A recent NBC Olympics advertisement starring Canadian singer Tate McRae sparked immediate criticism following its release by McRae and NBC. The ad depicts McRae seeking assistance from an owl on a snowy mountain to reach Milan for the opening ceremony and meet Team USA, not Team Canada. She highlights America’s top skating talents and Lindsey Vonn’s remarkable return before mentioning the Super Bowl 60 back in the States. The advertisement also showcases McRae’s new single, “Nobody’s Girl.”
Social media was flooded with disappointment from Canadians, expressing their dismay at McRae, a Calgary native, endorsing the American team shortly after being announced as a top nominee at the upcoming Juno Awards alongside Justin Bieber. Toronto-based sports content creator Jordan Cicchelli shared their feelings on the matter, lamenting McRae’s involvement with NBC and Team USA.
Independent media outlet Made in Canada also questioned McRae’s decision to support Team USA in a post on their platform. In response to the backlash, McRae shared a childhood photo of herself holding a Canadian flag on her Instagram story, affirming her allegiance to Canada.
Virgin Radio Toronto’s TikTok account featured hosts Daryn Jones and Deepa Prashad discussing the ad, pondering why McRae was celebrating American athletes instead of Canadian pride, given that the Olympics were held in her hometown of Calgary. Some fans, however, viewed this as a positive career move for the singer.
CBC Music has contacted McRae’s team for a statement on the matter. This incident echoes a similar reaction in November when British pop star Dua Lipa appeared in another NBC Olympics ad promoting American athletes.