I Used to Think I Could Fly

McRae told NME in 2021 that she analysed the "structures" of albums like Frank Ocean's Blonde (2016), Billie Eilish's When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) and After Hours by the Weeknd (2020) as possible inspirations for the structure of her upcoming album. She explained to People in February 2022 that a number of her songs were "just [her] diary entries" and that when she has "ugly feelings" she writes them down.{{cite web|url=https://people.com/music/tate-mcrae-announces-debut-album-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly-out-may-27/|title=Tate McRae Announces Debut Album i used to think i could fly|work=People|last=Moore|first=Julia|date=April 1, 2022|access-date=April 2, 2022}}

McRae announced that she had finalized the track listing for the album and submitted it to her label on March 8, 2022, and she revealed the title and cover on April 1, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2022/04/01/tate-mcrae-debut-album-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly|title=Tate McRae details debut album 'i used to think i could fly'|work=DIY|date=April 1, 2022|access-date=April 2, 2022}} After the album was originally set to have 12 tracks, McRae confirmed the inclusion of the track "What's Your Problem?" when the official track list was announced on April 11, 2022, bringing the total number of tracks up to 13.{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2022/04/12/tate-mcrae-new-album-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly-track-list|title=Tate McRae reveals debut album track list|work=DIY|date=April 12, 2022|access-date=April 14, 2022}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 6.9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/13317/Tate-McRae-I-Used-To-Think-I-Could-Fly-.aspx|title=I Used To Think I Could Fly by Tate McRae reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=June 2, 2022}}

| MC = 75/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/i-used-to-think-i-could-fly/tate-mcrae|title=I Used to Think I Could Fly by Tate McRae Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = Clash

| rev2score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/tate-mcrae-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly|title=Tate McRae – I used to think I could fly|website=Clash|last=Miller|first=Isabella|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

| rev3 = DIY

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2022/02/23/tate-mcrae-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly-album-review|title=Tate McRae – I Used To Think I Could Fly|work=DIY|last=Taylor|first=Ims|date=May 25, 2022|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

| rev4 = The Independent

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/tate-mcrae-review-just-mustard-album-b2087838.html|title=Album reviews: Tate McRae – I Used To Think I Could Fly, and Just Mustard – Heart Under|work=The Independent|last=O'Connor|first=Roisin|date=May 26, 2022|access-date=May 26, 2022}}

| rev5 = The Line of Best Fit

| rev5score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/i-used-to-think-i-could-fly-tate-mcrae|title=Tate McRae – I Used To Think I Could Fly {{!}} Album Review|website=The Line of Best Fit|last=Amen|first=John|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 6.8/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tate-mcrae-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly/|title=Tate McRae: I Used to Think I Could Fly Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Brickner-Wood|first=Brady|date=June 2, 2022|access-date=June 2, 2022}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/tate-mcrae-i-used-to-think-i-could-fly-1358812/|title=Review: Tate McRae's 'I Used to Think I Could Fly'|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Kaplan|first=Ilana|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

| rev8 = The Telegraph

| rev8score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/liam-gallagher-album-review-cmon-know-def-leppard-sean-paul/|title=Tate McRae, I used to think I could fly|website=The Telegraph|last=French-Morris|first=Kate|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

}}

I Used to Think I Could Fly received generally positive reviews from critics, praising the production, lyrical content, McRae's vocal performance and maturity in content. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 75 based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Ims Taylor of DIY wrote that McRae "pulls out all the emotional stops" on the album, calling her "confiding her deepest feelings in us [...] comfortingly universal". Taylor further complimented McRae's "lush" vocals and concluded that her "arsenal of jagged pop weapons is extensive, and can be expertly wielded when she wants". John Amen wrote in The Line of Best Fit that "While McRae's previous outings may have been more complexly assembled, her new songs are more immediately accessible." He went on to conclude, "The new album is, in essence, McRae's first major step in forging a distinct pop presence." Writing for The Independent, Roisin O'Connor found there to be "angst aplenty" on the album, stating that McRae "trades in the R&B and pop punk sounds that were prevalent in the Noughties" while "emulating the hard-hitting lyrical truths of her Gen-Z peers, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo". O'Connor felt that McRae "sings like she's falling apart, but the quality of the album suggests she's got it together".

Brady Bickner-Wood from Pitchfork wrote that "even when she's singing about self-loathing, the 18-year old pop star and dancer exudes a swagger. Her full-length debut proves she's capable of transcending online virality".{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-weeknd-after-hours/|title=The Weeknd: After Hours Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Herrera|first=Isabella|date=March 24, 2020|access-date=March 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324073404/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-weeknd-after-hours/|archive-date=March 24, 2020|url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| headline = I Used to Think I Could Fly track listing

| title_width = 25%

| writing_width = 45%

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| extra_width = 30%

| title1 = ?

| writer1 = Tate McRae

| extra1 = David Cook

| length1 = 0:16

| title2 = Don't Come Back

| writer2 = {{hlist|McRae|Lavell Webb|Ryan Vojtesak|Eldra DeBarge|Etterlene DeBarge|William DeBarge|Cornell Haynes Jr.|Jason Epperson|Kaelyn Behr}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Charlie Handsome|Styalz Fuego}}

| length2 = 2:32

| title3 = I'm So Gone

| writer3 = {{hlist|McRae|Kyle Stemberger|Nikolaos Grivellas|Keegan Bach}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|KBeaZy|Stemberger}}

| length3 = 2:26

| title4 = What Would You Do?

