Live Review: Reneé Rapp | Redbrick Music (2024)

The anticipation was palpable as I approached the sold-out venue, with a line stretching a mile long and people begging for tickets outside. Inside, Reneé Rapp, the multi-talented actress and singer-songwriter known for her role as Regina George in ‘Mean Girls,’ was gearing up for her “Snow Hard Feelings Tour”: a celebration of her debut album “Snow Angel,” and the excitement in the air was electric.

The album features a diverse range of tracks, from upbeat pop anthems to soulful ballads, all showcasing Rapp’s incredible vocal range and emotional depth.

The tour’s name is a nod to the emotional journey that Rapp takes her listeners on, exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Each song in the setlist is carefully curated to evoke a specific emotion, creating a truly immersive experience for the audience.

Divided into a captivating concept, the setlist was ingeniously split into four categories, each representing a different season. This unique structure took the audience on an immersive year-long journey in less than two hours, inspired by the title track’s poignant lyric, “The seasons change / Addiction’s strange.”

Entering to a screaming, ecstatic audience, Reneé Rapp immediately had the crowd in the palm of her hand. A montage of childhood photos played in the background, giving fans a glimpse into her personal journey. It was a touching and intimate moment that set the tone for the rest of the evening.

The concert kicked off with an electrifying rendition of ‘Talk too Much,’ an instant crowd favourite that had everyone on their feet. Reneé Rapp’s infectious passion and enthusiasm was palpable, and the audience was swept up in the upbeat tempo.

The energy in the venue was electric, and it only intensified as Rapp transitioned seamlessly into ‘Poison Poison,’ a pop-rock hit that had the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs, the fan favourite lyrics: ‘And yes, I am a feminist./ But, b*tch, you’re making’ it so hard for me to always be supportin’ all women’.

Throughout the concert, Rapp effortlessly engaged with the audience, creating an intimate and welcoming atmosphere. She shared personal stories, cracked jokes, and even attempted to FaceTime with a fan’s sister, who didn’t pick up, leading the singer to joke that the sister didn’t exist.

She then transitioned into a collection of ballads, starting with ‘Willow.’ This slow and smooth track allowed Rapp’s voice to shine, as she quieted down to deliver an emotional performance. Followed by ‘Bruises’ a haunting ballad that explores the pain of a toxic relationship. Rapp’s powerful vocals and raw emotion shone through, creating a deeply moving experience for the listener.

‘Swim,’ on the other hand, was an upbeat and empowering anthem that encouraged listeners to embrace their inner strength and resilience. Rapp’s infectious energy and infectious enthusiasm made this song a crowd favorite, and it’s easy to see why.

Switching to the summer section of the set, ‘Colardo’ was a dreamy and atmospheric track that captures the feeling of escapism, transporting the audience to a world of adventure and possibility.

‘Pretty Girls’ was a standout moment during the concert, with the entire audience, enthusiastically singing along to its upbeat tune. The song’s lyrics delve into the theme of straight women exploring their sexuality, often at the expense of their gay friends’ feelings. This resonated with many of the mainly gay audience, and Rapp’s candid lyrics added depth and power to the song.

With a move making the underlying sadness in the previous song explicit, Rapp’s deeply personal ballad ‘23’ confronts her insecurities and fears of being left alone, reflecting on the challenges of growing up and coming of age. At almost twenty-three years old, some of the lyrics hit close to home for me, as she pondered “how old do you have to be / to live so young and careless? / my wish is that I care less / at 23.”

The concert’s summer segment concluded, and the spring set commenced with the duet ‘Tummy Hurts,’ featuring Towa Bird. The audience enthusiastically joined in singing along to this whimsical and playful track, which explores themes of love and heartbreak. Rapp’s signature powerhouse vocals added depth and emotion to the performance, captivating the audience.

As the concert transitioned into the autumn set, songs like “I Hate Boston” and “Gemini Moon” showed Rapp’s powerful vocals, showcasing Rapp’s versatility as an artist and storyteller.

Sat on the stage with Towa Bird for their second duet, the stripped-down “I Wish” told a beautiful yet heartbreaking story of grief and the shortness of life. The song’s poignant lyrics ask the question, “How can the person who taught me to breathe / Take their last breath right in front of me?”

The expected, yet highly anticipated, encore of the concert featured the titular song “Snow Angel.” Reneé Rapp emerged from backstage in a dress change, now wearing an all-white outfit with a pair of angel wings on the background. This visually stunning moment perfectly complemented the emotional delicacy of the song, which is possibly the most personal track on the record. Rapp wrote the intimate song about the time she was drugged and lost consciousness for a few hours, and the lyrics reflect her vulnerability and strength in the face of adversity. The song’s incredible, awe-inspiring bridge is truly reminiscent of an angel, showcasing Rapp’s vocal talent and emotional depth.

Despite the shifting seasons, Reneé Rapp remained consistently versatile. She effortlessly transitioned from R&B to pop-rock, from deeply personal vocals to humorously intense expressions of rage, and from deeply melancholic to humorous in mere minutes. In doing so, she encapsulated the entirety of the lesbian experience. The concert perfectly introduced who she is, and who she wants to be.

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