Are Tate McRae's 'Tit For Tat' lyrics about The Kid Laroi? The savage meaning explained
26 September 2025, 09:27 | Updated: 26 September 2025, 10:59
'Tit For Tat' is Tate McRae's first single since breaking up form The Kid Laroi and the lyrics are brutal.
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Tate McRae's new single appears to be a The Kid Laroi kiss-off anthem and her 'Tit For Tat' lyrics do not hold back.
On September 24th, Tate McRae surprised fans by announcing a brand new single called 'Tit For Tat'. Outside of her hit single, 'Just Keep Watching', this marks Tate's first release since So Close to What in February. Not only that but it's the first song Tate's released since she broke up with The Kid Laroi after a year of dating each other.
Since Tate and The Kid Laroi ended things, The Kid Laroi has referenced their split in his single 'A Cold Play'. Now, Tate seems to be clapping back with a song of her own. What are Tate's 'Tit For Tat' lyrics actually about though? Scroll down to find out the song's savage meaning and what Tate has said about the song.
Tate McRae prepares for The VMAs red carpet
What does 'Tit For Tat' mean?
'Tit For Tat' is a British phrase that means retaliating with insult or injury. In the case of Tate's new song, she's literally going tit for tat with her ex by appearing to release a song in response to 'A Cold Play'. She's also making clear that if he keeps releasing music about her, she will make sure to tell her side of the story and put him in his place.
In the chorus, Tate sings: Thought I might love you again, see how I feel / Now that you're acting like that, boy I never will. She then appears to reference her ex having a new flame by adding: Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal / Right now, I'm not even about you.
Tate then calls out her ex for not being who she thought he was: The day I met you, boy, I thought it was a blessing / In the heat of it, I always took your side / It's a shame you're out here trying to make it messy / Wow, you're messy, damn.
Tate McRae - TIT FOR TAT (Official Audio)
Is 'Tit For Tat' about The Kid Laroi?
Based on further lyrics, fans believe that Tate is singing about The Kid Laroi. Seemingly referencing 'A Cold Play', she adds: Let's go song for song, let's go back to back / Let's go tit for tat, boy, you asked for that / That's the best you got, where's the good one at? And I oop.
On top of that, in 'A Cold Play', The Kid Laroi sings: Fix you, fix you, fix you, wish I could. Meanwhile, Tate sings: Fix your f---ing self, kiss my a-- for that in 'Tit For Tat'.
It's also the first song that Tate has stylised in capitals and The Kid Laroi famously styles his songs in capitals.
As it stands, Tate is yet to open up about the meaning of the song. However, she did taking to her Instagram stories on release night to reveal that she wrote the single "two weeks ago" in Nashville. She added: "finding inspiration everywhere I go".
Based on the timeline, it's possible that she wrote 'Tit For That' as a direct responds to 'A Cold Play'.
Tate McRae - 'Tit For Tat' lyrics
INTRO
Thought I might love you again, I'll see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, boy I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm not even about you
CHORUS
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm even about you
VERSE 1
The day I met you, boy, I thought it was a blessing
In the heat of it, I always took your side
It's a shame you're out here trying to make it messy
Wow, you're messy, damn
We were good I thought we made it through the ending
I was hearing s--- I thought you'd never say
Could have picked it up exactly where we left it
Took our future off your plate
PRE-CHORUS
Let's go song for song, let's go back to back
Let's go tit for tat, boy, you asked for that
That's the best you got, where's the good one at?
I was never as far away as you thought
CHORUS
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm even about you
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm even about you
VERSE 2
I was nothing but respectful, and you know that
Why you changing up the narrative to write?
No, I can't do this, you're making me do this
If you want to fight
PRE-CHORUS
Let's go song for song, let's go back to back
Fix your f---ing self, kiss my a-- for that
That's the best you got, where's the good one at?
Should've known you'd be the type to change
CHORUS
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm even about you
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm even about you
BRIDGE
That looks like it really hurts
That bruise on your ego
I know that it makes it worse
It had to be me, though
CHORUS
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm—
Thought I might love you again, see how I feel
Now that you're acting like that, I never will
Last night, she answered my call, it sealed the deal
Right now, I'm partying without you
OUTRO
Thought I might love you again
Now that you're acting like that
I'm partying without you
Last night, she answered my call
I'm partying without you
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