Reneé Rapp

Reneé Rapp Artistfacts

  • January 10, 2000
  • Born in Huntersville, North Carolina, Reneé Rapp was drawn to the arts from a young age. While attending Hopewell High School, she actively participated in the theater program before transferring to the Northwest School of the Arts, further honing her craft.
  • In 2019, at the age of 19, Rapp landed her breakout role as Regina George in the Broadway musical adaptation of the iconic film Mean Girls. She starred as Regina George, the vindictive Queen Bee of North Shore High School, taking over the role originated by Taylor Louderman.
  • While starring in Mean Girls on Broadway, Rapp was cast as the sophisticated and ambitious Leighton in the HBO Max comedy series The Sex Lives of College Girls.
  • Rapp reprised the role of Regina George in the 2024 film adaptation of Mean Girls, also contributing to its soundtrack.
  • Rapp's first love is songwriting and singing. In 2022, she released her debut EP, Everything to Everyone, which straddles R&B and alt-pop. "I feel so incredibly influenced by R&B," she told Alternative Press. "Pop ballads do nothing for me. R&B ballads do. But intricate pop writing does a lot for me, so it's kind of in the middle. I definitely want to lean more toward not pop production on my project. Like, I don't want anything to feel hella vanilla. That's so tired to me."
  • This momentum continued with her first full-length album, Snow Angel. Released in 2023, it debuted at #44 on the US Billboard 200.
  • Rapp was a member of her high school's varsity golf team and has been playing the sport since early childhood.
  • In 2022, Rapp came out as bisexual, and in 2024 identified as lesbian, advocating for LGBTQ+ representation in the media.
  • She has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and openly discusses the challenges and strengths it brings.
  • Reneé Rapp's mother, Denise Rapp, gave her an alliterative name to help her succeed in the music business. "My mom chose my first and last name to both have R's," Rapp told the Good Hang podcast with Amy Poehler. "She was like, 'Alliteration, just in case she wants to be a pop star.' Like before I was born."
  • Reneé Rapp has a strict personal rule when it comes to recording: never before noon. While many artists romanticize late-night studio sessions, Rapp is fiercely protective of her mornings and evenings, insisting that alone time at the beginning and end of the day is non-negotiable.
  • Rapp's ideal writing day? Arriving at the studio around 12:30 p.m. with a stash of coconut water, working until 7, and avoiding snacks (they distract her), except for one proper meal. Her go-to meal when making her debut album Snow Angel was the chicken salad from LA café Jones on Third.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Janet Jackson

Janet JacksonFact or Fiction

Was Janet secretly married at 18? Did she gain 60 pounds for a movie role that went to Mariah Carey? See what you know about Ms. Jackson.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Women Who Rock

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.