A recent NBC Olympics advertisement showcasing Canadian pop artist Tate McRae faced immediate criticism following its release by both the singer and NBC on Wednesday. The ad depicts McRae on a snowy mountain seeking help from an owl to travel to Milan for the opening ceremony to meet Team USA rather than Team Canada. She highlights America’s top skating talent vying for gold and Lindsey Vonn’s return before mentioning the Super Bowl 60 back in the States. The ad also features McRae’s latest single, “Nobody’s Girl.”
Social media erupted with disappointment from Canadians over McRae, a native of Calgary, promoting the American team shortly after being named a leading nominee at this year’s Juno Awards alongside Justin Bieber. Fans expressed their discontent online, with Toronto-based sports content creator Jordan Cicchelli sharing his mixed feelings about the situation. Made in Canada, an independent media company, also questioned McRae’s decision to support Team USA.
In response to the backlash, McRae took to Instagram to share a childhood photo of herself holding a Canadian flag, affirming her allegiance to her home country. The controversy was further discussed on Virgin Radio Toronto’s TikTok account, where hosts Daryn Jones and Deepa Prashad pondered the ad’s message and the absence of national pride from McRae, who hails from Calgary.
While some fans viewed the ad as a positive career move for McRae, others raised concerns about her allegiance. The situation drew parallels to a previous incident involving British pop star Dua Lipa appearing in an NBC Olympics ad that focused on American athletes. CBC Music reached out to McRae’s team for comments on the matter.