Renee Rapp: ‘Tina Fey said, ‘What’s wrong with you? You’re insane’?
Renee Rapp, the American pop-rock performer, fabulously nails the pugnacious attitude captured in tracks from her defiant and daring second album, Bite Me, which earned her a UK No 1 and a burst of accolades. Albeit the achievement had some level of satisfaction, it did come with some reservations.
“My old team used to be published and very American and very grandiose, and i think the Rebecca in my throat starts screaming from a meeting room in Universal’s London HQ, and ‘You worked so hard and this is everything, and, oh my God, and, oh my God. And if your younger self could see you, wow!’” The 25-year-old seems to be doing her best to engage with them as she replies back:
“We gotta pack it up. I’m not curing cancer.” Winning in life is counterproductive and hence keeping a neutral stance to one’s achievements is a better route. “I used to think that making a record was the peak, and this would never feel as high, and it’s okay to feel this way about it.” To sum up in her own words: “I was… pleased with it being No 1”
Rapp is a self making character with many achievements and accolades to her name, and she is equally as positive about her achievements as well. She is a performer and a musician who has a very unique style. Her themes are littered with complex gay relationships that are set to exhilarating scores. Her music shifts from fervent, robust vocals to high spirited energy.
Years before her 2023 debut album, Rapp got her star by playing Regina George, the Mean Girls Broadway production, and literally earned Rapp the moniker ‘Queen Bee’.
Between 2021 and 2024, Rapp had a role in the HBO Max queer teenage drama series, The Sex Lives of College Girls, the show which I must admit, I have not watched, and suspect Rapp does not care for, given that it is rumored, for her, it was more painful to film than it would ever be to view. “Girl, neither have I,” she monotones. “There is no reason for you to watch it. Let me f***ing tell you right now. You’re good. You’re not missing anything.”
Even that early on in her career, she teased in the “Leave Me Alone,” the lead single on her album “Bite Me”, which came out in 2023. “Bite me. I get it. Took my sex life with me now the show ain’t f***ing!” she boasts, ‘over puerile production’.
She still does pop music in addition to being a triple threat in theater and a bride to be. Watching her through Miu Miu frameless glasses, her ease looks somewhat curated: feline face, pillowy lips, and a tan which looks very Australian and she does come from the sunbelt state of North Carolina.
Her teeth and eyes also seem somewhat softened, luminescently clear. I thought she might be really hyped up and energetic because of the type of pop star she is: Reneé Rapp is made for short videos, talk shows, and the more of the niche internet celeb spotlight, which over the past month has consisted of “Reneé Rapp is thinking about purchasing one of Queen Victoria’s former residences”;
“Benson Boone and Reneé Rapp are in the ‘unserious drama’ over backflips I required today”; “Reneé Rapp labeled white gays ‘insufferable’ and included herself”; and the more of ‘Reneé Rapp talks about cheating with her ex , to which , she is also on the Call Her Daddy podcast.’
She is certainly not high energy today. Rapp is aware that she is perceived as a zany, in-your-face person, but that is a result of the formats of the content she creates, “I come across that way because I actually will just play so far into whatever vibe that I’m in.”
She admits the thought that she might have transformed into an internet personality as opposed to a pop star has crossed her mind. For example, she has in the past completed an entire press tour for Bite Me, and I read and watched everything, including a Zane Lowe interview about her new album that lasted for 50 minutes, and walked away from the interview completely devoid of any idea about the album.
So what’s the issue? “I think in that case, journalism has changed so much in that way. I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir, but everything is on the internet and everything is for the internet now,” she says, which in some respects, does give the opportunity to make things a bit more fun.“It’s now become, ‘Oh, she’s controversial, unfiltered, or going to say something controversial, or b***h, or ungrateful.’
I don’t recall what caused that scenario, but it’s good for some news outlets, and now that’s what strikes the center of a bull’s eye for virtually everyone. I don’t feel that way as much here.” She said that interacting with some of the UK radio hosts felt more genuine, as though the goal was to promote her work as opposed to doing it to elevate his profile: “He doesn’t want something out of the conversational exchange that is for him.”
So, says the endearing radio personality in her latest UK appearance. “I’ve become quite good at detecting interviews.” She believes this trend in the media has exaggerated jesting towards women more than men: “It’s very interesting that with every single female artist I can think of, discussions frequently center on anything but the music, and it is always something meant to create buzz online. With me, that has especially been the case.”
In the case of Rapp, something lacking is perhaps the single-minded focus that came from a childhood where her father was a medical salesman and mother, now her business manager, an accountant.
Renee Rapp: ‘Tina Fey said, ‘What’s wrong with you? You’re insane’?
