Live Report: Tate McRae delivers show-stopping performance at Dublin's 3Arena

Tate McRae awed Dublin’s 3Arena on Friday, selling out two shows with her Miss Possessive Tour.

Opening up the night was the wildly eccentric BENEE, known best for 2019 TikTok hit, ‘Supalonely.’ Flashing pink lights bathed the audience, as heavy bass rocked the venue. Skipping into view, the artist kicked off her set with the 2024 single ‘Sad Boiii.’ Oozing with confidence, the track bounced with that classic indie-pop sound, enhanced by a live drummer and bassist on stage.

"What's up Dublin, hello!" she exclaimed. "I'm like a quarter Irish, so I feel like I'm connecting with my roots right now. For real!"

Donning a yellow t-shirt and denim ruffle skirt, BENEE continued to dance and wave to fans. Her sassy energy held strong, while the crowd bounced along to her 2019 track 'Glitter.' Excitement really heightened when she began performing 'Supalonely,' with a sea of phones rising to record the moment. I watched the artist's confidence peak as the audience sang along, familiar with every word.

"Thank you guys very much for listening, it was nice to meet you!" she shouted. "It's been a pleasure!"

The lights dimmed before McRae entered the stage, with Charli XCX's '360' filling the venue. At the end of the song, a video played of the Canadian pop star watching security camera footage, depicting live shots from the crowd. The screen lifted to reveal McRae's silhouette, bathed in darkness but outlined with an intense glowing light.

Right from the jump, it was clear her show was going to be elaborate and well-polished. Wearing a silky white bodysuit, the singer opened with 'Miss possessive' off her most recent album, So Close To What. During each verse, McRae's thick, sultry voice filled the venue with Y2K inspired pop. During the chorus, however, her skill as a dancer really shined. From body rolls, to leg kicks to splits, there really was nothing she couldn't execute. Coordinated and dynamic, the routine worked beautifully with her background dancers, who told a story with every sequence.

"Dublin, how are we feeling tonight?" she shouted, hair blowing in the wind and voice out of breath. "I am so fucking excited to be here... This is our first night so I'm gonna need you guys to be so loud, okay?"

The audience certainly did not disappoint; they cheered when she swapped her body suit for baggy sports pants and a glittery blue bra, transitioning into her 2025 song 'Purple lace bra.' Fog billowed on stage as she continued to dance, strutting down the long platform stretching into the audience. During her performance of the 2022 single 'uh oh,' the singer  began swinging around a large silver pole, and the crowd went wild. How did everything come so naturally to her?

Credit: Beth Saravo

McRae eventually made her way to a small stage deep in the crowd, this time wearing a long white skirt and a baggy 'Miss possessive' top. The stage slowly rose into the air, with the singer's gaze just a few feet from the upper level.

"Im so happy to be back here," she said. "You know, like one year ago today we were in a room that was a 500 cap room, and now we're doing two nights here, which is pretty crazy!"

"Writing this album was really interesting, because I feel like had so many feelings of nostalgia... And so just, everyone in this room take a moment to really soak this in, because we're never gonna be in this moment again."

The singer began playing a stripped back performance of 'that way,' a song she originally wrote for her old YouTube channel called Create With Tate.

"I would write original songs every single week, and that's kind of what got me into all of this," she confessed. "Let's do a little throw back. I don't know if you guys know some of these songs, but they're some of my personal favourites."

She followed up 'that way' with 'chaotic' and 'One Day,' all heartfelt piano ballads that strayed from her current pop sound. It was one of the only moments during the show where McRae wasn't dancing, instead opting to show off her clear vocal prowess.

She changed again into a matching beige top and shorts, lined with gold sparkles. Before the night was over, she couldn't leave without performing 'Revolving door.' The singer danced underneath glowing door frames on wheels, built into an elaborate number full of energy and movement. Her dancers performed a dynamic sequence filled with pirouettes and splits as she transitioned into 'It's ok I'm ok,' another Y2K pop anthem.

"Give it up for my amazing dancers everybody!" she exclaimed, before her final song, 'greedy.' White confetti rained from the sky, as her fans danced along one last time. "Dublin, we love you so much!"

The artist bowed, before descending deep into the stage and out of sight.

In just over 90 minutes, McRae proved that she's a pop star who's not going away any time soon.