Renee Rapp, fresh off her role in the 2024 *Mean Girls* movie musical, is making waves wiht her latest album, *BITE ME*. The album aims to showcase Rapp’s personality, a departure from the elaborate stunts that accompanied her 2023 debut, *Snow Angel*. One such stunt involved a billboard in Boston’s North End advertising a power ballad titled “I Hate Boston.”
Rapp, who recently spoke with *Vanity Fair*, is known for her candid and often fiery public persona. During a press junket for *Mean girls*, she famously confronted the owner of a tour bus company, stating, “If you’re watching this, I can’t *stand* you and I hope your business *burns*.”
*BITE ME* delves into themes of queer love and dating, a subject Rapp finds fertile ground for pop songwriting. The lead single, “Leave Me Alone,” features the line, “My ex walked in and my other ex with her. the three of us together, that’s a real tongue twister!” Another track, “I Can’t Have you Around Me Anymore,” explores complicated relationships with lines like, “Somehow we always end up naked/Nothing ever happens, but it still feels real good.”
While Rapp is recognized as a powerful vocalist, critics suggest that *BITE ME* sometimes underutilizes her talent on its more somber ballads. The extended final chorus of “That’s So Funny” features impressive belting, but the accompanying piano refrain is described as simplistic. “Why Is She Still Here?” is compared to Amy Winehouse’s torch songs, a style that has also brought RAYE success, but the review notes that raw talent doesn’t always equate to good taste.
The album’s stronger tracks are those where Rapp’s acting background shines through. “Mad” is highlighted for her smirk and a breathy confession about a near-pregnancy, while “Kiss It Kiss It” is noted for its disco-country vibe. The track “Good Girl,” a generic ’80s synth-pop song, is presented as an outlier, as it doesn’t fully align with Rapp’s established persona.
