Like I do

"Like I do" is a sharp, psychological dissection of the "copycat" phenomenon and toxic female friendship. At its core, the song explores the uncomfortable and often dangerous line between admiration and obsession. Tate McRae addresses a person in her life—likely a peer or a "frenemy"—who has crossed the boundary from being influenced by her to actively trying to become her.

The lyrics suggest a dynamic often referred to as "Single White Female" syndrome (a reference to the 1992 film), where jealousy manifests as mimicry. The narrator feels suffocated ("ten fingers 'round my neck") by this person's intense focus. The song delves into the specific anxieties of having one's identity strip-mined; the copycat isn't just stealing fashion tips, but targeting the narrator's romantic relationships ("eyein' down on my man") and life trajectory ("my plans").

There is also a complex layer of ambiguity regarding the copycat's intent. The line "I can't tell if you wanna kill me or if you wanna kiss me" highlights the proximity of extreme jealousy to desire. It suggests that the obsession is so consuming it could flip between destruction and adoration in an instant. McRae ultimately reclaims her power by asserting that no matter how hard this person tries, they can never truly replicate her essence—they can do what she does, but never like she does.

The story begins with a suffocating realization: the narrator feels the constant, phantom pressure of someone's influence, likened to ten fingers wrapped around their neck at all times. This isn't a physical attack, but a mental one—an awareness that this other person is thinking about them incessantly, perhaps even more than they think about their own life. The narrator admits they initially brushed off these red flags until a recent encounter revealed the undeniable truth.

As the narrative unfolds, the observer notices the copycat's wandering eyes scanning everything that belongs to the narrator—their partner, their wardrobe, and their future plans. It becomes clear that this "friend" is secretly praying for the narrator's failure while outwardly pretending to be supportive. The trust is completely shattered, replaced by a cold suspicion that the other person's motives are entirely self-serving.

The chorus confronts the imitator directly, stripping away the pretense of friendship. The narrator accuses them of not actually wanting to know them, but simply wanting to be them. They call out the desperate attempts to read their mind and mimic their behavior, challenging them to try and replicate an authenticity that cannot be copied. The song creates a chilling picture of identity theft, where the imitator is "friends" with people they privately trash-talk, painting a false public image while secretly harboring deep envy.

The tension peaks in a spoken confession where the narrator addresses the confusion in their gut—a weird feeling that blurs the line between danger and desire. They candidly wonder if this person wants to "kill" them or "kiss" them, acknowledging the flattering yet deeply disturbing nature of such intense obsession before finally demanding that they stay the hell away.

"Like I do" was released on February 21, 2025, as the tenth track on Tate McRae's third studio album, So Close To What. The song was co-written by Tate McRae and her frequent collaborator and producer Grant Boutin, who also handled the song's production. Boutin has been a key architect of McRae's evolving sound, helping her transition from sad-girl ballads to more rhythmic, pop-R&B focused tracks.

The creation of the song marked a sonic shift for McRae, moving towards a darker, mid-tempo R&B sound that drew comparisons to artists like SZA. In the context of the album, it serves as a moment of confrontation and boundary-setting amidst songs about heartbreak and self-discovery. Critics and fans noted the track for its specific vocal delivery—using a lower register and a rapid-fire flow—and the inclusion of a candid spoken-word interlude, which adds a raw, diary-entry quality to the recording.

The song follows a rhythmic structure that mimics the flow of conversation and confrontation. The rhyme scheme in the verses is often AABB or ABAB but is delivered with a loose, flexible meter that prioritizes the natural cadence of speech over strict poetic feet. For example, the rhymes "neck/life" and "last/plans" rely on slant rhymes (assonance) rather than perfect rhymes, which contributes to the song's modern, casual feel.

Rhythmically, the chorus is the anchor. The repetition of the monosyllabic phrase "Like / I / do" creates a staccato, punchy hook that contrasts with the more fluid, rapid delivery of the verses. This rhythmic shift helps the title phrase land with more authority and dismissiveness.

Musical Techniques: The track is built on a minimal, mid-tempo beat that leans heavily into contemporary R&B. The production uses deep bass and sparse percussion to create a moody, nocturnal atmosphere. McRae employs a distinct vocal style here, utilizing a rapid, rhythmic flow in the verses that borders on "sing-rapping," reminiscent of the talk-singing style popularized by artists like SZA and Doja Cat. The bridge features a spoken-word section (voice memo style), a technique McRae uses to break the fourth wall and make the lyrics feel like a confidential conversation with the listener.

Literary Techniques: The lyrics use hyperbole ("think 'bout me ten times more than even your own life") to emphasize the severity of the obsession. The chorus relies on epistrophe and repetition ("what I do / what I do / like I do") to drive home the central taunt—that the imitation is repetitive and hollow. The line "kill me or kiss me" utilizes juxtaposition to highlight the confusing, contradictory nature of the antagonist's behavior.

Upon its release in early 2025, "Like I do" was highlighted by critics and fans as a standout track on So Close To What for its departure from McRae's typical pop-rock sound into smoother R&B territory. The song resonated on social media platforms like TikTok, where users utilized the "kill me or kiss me" audio snippet to describe toxic friendships and "frenemy" situations. It cemented McRae's ability to tackle darker, more mature interpersonal themes beyond romantic heartbreak, drawing favorable comparisons to the lyrical vulnerability of SZA's SOS era.

The lyrics rely heavily on somatic imagery to convey the feeling of being watched and mimicked.

• "Ten fingers 'round my neck": This is the central metaphor of the song. It represents the suffocating nature of the antagonist's obsession. It suggests that even when the person isn't physically present, their "grip" is felt, restricting the narrator's freedom and comfort.
• "Kill me or kiss me": This dichotomy symbolizes the confusing intensity of the obsession. It touches on the psychological concept that love and hate are not opposites but rather two sides of the same intense passion. The narrator recognizes that the copycat's fixation is a form of distorted intimacy.
• "Paint to the public": A metaphor for the curated, false persona the antagonist presents to the world. It contrasts the colorful, perfect image they display with the dark, envious reality of their private thoughts.
• "Switch places": This phrase encapsulates the ultimate goal of the copycat—not just to be like the narrator, but to usurp their position entirely.

The titular phrase "Like I do" is the central motif, repeated at the end of the chorus lines. It acts as a signature or a watermark—asserting that while the actions can be copied, the style and essence cannot. The phrase "do what I do" is paired with it, creating a call-and-response effect between the copycat's action and the narrator's authentic execution.

Another recurring element is the concept of "trust"—specifically the lack thereof ("I don't trust you, not at all"). This refrain serves as the emotional baseline of the song, grounding the anger and annoyance in a fundamental lack of safety.