Canadian pop star Tate McRae, 22, is facing backlash over her appearance in an ad promoting Team USA ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy.
In the ad, the Calgary-born singer is seen asking an owl for directions to Italy, then mentions only Team USA athletes before throwing in a line about the Super Bowl.
Following its release, commentators questioned why she would appear in content supporting American athletes over her native country.
The Nobody’s Girl singer responded to critics in an Instagram post, sharing a photo of herself as a small child waving a Canadian flag with the caption, “y’all know I’m Canada down.”
But her response didn’t seem to ease disappointment among some Instagram commenters, who shared their thoughts about the ad online.
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“What in the treason is this Tate?” a person said.
“The absolute ick every Canadian just felt. In 2026… what were you and your team thinking?” one user commented.
“Arguably the most Alberta move imaginable,” another response reads.
Others were less critical of the ad, noting that McRae had spent some time living in the U.S. Some pointed out her age.
“Let’s remember that this young woman is only 22 years old. She’s been living in California for the past five years, and it’s natural for her to make mistakes,” a comment reads.
“Love this!! Get that bag girl…. Who cares how you get a payday!! Love it,” another comment says.
In recent weeks, McRae’s home province of Alberta has seen growing calls from separatists to secede from Canada and join the U.S.
(McRae has not publicly commented on the separatist push in Alberta.)
Last month, one of the leaders of the Alberta separatist movement, Jeffrey Rath, said on social media that he looks forward to “meeting with US Treasury officials next month to discuss our feasibility study regarding a 500 billion USD line of credit to support the transition to a free and independent Alberta.”
In January, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also appeared to throw his support behind the Alberta separatist movement when he said the province’s vast oil reserves make it “a natural partner for the U.S.”
Similarly, U.S. President Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire for Canada to become the 51st state, which he has mentioned repeatedly.
“Albertans are very independent people,” Bessent said. “People are talking. People want sovereignty. They want what the U.S. has got.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week that he expects the U.S. administration to “respect Canadian sovereignty,” adding that he was “always clear with President Trump to that effect.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith echoed Carney’s sentiments, saying she expected U.S. leaders to leave discussions about Alberta’s “democratic process” to Albertans and Canadians.
McRae grew up as a dancer in Calgary before breaking out as a pop star with the viral success of her song One Day, which has more than 40 million views on YouTube.
Her 2020 hit You Broke Me First established her as a prominent musician and performer.
— With files from Global News’ Ken MacGillivray
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
