Jensen McRae signs with Dead Oceans and releases new single “Massachusetts”

“I don’t suffer from main character syndrome,” says McRae, “but rather from narrator syndrome.” The new single, “Massachusetts,” began as a short social media post, one of many she shared in virtually real time. It spawned numerous covers, renditions, duets and even titles—the song became known as #videogames or #christianbale by a growing number of fans who imagined finished versions—before it finally appeared as McRae’s first release on Dead Oceans.

McRae has also announced a live concert at St. Pancras Old Church in London for August 7th.

Before its release, fans sang the song to McRae in arenas where she was touring as Noah Kahan’s opening act. Although McRae was initially hesitant to do more with the song, she ultimately decided to finish it, wanting to “live up to the original impulse” without overdoing it. She’s quick to acknowledge that tension. “I’m not a perfectionist,” McRae says, “but I don’t want to release something that doesn’t feel right to me or true to what it is.” McRae eventually finished “Massachusetts” on tour, deep in that state of impermanence.