Singer Tate McRae Stole The Show At The iHeartRadio Music Awards

PublishedApril 3, 2024 2:46 PM EDT|UpdatedApril 3, 2024 2:46 PM EDT

Taylor Swift might have technically been a big winner at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, taking home awards for Artist of the Year and Pop Artist of the Year, but it was Canadian singer Tate McRae that stole the show on social media.

She certainly did on my feed anyway. I didn't even know the awards show was taking place until McRae, who stuffed her hockey player ex-boyfriend into a locker during the NHL All-Star break earlier this year, popped up and informed me.

canadian singer tate mcrae iheartradio music awards

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Tate McRae attends the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California on April 01, 2024. Broadcasted live on FOX. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

She not only made an All-Star game appearance before her ex, Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger did, but she ended up stealing the halftime show with her performance as well.

The drama surrounding her breakup with him, including cheating allegations on his part, helped her do the impossible by making the NHL interesting during Super Bowl week. That's not easily done.

That said, if it does happen, it's a guaranteed way to land yourself on the OutKick Culture Department's radar. Which leads us back to the awards show. The radar went off and I answered the call.

What I found is that McRae attacked the iHeartRadio Music Awards show from start to finish. It never really stood a chance. We're talking from the red carpet - or whatever color the carpet actually was - to backstage and then on stage with a performance.

Tate McRae Didn't Just Attend The Awards Show, She Performed

That's right. Tate McRae hit the stage during the awards show. It's one thing to do all of your damage on the red carpet or by catching the eye of a camera or two during the show, it's a whole different ballgame performing during the show.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Tate McRae performs onstage during the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California on April 01, 2024. Broadcasted live on FOX. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

But that's apparently how McRae rolls. She's relatively new to the scene, but already has 3.7 million Instagram followers.

During the awards show, she performed a mashup of her singles Greedy and Exes. One of those songs, believe it or not, has more than a billion streams on Spotify.

McRae is rolling from the NHL drama and awards show season straight into a world tour which kicks off later this month in Ireland. We very well could be witnessing the beginnings of a big-time pop culture superstar, one with a devastating slap shot.