Reneé Rapp’s BITE ME wants a fight

2023’s Snow Angel was a pivotal moment for Rapp, and launching head first into the Mean Girls musical film soon after as the mean girl herself seems to have rubbed off on her – and traces of Regina George can be spotted all over her output. Well known for being an interviewers worst nightmare due to her inability to filter or hold anything back, Reneé Rapp now lacks the desire to give a fuck, and with that comes positive and negative in equal measure, but it’s always a lot of fun.

Where Snow Angel acted as an introduction to Rapp and dealt with introspection, self-reflection and identity, BITE ME is tired of being the problem. All but one of its tracks speaks to the ‘you’ and points fingers, tosses blame, and says the things that might make those involved uncomfortable, but it needs to be said all the same. It’s like she took inspiration from her own “Poison Poison” in 2023 and relished in the freedom of realising it’s you, not her. The resounding motif of opening track “Leave Me Alone” is strung through the record, because this time around Rapp just wants to have fun.

But fun isn’t the only thing that Rapp gets herself into with this record, as she finds herself lamenting and letting out her feels on a number of tracks. Whether it’s the end of a relationship on “I Think I Like You Better When You’re Gone,” needing space on “I Canʼt Have You Around Me Anymore,” or being with someone that isn’t quite over their ex on “Sometimes” and “Why Is She Still Here?,” Rapp manages to keep on brand with hard-hitting truths while being vulnerable to a point.

When the record’s focus moves inwards, Rapp shines. The funky fresh groove of “At Least I’m Hot” is a welcome shift in perspective for the album, and oozes the personality of someone who is truly confident in their own skin. Her personality that radiates from her recordings is one of Rapp’s superpowers, as there’s no doubting it’s been put on or it’s forced – noticeably on lines like “to line my nipples” on “Leave Me Alone,” and “never ever ever cheat… again!” on “You’d Like That Wouldn’t You.” It’s this level of authenticity that solidifies Rapp as an artist in today’s world of personas, social media fronts and rage-bait content that’s made just to get attention.

What the album doesn’t do, is differ itself from its predecessors sound. The sonics of BITE ME could easily be slotted into Snow Angel, and while the thematics have moved on, it begs the question of why the production can’t as well. Don’t get it twisted, by no means does this let the record down, but it could’ve been so much more. Same goes for Rapp’s vocal, we all know she’s capable of powerhouse delivery that can be heard all the way in the cheap seats, but this record keeps her in the wings instead of centre stage.

All in all, BITE ME is a lot of fun, like watching the drama unfold when you’re comfortably not involved. Reneé Rapp has solidified her place in today’s pop scene, and here’s hoping with a third record she’ll rock the boat.