Label: Interscope
Released: 18th August 2023
Oh, so you’re an actor who dabbles in music, are you? Or perhaps a musician with a flair for acting? We’ve seen plenty of those. What’s so special about you, huh, Reneé Rapp?
Well, quite a lot, as it turns out! Within the first few beats of the opener ‘Talk Too Much’, it becomes evident that ‘Snow Angel’ isn’t merely a vanity project or a superficial brand addition. Instead, it’s a record that bites back with genuine fervour. Raspy, rambunctious, and seamlessly blending both vulnerability and strength, it firmly establishes the tone, marking Rapp as an undeniable force to be reckoned with.
The album’s mood may ebb and flow – transitioning from the tropical undertones of ‘Poison Poison’ to the sassy, confident strides of ‘So What Now’ – but there’s a palpable authenticity to ‘Snow Angel’ that distinguishes it from the pack. It’s a deeply personal record that wears its journey with pride, showcasing a raw, unflinching honesty at every turn. ‘The Wedding Song’ delivers verses laden with plucked strings reminiscent of Panic! At The Disco’s iconic ‘I Write Sins…’ before erupting into a powerful, anthemic chorus, while ’Pretty Girls’ is a shimmering, high-definition mega-bop that even Carly Rae Jepsen would approve of.
It’s the album’s title-track that really stuns, though. A piano-driven slow-burner, it goes from heart-wrenching and crystal-sharp to a brash, bombastic hymn of defiance. “I tried so hard, I came so far,” Rapp asserts. Holding nothing back, it’s the perfect representation of both an artist and an album that puts real substance behind the shine. Reflective, audacious, deeply emotional, and relatable with it, Reneé’s got nothing left to prove. Clear a space in the A-list, Reneé Rapp has arrived.
