No joke: Canadian singer Tate McRae shocked by quick rise as fans faint at Sydney show

With her breakthrough hit on high rotation, Canadian singer Tate McRae sold out her first Australian tour in four minutes. And she had fans fainting — literally — in the aisles.

Canadian star Tate McRae has sold out the iconic Enmore Theatre, fans fainted in the audience, and her breakthrough hit is on high rotation on Aussie radio.

Yet, it is hard for the teenager to fathom her quick rise.

“I didn’t even know people in Australia knew who I was,” McRae told The Daily Telegraph. “During the pandemic I couldn’t leave the house and so it all felt like a bit of a prank to me that my music was taking off … so to hear it on the radio here is crazy.”

McRae’s first ever Australian tour sold out in just four minutes and her breakthrough hit, You Broke Me First, from her debut album, I Used To Think I Could Fly, is one of the biggest songs of the year.

Pictured at Sony Music in Sydney is Canadian singer and dancer Tate McRae who is currently in Australia on tour. Picture: Richard Dobson

Australian fans most definitely know who McRae is.

“Honestly I feel really lucky,” she said. “I feel very grateful to be travelling at my age and seeing the world. This is my first ever world tour and every single one of them (shows) has been sold out, which shocks me that people want to show up and come to my shows. They know all the words, they are so loud and it has been a really surreal experience. I am genuinely shocked.”

You Broke Me First was released in 2020 in the first year of the pandemic. Despite not being able to travel, the heartfelt lyrics resonated with fans globally and saw McRae amass millions of followers on social media.

US star Tate McRae on stage at the Enmore Theatre on Sunday. Fans fainted in the crowd as Tate hands out bottles of water. Supplied

She also features on Troye Sivan’s global hit, You, and will later this year support Shawn Mendes on his world tour.

On Sunday, at her Enmore Theatre Sydney show, McRae, 19, stopped mid-performance as numerous fans fainted in the crowd.

Billie Eilish was praised similarly for stopping mid show in the wake of the Travis Scott fatal crowd surge incident at the Astroworld festival in November.

“I never remember going to concerts and people fainting but for some reason since the pandemic, it has been crazy,” she said. “Every show you have to make sure people are okay and they are safe and healthy. You have to make sure they are doing okay just like you.”