Renee Rapp, the American pop-rock performer, fabulously nails the pugnacious attitude captured in tracks from her defiant and daring second album, Bite Me, which earned her a UK No 1 and a burst of accolades. Albeit the achievement had some level of satisfaction, it did come with some reservations. “My old team used to be published and very American and very grandiose, and i think the Rebecca in my throat starts screaming from a meeting room in Universal’s London HQ, and ‘You worked so hard and this is everything, and, oh my God, and, oh my God. And if your younger self could see you, wow!’”
The 25-year-old seems to be doing her best to engage with them as she replies back: “We gotta pack it up. I’m not curing cancer.” Winning in life is counterproductive and hence keeping a neutral stance to one’s achievements is a better route. “I used to think that making a record was the peak, and this would never feel as high, and it’s okay to feel this way about it.” To sum up in her own words: “I was… pleased with it being No 1”
Rapp is a self making character with many achievements and accolades to her name, and she is equally as positive about her achievements as well. She is a performer and a musician who has a very unique style. Her themes are littered with complex gay relationships that are set to exhilarating scores. Her music shifts from fervent, robust vocals to high spirited energy.
Years before her 2023 debut album, Rapp got her star by playing Regina George, the Mean Girls Broadway production, and literally earned Rapp the moniker ‘Queen Bee’.
Between 2021 and 2024, Rapp had a role in the HBO Max queer teenage drama series, The Sex Lives of College Girls, the show which I must admit, I have not watched, and suspect Rapp does not care for, given that it is rumored, for her, it was more painful to film than it would ever be to view. “Girl, neither have I,” she monotones. “There is no reason for you to watch it. Let me f***ing tell you right now. You’re good. You’re not missing anything.”
Even that early on in her career, she teased in the “Leave Me Alone,” the lead single on her album “Bite Me”, which came out in 2023. “Bite me. I get it. Took my sex life with me now the show ain’t f***ing!” she boasts, ‘over puerile production’.
She still does pop music in addition to being a triple threat in theater and a bride to be. Watching her through Miu Miu frameless glasses, her ease looks somewhat curated: feline face, pillowy lips, and a tan which looks very Australian ( and she does come from the sunbelt state of North Carolina). Her teeth and eyes also seem somewhat softened, luminescently clear.
I thought she might be really hyped up and energetic because of the type of pop star she is: Reneé Rapp is made for short videos, talk shows, and the more of the niche internet celeb spotlight, which over the past month has consisted of “Reneé Rapp is thinking about purchasing one of Queen Victoria’s former residences”; “Benson Boone and Reneé Rapp are in the ‘unserious drama’ over backflips I required today”; “Reneé Rapp labeled white gays ‘insufferable’ and included herself”; and the more of ‘Reneé Rapp talks about cheating with her ex , to which , she is also on the Call Her Daddy podcast.’
She is certainly not high energy today. Rapp is aware that she is perceived as a zany, in-your-face person, but that is a result of the formats of the content she creates, “I come across that way because I actually will just play so far into whatever vibe that I’m in.”
She admits the thought that she might have transformed into an internet personality as opposed to a pop star has crossed her mind. For example, she has in the past completed an entire press tour for Bite Me, and I read and watched everything, including a Zane Lowe interview about her new album that lasted for 50 minutes, and walked away from the interview completely devoid of any idea about the album.
So what’s the issue? “I think in that case, journalism has changed so much in that way. I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir, but everything is on the internet and everything is for the internet now,” she says, which in some respects, does give the opportunity to make things a bit more fun. “I also think in a way, it’s a bit stifling.” Something she has grown to realize is how her personality is perceived.
“It’s now become, ‘Oh, she’s controversial, unfiltered, or going to say something controversial, or b***h, or ungrateful.’ I don’t recall what caused that scenario, but it’s good for some news outlets, and now that’s what strikes the center of a bull’s eye for virtually everyone. I don’t feel that way as much here.” She said that interacting with some of the UK radio hosts felt more genuine, as though the goal was to promote her work as opposed to doing it to elevate his profile: “He doesn’t want something out of the conversational exchange that is for him.”
So, says the endearing radio personality in her latest UK appearance. “I’ve become quite good at detecting interviews.” She believes this trend in the media has exaggerated jesting towards women more than men: “It’s very interesting that with every single female artist I can think of, discussions frequently center on anything but the music, and it is always something meant to create buzz online. With me, that has especially been the case.”
In the case of Rapp, something lacking is perhaps the single-minded focus that came from a childhood where her father was a medical salesman and mother, now her business manager, an accountant.
She earned “Best Performance by an Actress” at the 10th annual Jimmy Awards in NYC which is a national level music theatre performing competition for high school students. “I have no freaking idea at what age I will ever have that level of confidence,” remarked the speaker, Laura Benanti, as she presented the award to Rapp.
