Songfacts®:

• Sultry and electrifying, this pop track likens the heady rush of love and physical connection to the thrill of zooming down the highway in a high-speed sports car. It's steamy, cinematic, and, frankly, just the right amount of naughty.
• The song's whispery chorus harkens back to the golden age of early 2000s pop, when Britney Spears turned up the heat with "I'm A Slave 4 U" and The Pussycat Dolls made us all sweat through "Buttons." In other words, this is not the kind of song you play for a quiet night in with tea and a good book.
  
  The Ying Yang Twins' "Whisper Song" directly inspired it. Tate's co-writer, Julia Michaels, eagerly wanted to create a pop song with a whisper chorus, and though Tate initially found it terrifying, she embraced the challenge.
• Tate McRae wrote the track alongside American singer-songwriter Julia Michaels (Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber), OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder (Beyoncé, Adele) and California producer Grant Boutin (Meghan Trainor).
  
  "We wanted to kind of capture the adrenaline of love, sex, and the excitement of it all," McRae told Vogue about the song. "I felt like a sports car reminded me of that feeling of love, and like you are right in the middle of it."
• Directed by Bardia Zeinali and styled by Brett Alan Nelson, the music video shows McRae in 12 distinct outfits ranging from archival couture to contemporary fashion pieces. The clip puts the Canadian pop star squarely in the league of pop royalty like Beyoncé ("Formation") and Lady Gaga ("Bad Romance"), both known for clocking double-digit outfit changes in their iconic videos.
  
  Of course, looking fabulous doesn't come without challenges. McRae confessed that filming the video was an exercise in endurance, as she balanced on six-to-eight-inch platform heels while executing intricate dance moves. "I'm such a sneakerhead, so for me to walk around in heels is an issue," she admitted to Vogue.
  
  At one point, she had to sit on a chair, shift her weight, and figure out how to dance without toppling over - all while keeping her pelvis, heels, and choreography in perfect alignment. That's a lot of multitasking for anyone, let alone someone perched atop what amounts to stilts.
• You may have noticed the video doesn't include an actual sports car. Instead, it opts for striking sets and choreography that channel the song's turbocharged energy without relying on the obvious visual metaphor. The decision feels bold, almost cheeky, as if to say, "Yes, it's called 'Sports Car,' but we don't need to hit you over the head with it."
• McRae released "Sports Car" as the third single from her third album, So Close to What. While her previous single, "2 Hands," is a straightforward invitation to skip the sweet talk and head straight to the bedroom, "Sports Car" doubles down on that urgency.
• Cars and racing serve as recurring motifs throughout the album's concept. "Sports Car" is the first single to overtly address these themes in its lyrics, though the groundwork was already laid in the album trailer and the "2 Hands" music video, where McRae was seen behind the wheel of – yep - a sports car.
• Tate McRae's alter ego, Tatiana, embodies a more confident and uninhibited version of herself, particularly during her performances. This persona allows her to express a feistier side that contrasts with her typically reserved nature.
  
  McRae attributes the creation of many of the So Close To What tracks, including "Sports Car," to Tatiana's perspective. By channeling Tatiana, McRae explores themes and emotions that might not surface in her everyday demeanor, enriching her artistic expression.
• "Sports Car" went through around 20 different versions before McRae and her team nailed the right feel, especially for the whispered chorus, which was tricky to support with the right instrumentation.
• Tate McRae performed "Sports Car" on the March 1, 2025 episode of Saturday Night Live with a heavily choreographed routine. It was her second appearance on the sketch show.
• McRae admitted in an Audacy check-in she's not really a "car person." Although she likes the look of Lamborghinis and Ferraris, she doesn't have much interest in cars, making the song's title somewhat ironic.