Snow Angel (Reneé Rapp album)

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.nylon.com/life/renee-rapp-snow-angel-debut-album|title=A night out with Reneé Rapp|last=Halabian|first=Layla|website=Nylon|date=August 16, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023|archive-date=August 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818200402/https://www.nylon.com/life/renee-rapp-snow-angel-debut-album|url-status=live}}

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".{{cite web|url=https://readdork.com/news/renee-rapp-single-snow-angel-debut-album/|title=Reneé Rapp has announced a new single, and her debut album, 'Snow Angel'|last=O'Connor|first=Siobhain|website=Dork|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023|archive-date=August 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819104829/https://readdork.com/news/renee-rapp-single-snow-angel-debut-album/|url-status=live}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 75/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/snow-angel/renee-rapp|title=Snow Angel by Reneé Rapp Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=August 19, 2023|archive-date=August 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819104833/https://www.metacritic.com/music/snow-angel/renee-rapp|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = Dork

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://readdork.com/albums/renee-rapp-snow-angel/|title=Reneé Rapp - Snow Angel|last=Ingle|first=Alex|website=Dork|date=August 18, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023|archive-date=August 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819104834/https://readdork.com/albums/renee-rapp-snow-angel/|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = Line of Best Fit

| rev2score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/renee-rapp-snow-angel-confronts-anxiety-self-assured|title=Reneé Rapp "Snow Angel"|last=Franzini|first=Sam|website=Line of Best Fit|date=August 17, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023|archive-date=August 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819104833/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/renee-rapp-snow-angel-confronts-anxiety-self-assured|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = Rolling Stone

| rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/renee-rapp-snow-angel-review-1234806438/|title=Reneé Rapp's 'Snow Angel' Is An Emotional Rollercoaster You'll Want to Ride|last=Johnston|first=Maura|author-link=Maura Johnston |magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 18, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023}}

| rev4 = The Skinny

| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/renee-rapp-snow-angel|title=Reneé Rapp album review: Snow Angel|last=Fitzgerald|first=Lucy|website=The Skinny|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023|archive-date=August 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819104833/https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/renee-rapp-snow-angel|url-status=live}}

| rev5 = The Telegraph

| rev5score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/hozier-unreal-unearth-review/|title=Hozier joins the all-time greats – the week's best albums|last1=McCormick|first1=Neil|last2=Platt|first2=Poppie|website=The Telegraph|date=August 18, 2023|access-date=August 19, 2023}}

}}

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 75 based on five reviews.

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. 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. 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". 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".

Snow Angel debuted at number 44 on the US Billboard 200, with 18,000 album-equivalent units earned,{{cite web |title=Renee Rapp's 'Snow Angel' Is The Biggest Solo Debut Album For A Female Artist In 2023 |url=https://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=182928 |website=Top 40 Charts |access-date=29 August 2023 |archive-date=January 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112192219/https://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=182928 |url-status=live }} making it the biggest first week for a debut album by a female artist in 2023. The album debuted at number 7 on the UK Albums Chart,{{cite magazine |last1=Brandle |first1=Lars |title=Hozier Lands First U.K. No. 1 With 'Unreal Unearth' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/hozier-first-uk-no-1-unreal-unearth-1235401719/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=29 August 2023 |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829190708/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/hozier-first-uk-no-1-unreal-unearth-1235401719/ |url-status=live }} 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.{{cite web |title=Australiancharts.com - Renee Rapp - Snow Angel |url=https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Rene%E9+Rapp&titel=Snow+Angel&cat=a |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=29 August 2023 |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829190705/https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Rene%E9+Rapp&titel=Snow+Angel&cat=a |url-status=live }}

Following the release of Mean Girls and its accompanying soundtrack on January 12, 2024 as well as a performance on Saturday Night Live by Reneé on January 20, 2024, the album re-entered the US Billboard 200 at number 114 with 10,000 album-equivalent units earned on the week ending February 3, 2024.{{cite tweet|user=chartdata|number=1751993227769414021|title=Renee Rapp's 'Snow Angel' re-enters this week's Billboard 200 at number 114 following SNL (10K sold).|date=January 29, 2024|access-date=January 30, 2024}} The album also re-entered the Scottish Albums Chart at number 67.{{cite web |title=Official Scottish Albums Chart |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20240126/40/ |publisher=OCC |access-date=31 January 2024 |archive-date=January 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127231146/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20240126/40/ |url-status=live }}

{{track listing

| total_length = 36:34

| headline = Snow Angel track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Talk Too Much

| writer1 = {{flatlist|

• Reneé Rapp
• Alexander Glantz
• Cleo Tighe}}

| extra1 = Alexander 23

| length1 = 3:16

| title2 = I Hate Boston

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Brittany Amaradio
• Ian Fitchuk
• Lucy Healey
• Rob Bisel}}

| extra2 = Alexander 23

| length2 = 2:54

| title3 = Poison Poison

| writer3 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Justin Tranter
• Skyler Stonestreet}}

| extra3 = Alexander 23

| length3 = 3:11

| title4 = Gemini Moon

| writer4 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Tranter
• Stonestreet}}

| extra4 = Alexander 23

| length4 = 2:40

| title5 = Snow Angel

| writer5 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz}}

| extra5 = Alexander 23

| length5 = 3:35

| title6 = So What Now

| writer6 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Andrew Wansel
• Daniel Klein
• Matt Campfield
• Isabella Sjöstrand}}

| extra6 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander 23
• Wansel
• Sjöstrand
• Some Randoms}}

| length6 = 2:50

| title7 = The Wedding Song

| writer7 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Amy Allen
• Jason A. Cornet
• Jon Bellion}}

| extra7 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander 23
• Bellion
• TenRoc}}

| length7 = 3:03

| title8 = Pretty Girls

| writer8 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Tranter
• Stonestreet}}

| extra8 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander 23
• Petro AP}}

| length8 = 2:26

| title9 = Tummy Hurts

| writer9 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Amaradio}}

| extra9 = Alexander 23

| length9 = 2:48

| title10 = I Wish

| writer10 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Tranter
• Stonestreet
• Laufey Jónsdóttir}}

| extra10 = Alexander 23

| length10 = 3:43

| title11 = Willow

| writer11 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Tighe}}

| extra11 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander 23
• Petro AP}}

| length11 = 2:41

| title12 = 23

| writer12 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Taylor Upsahl}}

| extra12 = Alexander 23

| length12 = 3:22

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Digital deluxe edition bonus tracks

| total_length = 48:40

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title13 = Messy

| extra13 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander 23
• Tedder}}

| writer13 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Caroline Ailin
• Peter Rycroft
• Ryan Tedder
• Tyler Spry}}

| length13 = 3:09

| title14 = I Do

| length14 = 2:39

| writer14 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Wansel}}

| extra14 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander 23
• Wansel
• Germanò
• The Monsters & Strangerz}}

| title15 = Swim

| writer15 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz}}

| extra15 = Alexander 23

| length15 = 3:30

| title16 = Tummy Hurts

| note16 = remix; featuring Coco Jones

| writer16 = {{flatlist|

• Rapp
• Glantz
• Amaradio
• Jones}}

| extra16 = Alexander 23

| length16 = 2:48

}}

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

• Chris Gehringer – mastering
• Alex Ghenea – mixing
• Alexander 23 – engineering (1, 5), vocal production (all tracks)
• Pete Jonas – engineering (1, 5)
• Will Quinnell – mastering assistance

{{reflist}}

Category:2023 debut albums

Category:Interscope Records albums

Category:Reneé Rapp albums