(Photo Manipulation by Ari Segal)
Reneé Rapp had the entirety of her life mapped out before most children finished learning their ABCs. She always wanted to become a pop star and would do anything in her power to get there. By age 23, Rapp found herself exactly where she dreamt of: on stage, headlining her very own “Snow Hard Feelings” world tour.
On Nov. 17, Rapp dropped the deluxe version of her debut album “Snow Angel” featuring three new tracks, along with a remix of her previously released song “Tummy Hurts.” “Snow Angel (Deluxe)” provides a sense of closure that the original album could not fulfill on its own.
Although “Snow Angel” was released three months prior on Aug. 18, the deluxe edition still feels entirely new. “Snow Angel (Deluxe)” is both nostalgic and introspective, which Rapp alluded to on Instagram before its release. She posted four childhood pictures that embody the themes of her songs, one of which is a picture of a young Coco Jones, who took part in “Tummy Hurts (feat. Coco Jones) – Remix.”
The new tracks are broader in scope than Rapp’s original ones, which are tied to specific events in her life. The initial 12 tracks introduce listeners to the dark parts of adulthood, unpacking some of the unexpected hardships that come with age. Rapp exemplified these by describing drug-related trauma in her title song “Snow Angel,” navigating sexuality on “Pretty Girls,” coping with a friend’s betrayal on “Poison Poison,” dealing with familial loss on “I Wish” and experiencing heartbreak on “I Hate Boston.”
These tracks, along with the remaining seven, exist in contrast to the deluxe tracks. The standard album ends with the song “23,” which details Rapp’s feelings of unfulfillment in life. On the other hand, the deluxe edition concludes on a more optimistic note with “Tummy Hurts (feat. Coco Jones) – Remix,” which features lyrics like “But for what it’s worth, he’s her problem now, baby,” suggesting that some things happen for the best, and in some respects, she is right where she is supposed to be.
Rapp is the epitome of an open book, and “Snow Angel (Deluxe)” is no exception. The song’s lyrics are as vulnerable and raw as they come, like a diary entry. However, Rapp views her work as an outlet for expression rather than a scripture fans should preach.
“I’m not making a song to be like, ‘by the way, this is the Bible and this is how you should feel,’” Rapp stated in an interview with Apple Music.
Rapp openly acknowledges that she is not perfect and that her lyrics may be jarring to some, but they remain authentic to how she feels.
One song that encapsulates Rapp’s vulgarity is “Poison Poison,” where she sings “You’re the worst b**** on the earth” and “I think you should shut the f*** up and die.” The singer truly views songwriting as a form of expression, and she is not afraid to include lyrics that highlight her brutal honesty.
Not every song on “Snow Angel (Deluxe)” is harsh, though. Some of her lyrics are classically sweet, such as “I’m gonna love you ‘til my heart retires,” unexpectedly funny, such as “You’re so small I could flick you across the room” and painfully devastating, such as “Look in the mirror, she looks like me / But half-alive and twice as weak.” Ultimately, “Snow Angel (Deluxe)” has a track for everyone — play it on shuffle and see what you get.
“Snow Angel” is unlike the majority of today’s albums, which strive to feel relatable but ultimately miss the mark. This album is contradictory — it is raw, it is chaotic and it is exceptionally imperfect. But most of all, it is art in its purest form, unfiltered and naked for the world to see. It is like finger painting in adulthood, simply smudging prints on a canvas, not really sure of what you just produced but knowing no succeeding work will ever quite match it. The stories behind these tracks are uniquely Rapp’s own but endlessly relatable.
