Reneé Rapp is officially the sapphic of the year

2023 saw stars rising for many young actors and musicians, but one star that quickly rose and stays lit is Reneé Rapp. Myself and many other over-30 folks had our first introduction to Rapp last summer, when she appeared on the popular YouTube series The Terrell Show to promote her debut album, Snow Angel. The show features singers of all backgrounds playing a game of musical word association: they’re given a word, and they have to sing a song with the word in the title or lyrics. 

Rapp’s performance on the show was incredible, singing the hell out of songs by Beyoncé, Jazmine Sullivan, and more. Host Terrell Grice was also impressed by her talents. “I can’t take your voice!” he shouted to end the video — and Rapp’s more than 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify would likely agree. 

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In the past year, Rapp’s music career has skyrocketed. Since releasing Snow Angel, she’s performed on Saturday Night Live, collabed with Megan Thee Stallion, and even headlined at Coachella — where, in the ultimate lesbian move, she had the cast of the OG L Word introduce her.

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Others may know Rapp for her acting career. Lots of folks were introduced to Rapp when she starred as Leighton Murray on the TV show The Sex Lives of College Girls. Starting in 2021, she played the show’s sole main queer character, and many fell in love with her portrayal of a young woman struggling through the difficulties of college dating.

But Rapp was always a star, even before the mainstream took notice. Before making it big on the silver screen, she starred on Broadway in the Mean Girls musical after winning the 2018 Jimmy Awards (the most prestigious award for high school music theater). She reprised her role as lead mean girl Regina George earlier this year in the movie adaptation of that same musical.

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Back in 2022, Rapp identified as bisexual, but earlier this year she came out as a lesbian. Unfortunately, some people didn’t believe Rapp when she came out again, but that didn’t stop Rapp from living in her truth. In February, she opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about embracing her lesbian identity.

“I’ve only recently started referring to myself as a lesbian, and I’ve only recently been in a relationship where I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m a lesbian for sure,’” she said. “I never consumed any piece of queer media up until maybe three months ago. I’m watching The L Word for the first time, and I just watched But I’m a Cheerleader, and I’m watching all these movies and parts of gay culture, specifically lesbian culture, and I’m like, “I love this.” It’s also been the most rewarding, validating, scary and exciting experience ever.”

Some might call Rapp a triple threat, and I think they’d be spot on. Whether she’s singing, acting, or writing, it’s clear she can do it all and do it well. 

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