Zara Larsson hits out at people pitting her against Tate McRae

Zara Larsson has hit out at people who have pitted her against Tate McRae, after wrapping up her support dates with the singer.

The Swedish popstar was the opening act on the North American leg of McRae’s ‘Miss Possessive’ tour in August and September, finishing up with a date at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California on Saturday (September 27).

In a post on Instagram, she shared her heartfelt thanks to McRae and her fans, writing: “It’s a wrap on Miss Possessive tour! @tatemcrae thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your stage with me and my girls every night. I can’t explain how much I’ve appreciated the opportunity to give the people a little taste of a Zara set.”

She went on to talk about the positive feedback she has received for the shows, but added a more critical note for the people who have tried to bring tension between herself and McRae. “I’m speechless at the amount of praise I’ve been getting over these past few weeks from your wonderful fans and online. With that being said, it’s been strange seeing some people putting us against each other when we’re just two pop girls who love and support each other back stage!”

Larsson concluded by making clear her admiration for McRae: “You set the bar. You set the standard. You are a super star. Just know, I will always have your back! Thank you for this experience!!!”

Some fans on social media attempted to read into interactions between the two singers and project tension between them, with one X user writing: “Imagine being washed by your opener every single night oh potato mcrate”.

LOOOOVE Tate, but Zara Larsson as an opening act is criminal. This woman is a force of nature and gives the cleanest vocals even on the most complex coreo, I would be ashamed to perform after her. Notice how ppl are going “omg” in the background in utter shock. Ate DOWNNN https://t.co/rTLBUEnXxB

— Tove Lo Daily (@ToveLo_Daily) August 6, 2025

The fact that they were at the VMAs together and they didnt interact at all is # weird again but her fans are always saying shes busy. Is she supposed to be busy at an award show too???

— zara larsson the greatest performer of our gen (@lightyearskj) September 13, 2025

In April, Larsson told Variety of her appreciation at the emerging generation of pop singers such as McRae and Sabrina Carpenter. “I’m so excited about the new pop girls,” she said. “Tate McRae, I’m obsessed with her. Sabrina, like come on, she’s such a star.”

Elsewhere, Larsson seemed to call out Katy Perry in June for working with Dr. Luke. As an artist formerly signed to his label Kemosabe Records, she spoke about his return to pop: “I’m like, why? There’s a million other people. Is it really, really important for him to come back? I don’t think so.”

Larsson’s fifth studio album ‘Midnight Sun’ was released on Friday (September 26), including the singles ‘Pretty Ugly’, ‘Midnight Sun’ and ‘Crush’.

McRae, meanwhile, released her third album ‘So Close To What’ in February, earning a four star review from NME, who praised it as honing in on a “fresh, club-ready beats with nods to glossy floor fillers from the flip phone era”.

The post Zara Larsson hits out at people pitting her against Tate McRae appeared first on NME.