Released: 2023
Your first listen of “exes” by Tate McRae might have you thinking it’s just another pop anthem about failed relationships. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a brutally honest confession about self-sabotage in romance and a nonchalant acknowledgment of one’s own emotional fickleness.
Tate begins the track with an apology, “Oh, I’m sorry, sorry that you love me/Changed my mind up like it’s origami.” The reference to origami, a Japanese art form of folding paper into decorative shapes, is a metaphoric linguistic stroke of genius. She’s using it to illustrate her constantly changing and tricky nature in relationships, much like how origami shapes are intricately folded and refolded.
The chorus, “Kiss-kiss-kiss-kisses to my exes who don’t give a shit about me/Kisses, kisses to the next ones who think they can’t live without me,” is a searing dissection of her past and potential relationships. Tate isn’t afraid to admit that she’s the one who’s usually to blame for her break-ups, and in fact, she seems to be brutally honest about her own flaws.
Meanwhile, Tate suggests she’s a “wild ride” and a “hard case they can’t unlock,” emphasizing her unpredictability and complexity in relationships. Her admission of caring, but “just not enough,” is a stark and somewhat grim depiction of her struggle with emotional commitment.
One standout line, “I don’t ever know what I want, but that’s what you want/If you’re down for it, don’t blame me,” takes us into the heart of the song. It conveys her admission that she may be indecisive, inconsistent, and even hurtful, but those who engage with her do so knowing these traits.
In the closing, “Kisses to my exes, I know that I did you dirty/Little messed up, little selfish, we ain’t married, I ain’t 30” she adds more emotional weight by recognizing her self-centeredness in relationships. The line “we ain’t married, I ain’t 30,” is a reminder that she’s young— possibly too young to take relationships too seriously.
In conclusion, “exes” by Tate McRae is a confession wrapped in a poppy beat. It’s an upfront and unapologetic song about her romantic trials and tribulations, setting the stage for a narrative revolving around self-awareness, emotional growth, and, ultimately, the complexity of human relationships.
