By Sara Nigro
Staff Writer
“Everything to Everyone,” the debut EP by singer and actress Reneé Rapp, was released on Friday, Nov. 11.
Known for her roles as Regina George in “Mean Girls” on Broadway and Leighton Murray in HBO Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” Rapp proves her vocal and songwriting skills throughout her debut.
After listening from start to finish, I applaud Rapp’s abilities to not only perform vocally, but to use her vulnerable lyrics to tell a deeply personal story.
The EP begins with an introductory song that doubles as the title, “Everything to Everyone(Intro).” This song is one of the shorter tracks and focuses on her vocal abilities and gives listeners beautiful harmonies to listen to. Like most intros, this song was not my favorite but definitely offers an insight in what is to come in the following songs on the EP.
Prior to the release of “Everything to Everyone,” Rapp had released a few singles, two of which are on the EP. “In the Kitchen” and “Don’t Tell My Mom” were released earlier and had gained traction due to Rapp’s Tik Tok following (682.6k).
“In The Kitchen” reflects on the memories of a past life with a past significant other, as she recalls the happy times. In the pre chorus she sings, “And now it's just me and a hundred square feet of bittersweet memories / Deleted the playlist, but I still hear all your favorite melodies / Strangers to lovers to enemies.”
“Don’t Tell My Mom” is a heartfelt song in which the parental roles feel reversed, as Rapp sings about keeping her pain to herself because she doesn’t want to hurt her mom. It addresses a part of heartbreak I’ve never heard in a song in a unique way, bringing a rawness to the middle of the EP.
My current favorite on the EP is “Colorado” because of its fun, upbeat pop sound and cheeky, relatable lyrics. This song addresses insecurities and daydreaming about the possibilities of who one could be.
In the first verse, Rapp questions if she would be happier if she lived in Colorado, drinking white wine and free from the internet. As the track continues, she reflects on her personality as someone who wasn’t meant for the calm life that she sings about in the previous verse.
My favorite lines in this song reflect on her fear of change and knowing that the life she sings about is not for her. At the beginning of the second verse, she sings, “Who am I kiddin', I'm addicted to the chip on my shoulder,” and then goes on to sing, “I'd choose the devil I know over the heaven I don't.”
Rapp, open about her sexuality as a bisexual woman, sings about a girlfriend that she has a crush on in one of the tracks. “What Can I Do” has an overall soft and jazzy tone as she sings, “If it were me, I’d give you everything.” In addition to the reflection on her previous relationship, she begins to question her other relationships as she starts to move on.
I really appreciated “Too Well” because the song accurately reflected the constant confusion of heartbreak — the excitement over finally feeling better, but the disappointment of not holding onto the anger that you’ve become so accustomed to.
Rapp expresses this in the first verse, “Today, I woke up in a good mood for once /
First time in six months, I don't hate you as much / You weren't there in my dreams, I could finally sleep / I felt good, but it sucks, I don't hate you as much.”
This song has such a fun energy and stylistic elements that I appreciated, such as audible sighs before the chorus, making it one of my favorites.
The EP closes out with “Moon,” a reminiscent song that encompasses all of the emotional turmoil that Rapp expresses throughout the rest of the EP. Similar to the intro, I did not rank it as my number one, but still feels important as a conclusion to her story.
“Everything to Everyone” is entirely about the stages of heartbreak — the anger and resentment, the healing process and the reflective thoughts that linger. Through the use of her powerful voice and honest lyrics, she expresses an openness that allows listeners to connect the music on a level that is rarely reached.
