Thank you to Universal Music Group and 1824 for conducting the event.
Renee Rapp is brutally honest in her new debut album. From her opening track ‘Talk Too Much’ it is clear that the musical collection is cathartic, heartbreaking, and relatable.
Rapp got her start in the industry back in 2018 as a high school senior when she won The Jimmy Awards, the national competition for high school theater. Upon graduating, she was booked and busy, performing as Regina George in Mean Girls: The Musical and debuting in the acting world.
But music was always the end goal for Renee. “Acting has really served my music, but that [music] was always what I was going to do.” The passion for music is clear when she talks. It’s evident that she was surrounded by many influences growing up and works hard to keep those in mind while writing.
“I’m a theater kid,” Renee Rapp explained, “I think amazing theater and storytelling is equivalent to great writing. I’ve been listening to pop and R&B, but I came from Sondheim and Andrew Lippa…Slime Tutorials has such an impact on my sound.” (IYKYK).
You are truly a product of the people you surround yourself with. This is true for life and art.
We moved on to talking about her big three and what songs related to each. Her final answers were: Gemini Rising: ‘Talk Too Much’ Capricorn Sun: ‘Poison Poison’ and Pisces Moon: ‘I Wish.’
Never know who you’re gonna get
We’re in love or we never met
Sour lemons or cinnamon
Every day, I’m different
I talk shit then I bite my tongue
‘Gemini Moon’
“I don’t think I’ve ever written a happy song,” she told journalists at UMG’s 1824 press conference on August 17th. “I find it easier to write sad songs…’Pretty Girls’ is my most uptempo song, but the lyrics are so sad,” the former broadway star reflects.
This track reflects on a queer relationship with a straight woman and how mentally taxing that can be. A lot of the album was taken from Rapp’s personal life and helped her deal with the pent up emotion. She was asked if the writing process left her with more questions or answers. She put it simply, “I think my answer that I came away with was that I am always going to have more questions.”
Renee Rapp is very open about her sexuality, but she hasn’t always been. “Since I have been publicly out, as in making work that can be consumed by mass amounts of people, I have been so much more comfortable with myself. It’s obvious, if everyone was more accepting you would feel so much more yourself. When you guys talk about being gay it makes me feel really cool to be gay.”
Moving down the tracklist, ‘Poison Poison’ is a fan favorite here at Fangirls World Tour. It has a different vibe sonically and lyrically than the other songs on the tracklist. It represents so many things, but ex-friendships is what we found the most connection to.
When asked about this song, Renee sighed and said “it was written three different times in three different ways. My producer was like ‘this isn’t even good, you’re just a hater.’ and he was right.”
Well, if Renee Rapp is a hater, we’re haters too because this song is incredible.
In the PM, all the pretty girls
They have a couple drinks, all the pretty girls
So now, they wanna kiss all the pretty girls
They got to have a taste of the pretty girls
In the AM, all the pretty girls
Act like it never happned in another world
‘Pretty Girls’
‘So What Now’ has very similar storytelling aspects as ‘Poison Poison.’ It creates such a realistic image while listening. We can all relate to the “post breakup” feeling and the possibility of seeing that someone in the street. She told us that this was the song that described her life at this moment. “You’ll understand when you hear it. It’s like ‘Should we chat? No, get the fuck out. The rats don’t run this city we do.” This answer and so many others had the entire event cracking up.
Renee has a way of talking like you’re her best friend. It felt like we were on FaceTime and she was recounting a story. Listening to the album for the first time in full just solidified this feeling. And we’re sure you’ll feel the same.
Make sure you check out Snow Angel by Renee Rapp, now streaming on all major platforms! And be sure to follow her social media for updates about music and all things tour. @reneerapp