Photo: Getty Images
Tate McRae is proof you don't need decades of experience to be a total pro.
The 22-year-old Canadian star wowed the Las Vegas crowd Friday (September 19) night at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Festival presented by Capital One. She kicked off her performance with "Sports Car," from her latest album So Close to What, which came out earlier this year.
Like her high-energy MTV Video Music Awards debut this month, the fiery performance perfectly blended her incredible dance skills with her catchy tracks. Smoke billowing across the stage, her backup dancers, all in white, carefully made their way in front of the crowd, allowing McRae to stand out in her bold red bodysuit.
McRae then moved on to an enchanting rendition of the "song that kinda changed my life," standing solo at the microphone backed by purple lighting and a hazy stage as she performed "You Broke Me First," from her 2021 EP Too Young to Be Sad. After another performance where she threw it back to 2023's Think Later with "Run for the Hills," she stayed on the album to "kisses to my exes" in her song "Exes," with bursts of flames showing exactly what she feels about her past relationships.
1 of 2 Photo: Getty Images
2 of 2 Photo: Getty Images
She brought it back to her newest album with "Revolving Door," commanding the stage with a powerful performance before giving each of her backup dancers their own time in the spotlight. Fortunately McRae fared much better during the performance than she did while filming the music video. She explained earlier this year how she suffered a series of injuries during an intense day of filming — all because of her choice of footwear.
After her dancers' individual dance solos, the crowd went wild with the first notes of "It's ok, I'm ok," and McRae delivered, serving confidence and attitude as she declared "I don't want him anyway." She ended her set with her hit "Greedy," getting the crowd to sing along before she finished strong with another chorus and dance break, pyrotechnics lighting up the stage and confetti raining down on the audience in the arena as she struck a final pose.
1 of 2 Photo: Getty Images
2 of 2 Photo: Getty Images
McRae was one of many incredible sets in a star-studded lineup that hit the stage on the first night of the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Festival. Other artists wowing audiences both in person and tuning in to iHeartMedia radio stations across the country over the two-day event include Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, LL COOL J, Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Diplo, Jelly Roll, Bailey Zimmerman, BigXthaPlug, Justice, Sammy Hagar, GloRilla, John Fogerty, Tim McGraw and The Offspring.
In case you missed it, or just want to relive it all again, fans can tune in to an iHeartRadio Music Festival special, including highlights from the music mega weekend, on Hulu on Thursday, October 2nd.