Morgan Wallen & Tate McRae, What I Want | Dazzling Duets

In the second edition of Dazzling Duets (2025), Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae collaborate on “What I Want.” 

Sometimes, two is better than one! That is the case when it comes to Dazzling Duets! On Dazzling Duets, we highlight ear-catching songs performed by two artists collaborating. These duets can be from any musical style, making Dazzling Duets a flexible, versatile column on The Musical Hype. In the second edition of Dazzling Duets (2025), Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae collaborate on “What I Want”. Let the dazzle begin!

“She said, ‘You don’t want this heart, boy, it’s already broke’ / Told me everything she touch just goes up in smoke.” Ooh-wee, Morgan Wallen.  The Grammy-nominated country singer/songwriter continues in the chorus of “What I Want”, “Only stay a couple nights, then she gon’ be gone / I said, ‘Baby, you should know that’s what I want.” “What I Want” is the fourth track on I’m The Problem, Wallen’s 2025, nearly two-hour-long fourth studio album. The good news is this collaboration with pop star, Tate McRae, only lasts three minutes and ¢hange. Wallen and McRae co-wrote “What I Want” alongside John Byron, Jacob Kasher, Charlie Handsome, and Joe Reeves. Handsome and Joey Moi produced. Notably, this duet ‘ate’ on the pop charts. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Musically, “What I Want” has some country music cues, but it doesn’t commit to a traditionalist’s brand of country.  There is a modern aesthetic and vibe. As excerpted earlier, Morgan Wallen commences by singing with the chorus as well as the post-chorus (“That’s what I want, that’s what I want…”). He follows up with a twang-heavy first verse and pre-chorus, even though “Want” has ample pop cues. Matters of the heart drive the narrative: “Nah, you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no exes that’s crazy / I got ‘em too, you know I do.” The most overt pop cues show up during the second chorus, where we first hear Tate McRae. McRae gets her own verse (verse two), where she sings in her lower-mid register. “There are no hard feelings if you only wanna act like lovers do / For a night or two,” she sings, adding, “And sometimes in the mornin’, go back to bein’ someone you never knew.” Right before the third chorus, McRae brings more energy, ascending to her high register. Once more, in the third chorus, Wallen and McRae sing together with greater energy than before. After reaching a fever pitch of ‘want’ in the final post-chorus, “What I Want” winds down. An entertaining country-pop duet, this is not your grandfather’s country duet. This is 2025 country music through and through.