Pictured: Reneé Rapp in “The Sex Lives of College Girls.” PHOTO CREDIT: Variety.com
I spent this Thanksgiving especially grateful for music, with new releases coming from my long-time favorite artists at the top of my Spotify Wrapped list, and others who I got to know throughout November.
In 2018, while watching a friend compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, Reneé Rapp took the stage as the first soloist of the evening. I’ve been her biggest fan ever since (well, at least self-proclaimed). Not only did she win the competition, but Rapp went on to star as Regina George in “Mean Girls” on Broadway and currently plays Leighton Murray in Mindy Kaling’s hit HBO Max series “The Sex Lives of College Girls.” I yearned for a debut studio EP from Rapp for four years, and “Everything To Everyone” was well worth the wait.
The entire collection is emotionally pulling, bringing up topics of complex relationships with lovers and family alike. Rapp interweaves colorful pop tracks with raw ballads, each song underscoring her commanding voice and ability to seek out harmonious flares. To put it simply, she’s an absolute powerhouse. I would call her the next big thing, but I think she’s already gotten there. The EP reached millions of streams, and she sold out a month-long United States tour less than two minutes after tickets went live.
“Moon” and “What Can I Do” are tied at the top of my list from Rapp’s EP, with the latter navigating sexuality and desire deeper than any other track. Rapp sings, “You know you’re too good for him, but if it were me/ I’d give you everything,” alluding to her feelings towards a friend in a toxic relationship. As a young queer artist and actress, Rapp’s strong voice is bound to be heard and appreciated by the LGBTQ+ community.
The notorious hip-hop group BROCKHAMPTON kept their promise of a final album entitled “The Family,” with the majority of its contributions being from frontman Kevin Abstract. Sticking to their roots, the album gives an early 2000’s vibe with unexpected samples from Albert Jamison and The Four Preps. It’s one of the only hip-hop collections in my recent memory with such a wide range of dynamics, vocal layering, techno elements and rhyme.
“37th” is an easy favorite in my book. Abstract raps about the evolution of BROCKHAMPTON and bids adieu to their studio located on 37th street in Los Angeles. “The Family” is an exceptional sum-up for the group to end on a high note.
Despite his global popularity, I had never listened intently to Stormzy until this month, a grime rapper and artist from the United Kingdom. A favorite musician of mine, Jacob Collier, played a large part in making this album come to life, which is what originally brought my attention to “This Is What I Mean.” Stormzy did the rest of the convincing himself.
Thematically, Stormzy raps about politics, racism and even more personal issues, including heartbreak and intimacy. The implementation of afro-beats and complicated background layering is what makes this album a true work of art.
The title track stands out above the rest on this album. “This Is What I Mean” is an eerie, soulful song with clever lyrics. My favorite line would have to be, “I heard them say that grime ain’t dead./ I’m Harry Styles, the way I fine-line tread, you’re goin’ mainstream.”
Make sure to check back in with the Cigar next month, as I’ll wrap up the 2022 monthly music reviews.