Reneé Rapp’s ‘BITE ME’ is both a hit and a miss — Album Review

Recommended Tracks: “Sometimes,” “Good Girl”
Artists You Might Like: Yebba, Audrey Hobert, Alessi Rose

Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Reneé Rapp has released her highly anticipated sophomore album BITE ME via Interscope Records.

Rapp has been wrapped up in a whirlwind of successes since landing her breakout role as Regina George in the Broadway production of Mean Girls in 2019. The vocal powerhouse has forayed into television and film, starring in Mindy Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls for three seasons, and bringing Regina George back to the big screen in the 2024 film adaptation of the Mean Girls musical.

Rapp began focusing on her solo music career in 2022, releasing her debut EP, Everything to Everyone, followed just nine months later by her first full-length studio album, Snow Angel in 2023. The album earned the largest first-week sales for a female artist’s debut album in the U.S. upon release and sent Rapp on a fast-track trip to the top of the pop music scene.

On BITE ME, Rapp is pivoting to a bolder, more raw and unrefined sound. The album’s singles “Mad,” “Why Is She Still Here?,” and “Leave Me Alone” performed extremely well, generating a collective 52 million streams on Spotify alone. Let’s take a closer look at what else Reneé Rapp has to offer on BITE ME.

Interestingly, the album opens with all three singles right off the top. “Leave Me Alone” is a pretty straight-forward party song. The sloppy, raspy, sort of drunk vocalization is a nod to Kesha‘s 2010 hit “TiK ToK”. While it suits the theme of the song, and this “IDGAF” persona Rapp is marketing, it grates on the ear very quickly, making the opening track a hard listen.

“Mad” is a fun groove, driven by distorted guitar and bass with a lively, old-school hip-hop drum. The verses hold that crunchy distorted groove really well, while the choruses shift to more of a power-rock ballad sound, which isn’t bad — perhaps just a little disjointed. The way Rapp sings the chorus is intentionally on the whiny side, meant to convey frustration and pleading. But again, those stylistic choices can be hit or miss, with some loving it and some not so much.

We move into “Why Is She Still Here?”, which is a slower, bluesy lament. This is the first song that shows off Rapp’s real vocal prowess: “You can tell me you don’t love her / But you should probably tell her too / ‘Cause I can’t keep sleeping undercover / It’s like she’s always in the room.” The writing is very honest and candid, and it’s so refreshing to finally hear Rapp sing her ass off like this.

“Sometimes” is more of a classic ballad with emotional piano and vulnerable falsetto melodies. Ryan Tedder was a co-writer here, and you can definitely hear his stylistic influence in the catchy melody. There are muted, crashing drums throughout the track that bring a lot of drama to the mix, and it almost needs more of that.

“Kiss It Kiss It” is a really interesting track. It’s similar to “Mad” in its bass-driven verses and stark shift in vibes from verse to chorus. The key change is unexpected but sits well, and still carries the bubblegum pop soundscape effectively. It’s a simpler vocal performance from Rapp, but she really doesn’t need to go all out to deliver power and dynamic punch.

The opening of “Good Girl” immediately brought Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana” to mind. This adorable, 80s-inspired track illustrates Rapp’s best intentions to be responsible, thwarted by the arrival of her dream girl: “Just have one drink and then leave like a grown up / Until you showed up… I had my hand on my keys, it was over / Until you showed up.” Fans of Cyndi Lauper and Pat Benetar will love this song.

Next, “I Can’t Have You Around Me Anymore” is a pretty simple, stripped-down tune, featuring only distorted guitars, bass, and vocals. There’s a recurring theme of cheating across this album, and frankly, it’s not cute. This is the third song to center around being the “other woman.” Even though this track is more geared towards cutting off someone you’re getting too close with to save your current relationship, it’s still difficult to sympathize or empathize with such a problematic, hurtful behavior. Sonically, there was some missed potential here too. It almost feels like it would have been better recorded live, with no harmonies.

Listeners will recognize a heavy Alanis Morissette influence on “Shy.” It’s interesting to hear Morissette’s gritty, moody, rock sound accompanied by a softer, smoother vocal style. The bridge uses that Kesha-esque talk-singing, which didn’t quite fit in the soundscape.

The final four songs on BITE ME sort of blend together. The album in its entirety didn’t quite hold my interest. The disco-funk of “At Least I’m Hot” is enjoyable, and “I Think I Like You Better When You’re Gone” features really nice harmonies and has a cool R&B feel. “That’s So Funny” has smart lyrics (“The show’s really over / If you’re looking for closure / You have a better shot with god / Than you do with me”). Finally, “You’d Like That Wouldn’t You” closes the album with a hardcore emo anthem (which features one final cheating reference: “I swear I would never, ever, ever cheat…. again”).

Overall, it seems like BITE ME may be both a hit and a miss. The tracklist didn’t make a whole lot of sense with the singles all stacked up top, and it’s debatable whether borderline glorifying cheating was the right move. While there were some issues (which, to be fair, are entirely subjective), there is so much rich production value on this record, clever and creative writing, and obviously Rapp’s voice is incredible. She has the musical chops, charisma, and grit to do just about whatever she wants in pop music. Her raw talent is undeniable, and she’ll surely keep experimenting and finding her sound as she progresses through her career.

BITE ME is available to stream wherever you listen to music. Catch Rapp performing these songs live on the BITE ME tour — tickets are available here.