Renee Rapp Broadway To Now
February 4, 2024
by Maya Stokley
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A Broadway and Hollywood star, Renee Rapp, has taken on the entertainment industry with her latest debut album, “Snow Angel,” reprising her role as Regina George in her latest film. Her personality has gained attention from fans globally.
Renee Rapp Broadway Beginning
Rapp grew up in North Carolina and began her musical Broadway career in high school. Notably, in 2018, she won the Best Actress award at the Blumey Awards, a recognition of high school talent in musical theater in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. That same year, she won a scholarship anda Jimmy Award for “Best Performance by an Actress”and a scholarship.
She starred in other Broadway hits, such as Spring Awakening, and musical theater projects like The High School Musical Trilogy and Roundabout Theatre Company’s Parade in 2019. In May 2019, she took on the iconic role of Regina George in Mean Girls: The Musical. Also, Rapp’s dynamic vocals and powerhouse range captivated audiences in the New York City scene. However, in 2020, the pandemic cut Renee Rapp’s Broadway musical run short and has never reopened since.
Check out her rendition of “World Burn” from the Mean Girls: Musical here!
Television & Music Debut
After the closure of Mean Girls: The Musical, Rapp began to work on other projects. Later, in 2020, Rapp appeared on the third season of Mindy Kipling’s Max show, “The Sex Lives of College Girls” as Leighton Murray. The LGBTQIA+ character is from a middle-class family who dislikes how she empathizes with the rest of her classmates. Soon, fans of the show enjoyed Rapp’s portrayal of the character and how she found her identity throughout the season.
Returning to her musical roots, Rapp created her debut EP, Everything to Everyone, in 2022. The ballad-heavy record has emotional lyrics and showcases how Rapp’s powerful vocals can adapt to the pop music side. Soon after, she announced her first same-tilted album tour across the U.S. But, to her fans’ surprise, she agreed to play Regina George in the film version of Mean Girls: The Musical the same year.
There’s also my theatrical songs that are a part of the movie. There’s also now new and original songs that we’ve written for the film, and also I’m acting again. It’s literally everything I do, all in one project,” Rapp said to Entertainment Weekly.
Mean Girls: The Musical (The Film)
Mean Girls: The Musical premiered in theaters on January 12, 2024 as Renee Rapp reprises her role as Regina George. The film stays true to the 2004 classic, starring Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron and Rachel McAdams as Regina George. Rapp gained praise for her vocals once again but also her acting ability on the silver screen. “It’s just in my body. I know how it feels. I know how to do it in the way that I like to do i,” she said to US Weekly. In the original, Rachel McAdams’s approach to Regina is that she looks nice but is mean. Rapp’s interpretation of Regina is right out of the gate, Regina is an unapologetic mean girl.
But, Rapp was praised for her interpretation by film critics like Rolling Stone. “She’s returned for the film version, and from the moment her Regina swaggers into the school lunchroom, the actor owns this film,” Rolling Stone said.
However, Renee Rapp gained more appeal with her unfiltered responses during press runs for the film. Notably, in an Etalk “Text Your Fans” video, Rapp answered her fans’ questions with honest and blunt responses. Her exaggerated facial expressions and boisterous laugh encouraged more fans to listen and watch her content. Watch the segment here!
“Snow Angel” and More
During the height of her anticipated film debut, she released her debut album, “Snow Angel” in 2023. The album is a compilation of how her transition from a Broadway star to a rising pop/RnB artist in the industry. Some of her breakout songs are “I Talk Too Much”, “Tummy Hurts”, and “Pretty Girls”. Also, each song embodies themes of heartbreak, sexuality, and inner turmoil. The album received critical acclaim and also gained the attention of stars such as Megan Thee Stallion and Coco Jones. For example, Coco Jones became a feature on Rapp’s hit single, “Tummy Hurts” and reached six million streams on Spotify. Rapp had Megan thee Stallion feature on her single, “It’s Not My Fault”. The duo reached 27 million streams on Spotify. Listen to both songs here!
In 2024, her latest performance is her Saturday Night Live debut with her single, “Not My Fault”, alongside Megan Thee Stallion. Her performance went viral on TikTok because of her infectious stage presence. On YouTube, the performance has over one million views. Lastly, Renee Rapp is continuing to shine and rising in the industry as a powerhouse. Watch her SNL performance here!
Featured Image by Mathias Arlund on Unsplash
