Rising from Broadway fame to pop firebrand, Reneé Rapp delivers brutality and brilliance in equal measure on Bite Me, out August 1, 2025, via Interscope. This sophomore album is why we featured it as one of AudioFuzz’s HOT NEW ALBUM FRIDAYS—Rapp blends theatrical vocal power with witty defiance, redefining mainstream pop with unapologetic queer storytelling and razor-sharp lyricism.
Led by the breakout single “Leave Me Alone,” Rapp channels her inner Joan Jett—mixing crunchy guitars, playful sass, and lyrics that mock both celebrity pressure and toxic drama (“My manager called me, ‘where’s the single?’”). It’s a blistering debut of the personality she’s poised to own.
That same biting ambition continues on “Why Is She Still Here?”, a jazz-tinged breakup anthem loaded with emotional confrontation, jealousy, and defiance. It crescendos from sulky reflection into scathing intensity, reminding us that Rapp is unafraid to hold her audience tight.
Yet, Bite Me isn’t just bravado. Tracks like “Sometimes” reveal her quieter emotional range—laid bare with tender piano, expressive reflection, and vocal nuance lifted from her acting roots.
Despite some critics calling parts of the record scattered or clipped, with songs leaning short or formulaic, when it works it hits hard. Bite Me succeeds most when Rapp embraces that dramatic, theatrical edge she’s always had—and turns it into pop with teeth.
Why it’s on AudioFuzz’s Hot New Album Fridays
Because Bite Me is more than a collection of hooks—it’s a vivid emotional diary fused with theatrical persona and raw queer honesty. In a summer landscape filled with polished pop acts, Reneé Rapp pops off as an authentic, bold voice unafraid to say the unsayable.
🔥 Spotlight Album
Bite Me by Reneé Rapp – out August 1, 2025 via Interscope
One of AudioFuzz’s HOT NEW ALBUM FRIDAYS picks