# Sports Car (song)

"Sports Car" is a song by Canadian singer Tate McRae. It was released on January 24, 2025, as the third single from her third studio album So Close to What. The song was co-written with Julia Michaels, Grant Boutin and Ryan Tedder, and produced by the latter two.

## Background

McRae announced the release of her third studio album, So Close to What, on November 14, 2024. An earlier version of the album, including a demo of "Sports Car", eventually leaked on January 16, 2025. McRae announced "Sports Car" as the third single on January 20 and shared a teaser from the music video, captioning it as part of what was "forgotten" to be leaked. The song debuted at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming her second highest chart debut behind "It's OK I'm OK".
In an interview, McRae revealed that "Sports Car" was "such a fun song to write" with the intention to capture the "adrenaline of love, sex, and the excitement of it all". She used "sports car" as a metaphor for the feeling of love and revealed that they referenced the American hip hop duo Ying Yang Twins with the whispery chorus.

## Critical reception

"Sports Car" received acclaim from music critics. George Griffiths of the Official Charts Company thought that "Sports Car" was a "stuttering, hip-hop influenced crunk tune", characterized by "breathy melodies" as well as a prominent and addictive "spoken-word" chorus. Griffiths compared the song to tracks from In the Zone (2003) by Britney Spears. Likewise, Aaron Williams at Uproxx thought "Sports Car" was reminiscent of Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U" (2001) and The Pussycat Dolls' "Buttons" (2006) and called it a continuation of the previous single "2 Hands" (2024). Nicole Collins of The Telegraph agreed with the reference, saying that it "feels like an ode to the peak Pussycat Dolls era of sweaty, sexy club tracks built on intoxicating beats." Similarly, Sam Franzini, writing for The Line of Best Fit, perceived in the track "a mix of Nelly Furtado and Timbaland’s early-aughts output by way of 'Buttons' by The Pussycat Dolls – and it’s gripping." Nick Levine of NME concluded that Pussycat Dolls and "Buttons" were clear references for the track. Paper magazine said “it’s got everything a sultry banger needs” referencing the tracks “darkly toned synths, whispered hook and a thumping beat throughout that’s perfect for McRae’s dedication to modern choreography.”

## Music video

The music video was released alongside the single on January 24, 2025, and was directed by Bardia Zeinali of Vogue. It features the singer posing in front of a mirror, wearing twelve outfits, transforming her from a "girl crush" to a "pop star". The outfits include a range of styles, including "archival pulls" and "current ready-to-wear pieces". In the video, a shadowy figure activates a "1970s peep show" as McRae enters the show booth and dances "seductively" with multiple outfit changes. The singer revealed that the cheetah print corset designed by Roberto Cavalli was her favorite wardrobe amongst the set.

## Release history

"Sports Car" release history :
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
| Various | January 24, 2025 | Digital downloadstreaming | RCA |
| United States | January 24, 2025 | Contemporary hit radio | RCA |
| Italy | January 31, 2025 | Radio airplay | Sony |