Reneé Rapp‘s new interview with Apple Music about favoring her music career hits different in light of her exit from Sex Lives of College Girls.
“God, I love it so much. It’s, like, I don’t even care. And I don’t know if that’s because I’ve had different experiences on the other side because I’ve also had amazing experiences on the other side, but it just doesn’t f—king matter to me in music,” Rapp, 23, told Zane Lowe during the Wednesday, July 12, episode of Apple Music 1. “Everybody’s like, ‘Music is so psychotic. This business is crazy. Don’t you wish you could just go back to not having that?’ And I’m like, ‘No. No. I am so much happier when I’m doing this.’”
Rapp continued: “It’s the most emotionally intense ups and downs that I have because then it also makes the other things really hard of, I care so much about my music and I care so much that when there are those down moments, they’re so f—king down. Because I feel like a lot of times people are like, ‘Yeah, I don’t really care. It’s cool. It slides off my back.’ I’m so envious of those people. I think that’s amazing. And I would love to develop that trait.”
The “Talk Too Much” songstress’ comments — in support of her debut album, Snow Angel, which drops in August — come days after she announced her departure from Sex Lives of College Girls.
“College Girls moved me out to LA and introduced me to some of my favorite people. 2 and a half years later — it’s give me y’all and this community,” Rapp wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, July 10. Thank you, Mindy [Kaling], Justin [Noble] and everyone at Max for believing in me. A lot of queer works gets belittled — but playing Leighton has changed my life.”
Rapp noted that playing posh college coed Leighton Murray on the Max comedy has impacted who she is and her own identity. “I love who I am 10x more than I did before knowing her. I hope she gave y’all a little bit of that too,” she wrote in her social media upload. “She’s such a tiny part of the representation but even the tiny parts count. I wouldn’t be half the person I am without her and y’all. I’m so excited for this season and I can’t wait for you to see what we have coming for her and the girls.”
It has not been revealed how Rapp’s character will say goodbye to her Essex College classmates, though Deadline reported on Monday that she will appear in several episodes of season 3. While producer Kaling, 44, supported Rapp when the news broke, Page Six reported that Rapp hired attorney Bryan Freedman, sparking speculation about her exit.
Rapp rose to fame playing Regina George in Mean Girls The Musical on Broadway, taking over the role in 2019 from Tony nominee Taylor Louderman. Shortly after the production closed amid the coronavirus pandemic, she landed her starring role in SLOCG.
“I think the easier part for me is when I’m doing stuff on stage or screen, I at least trust that the material is not mine,” Rapp said on Wednesday, comparing her acting experience and branching out into music. “I think with songs I become so much more territorial and I’ve been really afraid of that since the beginning, especially when it comes to writing.”
She added: “It’s easier to trust on stage and screen because you have to. You literally don’t have an option. And it’s great when you’re working with amazing people who you do trust. And there’s a very distinct difference and it’s really hard to — or it’s been hard for me. I’m not going to say it’s hard in general and all people suck. I think some people are so f—king amazing and beautiful and awesome to be around.”
