“say it with me we are so fucking baaack…,” Reneé Rapp announced on Instagram, marking her highly anticipated return to music with the release of “Leave Me Alone.”
The internet erupted earlier this month as Rapp began teasing the bold new era. From cheeky social posts, including the reveal of a “Bite Me” tattoo inked on her lower lip, to surprise endorsements from icons like Paris Hilton, Charlize Theron, Monica Lewinsky, and Gabby Windey, who all rocked “bite me” tank tops, the hype quickly went viral.
Then came BITE.ME, a cryptic website asking fans to “sign a hundred NDAs” in exchange for mysterious clues about what was coming next.
The biggest reveal landed on May 21 with the release of “Leave Me Alone.”
The track marks a gritty shift in Rapp’s sound, departing a bit from her emotional depth and signature vocal runs, she’s now edgier, sharper, and unfiltered. “Leave me alone, bitch, I wanna have fun / Sign a hundred NDAs but I still say something,” she belts, leaning fully into her blunt, unapologetic persona.
The single dropped with a knockout video. In the visual, Rapp hits the club with her crew, blacks out, and wakes up in the middle of a chaotic, cheeky pillow-fight-turned-brawl, feathers falling as she battles her doppelgängers.
“Leave Me Alone” is the first taste of Rapp’s sophomore album, Bite Me, due August 1 via Interscope Records.
She’ll debut the single live at this weekend’s American Music Awards, airing on CBS at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT.
Pre-order the album here.
Featured Photo Credit: Zora Sicher
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (“The Shark”), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When she’s not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.