The USA men’s Olympic hockey team thrilled the country Sunday, winning the first United States Olympic gold medal in the sport since the legendary “Miracle on Ice” victory in 1980. The dramatic win came in overtime, on a sudden-death goal by Jack Hughes, the 24-year-old who was the No. 1 overall NHL draft pick in 2019 by the New Jersey Devils.
As Hughes suddenly skyrocketed to Olympic hero status, rumors swirled that he is now dating pop star Tate McRae. Hughes is 24 years old. McRae is 22. As he returns to the Devils to resume the NHL season, Hughes is likely to face heightened public curiosity about his personal life.
So who is Tate McRae? Here’s what you need to know about the chart-topping singer and dancer.
Tate McRae is Canadian
While McRae has not confirmed that she is dating Hughes, she has not denied the relationship either. This raised the question of who she was rooting for when Team USA faced Team Canada in the men’s hockey gold medal game Sunday.
Hughes is obviously American, but his rumored girlfriend hails from Calgary, Canada.
“I’m so honored to be a Canadian. I think some of the greatest artists of all time have come out of Canada, and it’s always such an honor to be put on lists beside them or talked about in the same conversation as them,” McRae said in a 2024 interview with GQ Magazine. “Some of my favorite artists are all from Toronto or my area, and it’s really cool to watch.”
McRae Started Dance Lessons at Age 6
McRae may be best known as a vocalist, but for much of her upbringing she concentrated on dance, an activity she began with lessons at age 6 — which quickly became the focus of her life.
“I think I tried soccer for a couple months, but dancing was the one that I fell in love with. I ended up training 30 hours a week in dance. I didn’t really have time for other hobbies,” she told GQ.
She Got Her Big Break on ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’
McRae’s dedication to dancing paid off when she appeared on the long-running Fox Network competition reality show, So You Think You Can Dance?. She was just 13 years old when she took part in Season 13 of the show, which reached 18 seasons in 2024 — though the status of a 19th season remains unclear.
In Season 13, the show featured a format in which all contestants were kids, from age 8 to age 13. McRae took third place for the season, bringing her to nationwide attention in the U.S.
Her YouTube Channel Got McRae a Recording Contract
Born on July 1, 2003, from a young age, McRae divided her attention between dance and singing/songwriting. She posted her first video on YouTube when she was only 7.
At age 15, she started a YouTube channel which she dubbed “Create With Tate.” With a view count in the millions, the channel and her subsequent independent music releases caught the attention of RCA Records. The label signed the then-16-year-old McRae to a recording contract in 2019.
Her Infamous ‘It’s Ok I’m Ok’ Video Appeared to Show Her Nude
In 2025, McRae released her single “It’s Ok I’m Ok,” but it was the accompanying video that got her far more attention than the song itself — because McRae apparently appears nude in the music video.
The video contains scenes that are tastefully blurred in which McRae walks through city streets unclothed in public, until she is “arrested” by police. In reality, however, McRae did not film the video nude. Instead, she wore flesh-toned undergarments which were not visible through the blurring.
Nonetheless, the video drew backlash with fans online questioning why McRae felt the need to make such a suggestive video, knowing that many of her fans are young kids.
Tate McRae, Jack Hughes’ Rumored Girlfriend: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know