“I just want to make a lot of money, be my own housewife” is most-likely the part of Tate McRaeʼs new single that you have heard all over your feed and like me, is probably stuck in your head.
Viral TikTok videos and Instagram reels are featuring this part of the song with motivating and inspiring content along with it, such as text which says “housewife is for the academic girlies”, “studying because Tate said” or “housewife is for the girls who never want to financially depend on a man”. Tate also delivered a show-stopping debut performance for her new single at the recent Victoria Secret Fashion Show creating a pop cultural moment that exploded on our feeds the next morning.
But why is her new single so culturally important in todayʼs world?
As you may know and have either seen or studied, the manosphere is only growing with content online fuelled with ‘red-pillʼ ideologies which reinforce traditional stereotypes of men and women, highlighting misogynistic views and resistance to initiatives to combat gender inequality. Louie Theroux has recently released a documentary on Netflix called ‘Inside the Manosphereʼ which
addresses these issues and includes famous “red-pill” influencers, like HSTikkyTokky.
Also prevalent online is the debate of ‘tradwivesʼ (a traditional wife) whereby female influencers such as Hannah Neelman share content which is surrounded by 1950s style domestic iconography, featuring slow-living, baking home-made sourdough and wearing vintage attire while the husband upholds the male breadwinner structure of the family.
Tate McRaeʼs new single ‘housewifeʼ despite the juxtaposing name, centres around the empowering idea of being your own housewife whereby you are your own financial provider where you can “go into your garden and pick your money off your tree”.
The hit single symbolises self-made independence in a world where the media is trying to demean womenʼs ability to do so. This theme is especially important for Tateʼs young female demographic as it enables a contrast to the rise of the stereotypical, misogynistic and patriarchal views in society today.
What is also an important theme within the song is the idea that a man is not something you “need”, it is a “want” and as Tate states, “…and thatʼs my favourite thing”. Here, we are moving away from the traditional ideology that a man should be something you should strive for and “need” in your life as a woman, and instead highlights how a relationship should something you “want”, championing
the idea of choice as a woman today.
This theme reflects the current discourse around relationships such as the viral Vogue article by Chante Joseph last year whereby she discussed the idea that “having a boyfriend is embarrassing”, illustrating that for the first time in history, women are able to provide for themselves and not depend on a man financially and how womanhood is now longer tied to having a boyfriend as an ‘achievementʼ. This way, having a boyfriend is therefore an added bonus in a womanʼs life, thus does not define your own womanhood.
Overall, Tate Mcraeʼs new single ‘housewifeʼ is an important cultural item in todayʼs society whereby debates around women and their positions in society are increasingly heightened. Themes of women empowerment and music artists like Tate McRae are therefore essential for being a role-model for younger women who have access to media in this postmodern society.
So, whoʼs ready to ‘make a lot of money and be their own housewife?