| writer4 = {{hlist|McRae|Alexander Glantz|Charlie Puth|Blake Slatkin}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Alexander 23|Puth|Slatkin}}

| length4 = 2:46

| title5 = Chaotic

| writer5 = {{hlist|McRae|Victoria Zaro|Greg Kurstin}}

| extra5 = Kurstin

| length5 = 2:55

| title6 = Hate Myself

| writer6 = {{hlist|McRae|Zaro|Puth|Slatkin}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Puth|Slatkin}}

| length6 = 2:53

| title7 = What's Your Problem?

| writer7 = {{hlist|McRae|Jeremy Dussolliet|Jackson Foote}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|KBeaZy|Foote}}

| length7 = 2:47

| title8 = She's All I Wanna Be

| writer8 = {{hlist|McRae|Kurstin}}

| extra8 = Kurstin

| length8 = 3:27

| title9 = Boy X

| writer9 = {{hlist|McRae|Glantz}}

| extra9 = Alexander 23

| length9 = 3:46

| title10 = You're So Cool

| writer10 = {{hlist|McRae|Billy Walsh|Ali Tamposi|Louis Bell|Omer Fedi}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Bell|Cook{{ref|v|[v]}}}}

| length10 = 2:50

| title11 = Feel Like Shit

| writer11 = {{hlist|McRae|Zaro|Jacob Kasher Hindlin|Russell Chell}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Jasper Harris|Chell}}

| length11 = 3:23

| title12 = Go Away

| writer12 = {{hlist|McRae|Blake Harnage}}

| extra12 = Harnage

| length12 = 3:33

| title13 = I Still Say Goodnight

| writer13 = {{hlist|McRae|Finneas O'Connell}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Finneas|Cook{{ref|v|[v]}}}}

| length13 = 3:08

| total_length = 36:42

}}

• "?" is titled "Intro" on physical editions of the album.
• "What's Your Problem?" was not included on the original track list announcement and is not included on physical editions or digital pre-order uploads.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-used-to-think-i-could-fly/1615634288|title=i used to think i could fly by Tate McRae on Apple Music|website=Apple Music|access-date=May 8, 2022}}
• "Don't Come Back" interpolates "Ride wit Me" (2001) performed by Nelly.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2022/02/25/8-new-songs-you-need-to-hear-tate-mcrae-yves-jarvis-kanye-west-and-more.html|title=8 new songs you need to hear: Tate McRae, Yves Jarvis, Kanye West and more|website=Toronto Star|last1=Assaly|first1=Richie|last2=Grant|first2=Demar|last3=Passafiume|first3=Alessia|last4=Ejiofor|first4=Annette|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=May 27, 2022}}

Musicians

• Tate McRae – lead vocals
• Alexander 23 – background vocals, drums, guitar (4, 9); synthesizer (4); bass, keyboards, percussion, programming (9)
• Greg Kurstin – bass, drums, keyboards, piano, synthesizer (5, 8); guitar (8)
• Sean Kennedy – guitar (9)
• David Cook – background vocals (13)

Technical

{{div col}}

• Dave Kutch – mastering
• David Cook – mixing (1, 11), engineering (5, 8, 10, 11), engineering assistance (9, 12)
• Denis Kosiak – mixing (2)
• Jon Castelli – mixing (3, 4, 6)
• Mark Stent – mixing (5, 8)
• Clint Gibbs – mixing (6)
• Jeff Juliano – mixing (9, 11–13)
• Manny Marroquin – mixing (10)
• Henrique Andrade – engineering (2)
• James Keeley – engineering (2)
• Greg Kurstin – engineering (5, 8)
• Julian Burg – engineering (5, 8)
• Joey Raia – engineering (8)
• Daniel Cullen – engineering assistance (2)
• Ingmar Carlson – engineering assistance (3, 4, 6)
• Ryan Nasci – engineering assistance (3, 4, 6)
• Matt Wolach – engineering assistance (5, 8)
• Eric Kirkland – engineering assistance (9, 12)
• Chris Galland – engineering assistance (10)
• Jeremie Inhaber – engineering assistance (10)
• Robin Florent – engineering assistance (10)

{{div col end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for I Used to Think I Could Fly}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Tate McRae|title=I Used to Think I Could Fly|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|access-date=November 25, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Tate McRae|title=I Used to Think I Could Fly|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=December 20, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|artist=Tate McRae|title=I Used to Think I Could Fly|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2022|certyear=2025|source=artist|access-date=February 16, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Tate McRae|title=I Used to Think I Could Fly|award=Silver|id=20348-5406-2|type=album|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|access-date=September 20, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|2649701|Tate McRae – I Used To Think I Could Fly}}

{{Tate McRae}}

Category:2022 debut albums

Category:Albums produced by Blake Slatkin

Category:Albums produced by Finneas O'Connell

Category:Albums produced by Greg Kurstin

Category:RCA Records albums

Category:Tate McRae albums