Rapp was in the middle of the auditions for the Mean Girls musical when, at the same time, she was very actively trying to establish a a singing career in pop back in New York. She marveled at the thought “I am going to sing my fing a** off in front of the Tina fing Fey” when she received a personal call back for the national tour of Mean Girls by the creator Tina Fey. Rapp says she thought, “I f***ing respect her. She is one of the greatest if not the greatest in the comedy scene”
She got offered the role as Regina George which she ended up refusing. Rapp recalls how dumbfounded Fey was when she exclaimed: “What the f***? What is wrong with you? You are insane.”
“‘We are giving you the lead in a national tour of a show which is one of the most valuable IPs in the world.’ Rapp’s reasoning was simple, ‘I want to be a pop star, so I’m not gonna go around the f***ing US for a year. I don’t want to perform in Iowa. Who is gonna help me with my music career in Iowa? Nobody.’
Fey and Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels, who is also one of the show’s producers, then offered her the Broadway production so she could stay in New York and she said she would think about it, with the aforementioned ‘conditions.’ They would market Rapp as a pop star and she would use the musical to launch her music career.
‘I think it was probably jarring because it’s just like, what the f* do you have going for you that you could say no? The truth is nothing, except the confidence and assuredness in myself that I was going to f*ing do what I was going to do. And the truth is absolutely nothing.’ Bizarre or lovable, her determination did pay off. Rapp has not yet had the opportunity to capitalize on this, but Fey and Michaels have continued to be two of her “biggest cheerleaders.”
“‘The rehearsals for the Broadway show were intensely militant, and they equipped me for anything,’ she says. It Rapp for the past has her shows conducted like all meant battles throughout the year striving to achieve an goal. I know she said about every festival that she did last year, I did every show. I was was depressed and quite sad and very unwell and.”
“‘The rehearsals for the Broadway show were intensely militant, and they equipped me for anything,’ she says. It Rapp for the past has her shows conducted like all meant battles throughout the year striving to achieve an goal. I know she said about every festival that she did last year, I did every show. I was was depressed and quite sad and very unwell and.”
“What’s this gonna be like?” I answer and say I remember struggling to pinpoint the exact sonic and stylistic destination of the sound in its murky nascent form. “I felt that way too. “It could have gone so many different ways and of course there’s always room for it to.”
However, on Bite Me, she managed to capture the essence of her voice that is cutting, smug, and jubilant, simply put, like Regina George on 11. Rapp, during her early adulthood, went through a turbulent and tumultuous period of time. She had to balance the challenges of public life, “staying in relationships that didn’t serve me”, legal battles, partying, NDAs, and attempts to prove her worth in the industry.
“I had had it up to here,” she answered, putting her hand on her neck. “I’m sick of y’all, I’m sick of y’all, and I’m sick of my f***ing self. I felt like I needed to strip naked and run, except I didn’t know where I was going. All I knew was that I was not going back.” That sentiment, she believed, was captured perfectly in “Bite Me.”
: “I wanted the album to be everything thematically that was biting, bitchy, get the f*** out of my face.’” With great theatricality, she throws a spider hand up in my direction. “I didn’t know sonically how it was going to come together, but I knew the attitude to a T.”
The song that would shape the record was “Leave Me Alone,” which came six excruciating months into the writing process. “I was like, ‘Get the f* out of my face, I have a life to enjoy. I would like to go out with a few friends, I am in a new relationship and get this, I am in love, I bought a f*ing house. I would like to be left alone, thank you very much.” One of her songwriters, Steph Jones (co-writer of the song “Espresso” performed by Sabrina Carpenter) suggested to simply lace that sentiment into a “ballsy” track. “I was scrutinizing how I would be perceived, and she was like, ‘That is just not the way you come off. Why do you care?’”
Was she concerned about what her team might think of the song’s ‘brutal honesty’? “No, I don’t give a f*** about that.”
Before, “don’t care about them” sounded like “might disregard them” anytime a new track came out “and that is what they wanted too.” “The moment my character started to shine through my songs, that is when everyone became interested, and so we were, and we still are.” And bingeing The Veronicas, the rest of the records, like Demi Lovato were Disney rocked about being a sadistic lesbian out for revenge on her ex (“You’d Like That Wouldn’t You”) and lost pop songs about how well behaved she is before she lusted over someone (“Good Girl”) are all them too.
The black book of lovers and exes all remain unnamed. Begins to separated…Did any of these angrily get in touch with her? “I can still tell that my music blurs the lines between multiple relationships.” But still: “I can tell that a lot of people will think that my songs are entirely about them, and to that, all I can say is, ‘Ladies, this is not about you. This is my album. And let’s get one thing straight. All the love in the world, this s*** is not about you. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard.’” Claps. Light eye roll.
