: The lyrics confront an ex-partner who returns six months after a breakup, attempting to crawl back into a relationship they previously ignored.
"you broke me first" is the global breakout single by Canadian artist Tate McRae , released on April 17, 2020. The song is a mid-tempo, downtempo indie-pop and bedroom-pop track with trap influences, serving as the lead single from her second EP, Too Young to Be Sad . It became a massive viral hit on TikTok, accumulating over one million video uses and eventually surpassing 2.5 billion streams. Song Meaning and Inspiration Tate McRae - you broke me first
: The song was written in a single session with producer Blake Harnage and Victoria Zaro, drawing from multiple real-life experiences of friends and past "situationships". Music Video Production : The lyrics confront an ex-partner who returns
Despite its raw emotional depth, McRae wrote the song at age 16 before she had ever experienced major heartbreak. It became a massive viral hit on TikTok,
: It captures the sad but empowering feeling of acknowledging how much someone meant to you while refusing to let them back into your life because they "broke you first".
Filmed in Calgary during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, the official music video is known for its extreme minimalism and DIY approach. Tate McRae – you broke me first Lyrics - Genius