’s very campy I would say. Shawn absolutely devoured the choreo.”
McRae has undoubtedly contributed to the rise of the new generation of pop divas, and “It’s ok, I’m ok” proves it!