“you broke me first” finds Tate confronting an ex who’s returned and wants to rekindle their painful relationship.

The song initially released on McRae’s YouTube channel on April 12, 2020, with piano instrumentals only. On the official release five days later, drums, backing vocals, and other instruments were added to the production. Some melodies were changed between Tate’s first and official versions.

In an interview with outnowmagazine, Tate talked about the importance of the song:

‘You broke me first’ is a really special song to me. This song is about someone in a relationship who couldn’t care less for the other person and then 6 months later decides to crawl back. It’s the feeling of knowing how much they meant to you, but this time not letting them back in. I hope everyone can connect to this song like I do.