The collab no one saw coming, and the one fans are already divided over.

Earlier this week, Tate McRae sent fans into a frenzy after teasing what appears to be a new collaboration with country superstar Morgan Wallen. On Tuesday (April 15), the "Greedy" singer posted an Instagram Story featuring an unmistakable orange Tennessee Volunteers jersey with the initials "T8" and "MW." Eagle-eyed fans believe it's a subtle nod to herself and Wallen.

The Easter egg immediately lit up social media, with Wallen's fans hyped over the possibility of the genre-bending superstar tapping pop princess as his first-ever female duet partner. But not everyone was thrilled.

Pop fans quickly flooded McRae's comment section, calling the move "tone-deaf" and questioning why she would align herself with Wallen –  who has remained a polarizing figure in the music world ever since a 2021 video surfaced of him using a racial slur. 

While the country community has largely embraced his comeback and even crowned him CMA Entertainer of the Year, critics argue that the controversy hasn't truly gone away.

"Please don't do this, Tate," one fan pleaded. "This could seriously hurt your career."

Others echoed the same sentiment, asking if her team had considered the blowback of associating with someone whose track record still sparks outrage.

Despite the pushback, all signs are pointing to McRae being the mystery duet partner Wallen teased just last week. After confirming his upcoming album I'm The Problem, slated to be released on May 16, Wallen revealed that it would include his first-ever female collab. 

As of right now, he insists no one has guessed it correctly. But now fans are convinced he's just playing coy to stir the pot, especially after McRae dropped her not-so-subtle clue. While the potential pairing has sparked debate, there's a history between the two. Wallen previously reposted McRae's viral TikTok cover of "I Had Some Help," the two follow each other on social media. When McRae performed in Nashville last year, she even declared her love for country music before bringing out rising star Megan Moroney to sing "Tennessee Orange."

Funny how everyone is attacking Tate McRae for doing a feature with Morgan Wallen and yet when him and Post Malone did, no one had that same energy. 🧐

— Preston Foster (@P_Foster24) April 16, 2025

With genre crossovers becoming more common and Wallen known for dabbling in everything from R&B to trap, this collaboration may not be so out of left field musically. 

Meanwhile, Wallen isn't slowing down. He just announced a new song with Post Malone, "I Ain't Comin' Back," dropping this Friday (April 18). It follows their smash hit "I Had Some Help," which spent multiple weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. 

Fans will be watching closely to see how this plays out. Will McRae go through with it? Will Morgan finally confirm? Or is this all just a carefully orchestrated fake-out? Either way, pop and country fans alike are holding their breath for very different reasons.

Photo Credit: @morganwallen/ @tatemcrae on Instagram.