Snow Angel
Studio album by
Reneé Rapp
ReleasedAugust 18, 2023 (2023-08-18)
RecordedJanuary–June 2023
Genre
Length36:34
LabelInterscope
Producer
Reneé Rapp chronology
Everything to Everyone
(2022)		 Snow Angel
(2023)
Singles from Snow Angel
  1. "Snow Angel"
    Released: June 9, 2023
  2. "Talk Too Much"
    Released: July 12, 2023
  3. "Pretty Girls"
    Released: August 18, 2023

Snow Angel is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Reneé Rapp. It was released on August 18, 2023, through Interscope.

The deluxe version of the album was released on November 17, 2023, featuring a remix of “Tummy Hurts” and three new songs.[1]

Background and development

Most of the album was written, recorded and mixed over the course of six months in early 2023, which, to Rapp, felt like "20 years". Her musical debut sees a significant shift for the actress turned singer, as she pointed out that music is everything she "ever wanted to do". However, she also revealed how "panicked" she became about the album, citing other people's thoughts and opinions on her music. Comparing her debut EP Everything to Everyone (2022) to her first full-length project, she felt like a different person creating the latter. Rapp also called the experience of collaborating with producer Alexander 23 as a growth in trusting herself.[2]

Rapp announced the album and its lead single "Snow Angel" on June 6, 2023. She revealed further details about the development, saying that she "spent 4 months writing nearly every day". The singer reported of "traumatic experiences" that influenced her writing and dramatic recording sessions that made her cry "in damn near every studio in the valley". The recording process was supposed to be wrapped up on May 8, however, Rapp and Alexander "decided to try a hail mary".[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Dork[5]
Line of Best Fit8/10[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
The Skinny[8]
The Telegraph[9]

Snow Angel has received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 76 based on four reviews.[4]

Sam Franzini of Line of Best Fit opined that the songs on Snow Angel pursue "the same angst and pent-up energy that all pop songs must have" and praised Rapp's ability to let her listeners know about her "big feelings" in "exuberant, hilarious" ways.[6] Alex Ingle at Dork sees the album as the "arrival of Reneé Rapp" and drew comparisons to the likes of Panic! at the Disco and Carly Rae Jepsen.[5] In a more moderate review, Lucy Fitzgerald described the record as a "well-calibrated blend of ballads and upbeat pop" with no "showstopping moments" but Rapp playing by "debut pop album rule book".[8] Writing for The Telegraph, Poppie Platt thought that Rapp is on lane to become "a fabulous 21st century popstar" if she continues to lace her music with the same "natural wit" she presents on screen but is at risk of becoming yet another "successful young actor turned pop star" without "that special something".[9]

Commercial performance

Snow Angel debuted at number 44 on the US Billboard 200, with 18,000 album-equivalent units earned,[10] making it the biggest first week for a debut album by a female artist in 2023 so far. The album debuted at number 7 on the UK Albums Chart,[11] making it her first entry on the chart.

In Australia, the album debuted at number 42 on the ARIA Albums Chart, making it Rapp's first and highest charting entry in the country as well.[12]

Track listing

Snow Angel track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Talk Too Much"
Alexander 233:16
2."I Hate Boston"
Alexander 232:54
3."Poison Poison"
Alexander 233:11
4."Gemini Moon"
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
  • Tranter
  • Stonestreet
Alexander 232:40
5."Snow Angel"
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
Alexander 233:35
6."So What Now"
  • Alexander 23
  • Wansel
  • Sjöstrand
  • Some Randoms
2:50
7."The Wedding Song"
  • Alexander 23
  • Bellion
  • TenRoc
3:03
8."Pretty Girls"
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
  • Tranter
  • Stonestreet
  • Alexander 23
  • Petro AP
2:26
9."Tummy Hurts"
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
  • Delacey
Alexander 232:48
10."I Wish"
Alexander 233:43
11."Willow"
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
  • Tighe
  • Alexander 23
  • Petro AP
2:41
12."23"
Alexander 233:22
Total length:36:34
Snow Angel – Deluxe Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Messy"
  • Alexander 23
  • Tedder
3:09
14."I Do"
  • Rapp
  • Wansel
2:39
15."Swim"
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
Alexander 233:30
16."Tummy Hurts" (remix; featuring Coco Jones)
  • Rapp
  • Glantz
  • Delacey
  • Jones
Alexander 232:48
Total length:48:40

Personnel

Musicians

  • Reneé Rapp – vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 5)
  • Alexander 23 – acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, synthesizer (all tracks); background vocals (1–5, 7, 8), drum programming (1, 3–12); strings, Wurlitzer electric piano (1); drums, synth bass (3); piano (5, 8, 10), programming (6), Synclavier (10)
  • Pete Jonas – drum programming (1, 5, 7)
  • Cooper Cowgill – drums (1, 2, 4–7)
  • Kim Vi – piano (2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12)
  • Alyah Scott – background vocals (5)
  • Rex DeTiger – drums (5)
  • Matt Campfield – guitar (6)
  • Some Randoms – guitar, keyboards (6)
  • TenRoc – drum programming, electric guitar (7)
  • Petro AP – background vocals, synthesizer (8, 11); drum programming, guitar, sound effects (8); piano (11)
  • Towa Bird – electric guitar (9)
  • Laufey – cello (10)

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Snow Angel
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] 42
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 32
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15] 52
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[16] 76
Scottish Albums (OCC)[17] 3
UK Albums (OCC)[18] 7
US Billboard 200[19] 44

References

  1. ↑ Taylor, Sam (November 17, 2023). "Reneé Rapp has Released a Deluxe Edition of 'Snow Angel' Featuring Several New Songs". Dork. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  2. ↑ Halabian, Layla (August 16, 2023). "A night out with Reneé Rapp". Nylon. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ O'Connor, Siobhain (June 6, 2023). "Reneé Rapp has announced a new single, and her debut album, 'Snow Angel'". Dork. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Snow Angel by Reneé Rapp Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Ingle, Alex (August 18, 2023). "Reneé Rapp - Snow Angel". Dork. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Franzini, Sam (August 17, 2023). "Reneé Rapp "Snow Angel"". Line of Best Fit. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ Johnston, Maura (August 18, 2023). "Reneé Rapp's 'Snow Angel' Is An Emotional Rollercoaster You'll Want to Ride". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Fitzgerald, Lucy (August 15, 2023). "Reneé Rapp album review: Snow Angel". The Skinny. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  9. 1 2 McCormick, Neil; Platt, Poppie (August 18, 2023). "Hozier joins the all-time greats – the week's best albums". The Telegraph. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Renee Rapp's 'Snow Angel' Is The Biggest Solo Debut Album For A Female Artist In 2023". Top 40 Charts. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  11. ↑ Brandle, Lars. "Hozier Lands First U.K. No. 1 With 'Unreal Unearth'". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Australiancharts.com - Renee Rapp - Snow Angel". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  13. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Renee Rapp – Snow Angel" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Reneé Rapp – Snow Angel" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Reneé Rapp – Snow Angel" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  19. ↑ @billboardcharts (August 28, 2023). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200..." (Tweet). Retrieved August 29, 2023 – via Twitter.
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