She’s spunky, hardworking, and decidedly tenacious. Meet Reneé Rapp, renown as not just an actress and Broadway star, but more recently, as a prodigious pop star. At first glance, her ascension may appear meteoric, even lucky, but as we dive deeper, we discover a tale of abundant grit, calculated risks, and an audacious passion for realizing dreams.
One must be impressed by Rapp's ability to say no to the powerful. Picture the scene: Renée, a 19-year-old from North Carolina, confronted with an enticing proposition from Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels to star in the touring production of the “Mean Girls” musical. Many would leap at the chance, but she politely declined. She wasn't being impulsive. Rapp's faith in her talent, her unwavering conviction to chase bigger opportunities, and a burning desire to take the music industry by storm, fueled her decision to say no.
'I really do have a certain level of trust in myself when it comes to work that I’m going to figure it out,' she remarks, her confidence anything but subdued. Her daring leap of faith started paying off when Fey and Michaels found their Regina George for Broadway in Rapp. Opportunity came knocking, and this time, she was ready to answer.
Rapp's entry into the spotlight didn't stop her from forging ahead with her musical ambitions. Armed with her newfound fame, she meticulously crafted her debut album, 'Snow Angel', which has already drawn acclaim and further highlighted her multitalented persona. Her refusal to limit herself to a single lane ultimately led her to the heart of pop music - her long-time calling.
Now she performs a balancing act of sorts, living out dual roles. As a successful actress, landing roles in big-name movies and popular HBO series, and a rising pop artist, her life is nothing short of eventful. Yet her commitment to her music never sways. 'I think about music like every second of every...', she trails off, laughter ringing through her words. Even the hardships life throws at her, she thinks, have the potential to motivate her art.
Rapp has also emerged as an inherently Gen Z figure, unapologetically open about her sexuality and personal struggles with eating disorders. To her, vulnerability is a strength. Yet, this honesty can sometimes turn into an obstacle in her path. 'Sometimes I think with that comes being asked a lot of really dumb questions and being asked things that make me uncomfortable.'
Despite these complexities, Reneé Rapp clearly doesn't lose sight of her ambitious aspirations. Ever the practical dreamer, she sees each opportunity, each challenge, and each triumph, as a stepping stone towards her ultimate goal of stardom. Her fearless approach to her career, she laments, has often been misconstrued, leading to her being labeled “spoiled” or worse. 'If I’m not bending over backwards...then I’m a problem.” She chuckles at the unfounded criticism, vowing to be the 'problem' she's being accused of being, stirring the pot, shaking the norms and carving her own distinct path to stardom. So here's to Reneé Rapp: the exemplary Gen Z powerhouse breaking the mold and roaring her way to the top. Who said being a problem was a bad thing?
