“The Sex Lives of College Girls” and Broadway star Reneé Rapp is making her solo music debut with “Tattoos,” a vulnerable tale about the fear that comes with growing up and falling out of love.
“Fifteen and 16 I had to be strong/ 22 I’m still scared of it all,” Rapp belts in the song’s chorus over moody piano chords. “Cuz I know one day I could wake up and you’ll be gone/ And I’ll just be lonely/ Missing holding your hand when we’re half asleep.”
Rapp has been teasing the single on TikTok for months now, finally revealing its release date last week. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the 22-year-old opened up about what the song means to her in the context of her career thus far.
“I was literally a baby forcing my family to record my ‘concerts.’ Always knew this is what I wanted to do,” Rapp wrote. “I knew it was what I loved more than anything. I’ve dreamt of my first song coming out since I [was] little. I’ve been telling y’all I’m going to release music for six years. I’ve been hustling at this shit for five years. I’ve been embarrassed turned down by labels for four years. At one point I was even in a girl group lmfao and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. I’d get turned down and messed up all over again to be here. Y’all have stuck with me through all of that and more not even knowing it. Making music is the only time I’m smiling like hell and nothing else means a fucking thing. Thank you for sticking w me. I love you like crazy.”
Rapp recently broke into television as Leighton, the sassy queen bee who struggles to come out of the closet, on Mindy Kaling’s hit HBO Max comedy “The Sex Lives of College Girls.” But before that, she conquered Broadway as Regina George in the Tony-nominated musical “Mean Girls,” taking over the role when she was just 19. Rapp is openly queer, and was honored as part of Variety‘s Power of Pride list this year.
Listen to “Tattoos” below.