Reneé Rapp Drops Bold, Introspective Album ‘Bite Me’ \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Reneé Rapp’s new album Bite Me captures two years of personal and professional transformation. Drawing from fame, burnout, and relationships, the project blends emotional honesty with biting humor. Rapp leans into vulnerability, confidence, and queerness, offering listeners both relief and reflection.
Quick Looks
- Rapp’s second album, Bite Me, drops Friday, following 2023’s Snow Angel
- Lead single “Leave Me Alone” tackles fame, burnout, and industry pressure
- Album promoted with celebrity teasers from Paris Hilton and Monica Lewinsky
- Title track and aesthetic lean into irony, sass, and emotional depth
- Lyrics address toxic friendships, queer love, and impostor syndrome
- Rapp blends pop, R&B, ballads, and raw storytelling
- Girlfriend Towa Bird features on cheeky track “At Least I’m Hot”
- Rapp served as World Pride grand marshal in D.C. alongside Laverne Cox
- North American tour kicks off at Red Rocks in September, includes MSG stop
- Album is a personal time capsule, mixing humor and heartache
Deep Look
Reneé Rapp’s second studio album, Bite Me, is less of a sophomore slump and more of a defiant scream — a bold, intimate, and unfiltered reflection of the last two years of her life. Out this Friday, the record marks an evolution for the 25-year-old singer-songwriter and actress, whose meteoric rise has made her both a pop force and a symbol of modern queer identity in the entertainment industry.
“This time, I really just wanted to love it,” Rapp told the Associated Press. Snow Angel, her 2023 debut, was an exploratory effort — an emotional mix of pop, R&B, and piano ballads that tested her sound and pushed her storytelling. Bite Me, by contrast, is calculated and clear in its intention: a personal time capsule, shaped by the chaos and clarity that come with sudden fame and self-reckoning.
Writing Through the Whirlwind
The creation of Bite Me provided Rapp with an outlet for the whirlwind of the last two years. She faced industry pressure, intense media scrutiny — especially after her performance as Regina George in the 2024 Mean Girls remake — and the abrupt end to her role on HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls. That turmoil plays out in the album’s biting lead single, “Leave Me Alone”, where Rapp pokes fun at her public image while also critiquing the industry that thrives on it.
The title Bite Me, she says, is both a warning and a dare. It sets the tone for a record that’s as much about reclaiming power as it is about personal growth. The promo campaign leaned into this concept: Rapp posed in front of fake tabloid covers dubbing her a diva, and celebrities like Paris Hilton and Monica Lewinsky wore merch emblazoned with the title — turning commentary into marketing.
“It really feels like a time capsule of those two years,” Rapp says. “It’s about the industry and people’s expectations of me — and also me trying to figure out what I actually want.”
From Isolation to Empowerment
Though known for her vocal intensity, Bite Me is more vocally restrained at times, allowing the lyrics — often witty, cutting, or emotionally raw — to take the spotlight. Tracks like “That’s So Funny” dive into the heartbreak of a toxic friendship’s demise, while “Leave Me Alone” radiates defiant exhaustion. Rapp’s style is conversational and confessional. “I write lyrics in the way that I talk,” she says — which makes even her most vulnerable moments feel grounded.
And despite being constantly surrounded by people, she sings candidly about feeling alone and emotionally distant. “It’s so isolating being an artist,” she says. “And it’s also just the business. For better or for worse.”
Love, Humor, and Queer Joy
There’s joy here too. Rapp’s queerness is front and center, particularly on the cheeky track “At Least I’m Hot,” which features her girlfriend, musician Towa Bird. “Who better to put on that song than the funniest person alive?” Rapp laughs. The song embraces self-awareness, silliness, and pride — a welcome contrast to the more emotionally complex moments of the record.
Rapp’s openness about her sexuality and mental health continues to resonate with fans. Her approach isn’t performative — it’s personal, casual, and real.
In June, she embraced visibility as Grand Marshal of the World Pride Parade in Washington, D.C., marching alongside Laverne Cox and Deacon Maccubbin. Initially hesitant to take on the role, Rapp was encouraged by Cox, who reminded her that showing up is powerful, especially in a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack.
“Right now, when everything is so under attack, it feels like that’s the time to be really loud,” she said.
Touring, Connection, and What Comes Next
Rapp will hit the road soon on the “Bite Me” North American tour, launching at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater in September. Other major stops include Madison Square Garden and All Things Go Festival in Toronto, where she headlines. A European leg is set for March 2026.
As she readies to share Bite Me with fans, Rapp hopes the album offers a kind of refuge. “I hope the weight of the world doesn’t feel as massive,” she said. “It’s easy to obsess over everything and get lost in your head.”
This album — messy, biting, vulnerable, hilarious — is Rapp’s attempt to let listeners into hers. “It feels like a big party that everybody wants in on.”
And the door’s wide open.
Reneé Rapp Drops Reneé Rapp Drops
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