Tate McRae vs. ETHAN | Head 2 Head

In the 43rd edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Tate McRae and ETHAN contend for the best rendition of “she’s all I wanna be” / “he’s all I wanna be.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song and compare their performances.  After deliberating, we render a verdict on which performance was the best, or, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 43^rd edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Tate McRae and ETHAN contend for the best rendition of “she’s all I wanna be” / “he’s all I wanna be”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Tate McRae, “she’s all I wanna be”

used to think I could fly // RCA // 2022

“Stupid boy making me so sad / Didn’t think you could change this fast / She’s got everything that I don’t have / How could I ever compete with that?” Woo! Gen-Z pop star Tate McRae had a surefire hit on her hands with “she’s all I wanna be” which appeared on her 2022 debut album,  I used to think I could fly.  Just as the lyrics from the excerpted chorus suggest, this is a song that EVERYBODY can relate to at some point in their lives.

McRae collaborates with a pop master,  Greg Kurstin. As always, the songwriter/producer puts together an excellent musical backdrop for his client.  I love the driving, rhythmic guitars, which give this record a nice mix of pop/rock. As for McRae, she has a nice tone, which easily rides that pop/rock backdrop. She never over- nor under-sings, delivering a well-rounded performance all said and done.  Returning the focus to the theme, she paints a picture of being envious of what other girls have that she doesn’t. These other girls woo these stupid boys, and she finds herself heartbroken.  Bummer! While this experience is personalized for her, it applies to any and everyone.  The best moment of the song is the chorus – the clear centerpiece. “She’s all I wanna be” is a catchy, fun, relatable, and well-rounded 2020s pop song.

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: February 2022
• 13 Songs You Don’t WANNA Miss (2023)

2. ETHAN, “he’s all I wanna be”

“he’s all I wanna be” // ETHAN // 2022

“He’ll wear his tight black singlet / With all his friends around.” Oh, snap! Hmm, funny, ETHAN, I don’t recall that lyric appearing in “She’s all I wanna be” by Tate McRae. That’s because that lyric appears in the Australia-based (New Zealand-bred) musician’s 2022 cover, “he’s all I wanna be”.  ETHAN changes the pronouns to ‘he’ throughout “he’s all I wanna be” providing a refreshing, queerer perspective.  The handsome and talented musician is openly gay, contributing ample bops to the queer music collection.

Changing pronouns and making male-specific lyrical adjustments is a big draw on “he’s all I wanna be.” ETHAN envies the boy with the boy who is the object of his affection, or something like that… The chorus, the most tuneful section of the original and the cover, sums up the love pain:

“Stupid boy making me so sad

Didn’t think you could change this fast

He’s got everything that I don’t have

How could I ever compete with that?

I know you’ll go and change your mind

Oen day wake up and be bored with mine

He’s got everything that I don’t have

And he’s all I wanna be, all I wanna be so bad…” 

Despite his feelings for this “Stupid boy,” ETHAN doesn’t let it stop him from kicking ass and taking names.  How does he do that? He serves up brilliant vocals. His runs are lovely, while his falsetto is ripe and warm.  He’s at his best on the centerpiece, the pop/rock-infused chorus, crying foul about that ole boy! “He’s all I wanna be” is the sugar honey iced tea.

Appears in 🔻:

• ETHAN, he’s all I wanna be: Covers No. 42 (2024)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

Who delivers the best rendition of “she’s all I wanna be” / “He’s all I wanna be”? Is it the original, female-driven version by Tate McRae or the male-driven, queerer rendition by ETHAN?  First and foremost, you can’t go wrong with either take.  Tate McRae made a Gen-Z pop song that multiple generations can relate to.  On the other hand, ETHAN gave the LGBTQ community, specifically gay and bisexual men, an even more relatable, flavorful take.  Both ‘put it work.’  But, can we deny the original, which is one of the best songs of Tate McRae’s young career? The original gets the edge. Still, that line about him wearing “his tight black singlet” – hot 🥵, ETHAN 😮‍💨!

Tate McRae vs. ETHAN: Head 2 Head No. 43 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; ETHAN, RCA; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]