From Broadway stages to concert venues, Reneé Rapp never ceases to draw a crowd. The  actress turned pop star made her Irish debut on Monday night at Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre, closing out the international Snow Hard Feelings Tour in a flash of lesbian flags, homemade signs and Rapp’s signature tongue-in-cheek wit.

Following two crowd-roaring sets from openers Towa Bird and Sekou, the venue was illuminated by a montage of home videos and photographs from Rapp’s childhood, concluding with her iconic Regina George-esque clip “Shut the fuck up!” as the 24-year-old appeared on stage in her trademark combo of jorts and an oversized T-shirt.

Reneé Rapp at the 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 4 March 2024. Copyright Bailey Shropshire/hotpress.com

Rapp took no prisoners at 3Olympia, playing a tirade of bangers that started off strong with the self-destructive Snow Angel opener ‘Talk Too Much’ before taking off with the laughably candid diss-track ‘Poison Poison.’

“I’m very happy to be here, I’ve never been before,” the singer said to clamorous applause. “My grandma keeps texting me, and she’s like, ‘We have Irish descendants!’ and I’m like, ‘So does every other white person… Just look how many of us are in this room, okay.”

Known for her comic anecdotes and crowd conversations, Rapp was quick to latch onto the night’s targets, teasing two balcony dwellers after they emphatically booed a nearby gay bar. “You don't like it? …So you hate gay people. You really said, ‘fuck homosexuals.’”

Reneé Rapp at the 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 4 March 2024. Copyright Bailey Shropshire/hotpress.com

Despite a lingering cough, Rapp’s vocal prowess was on full display, nailing intricate runs and gut-wrenching belts with the ease of a Broadway-trained professional. Expertly jumping from soprano to alto and back as she ran through ‘Willow,’ ‘Bruises,’ ‘Swim’ and ‘Colorado,’ Rapp’s set was an undeniable vocal marathon, and she crossed the finish line with middle fingers raised high.

Pink flood lights enveloped the stage as the crowd dissolved into near pandemonium for fan-favourite ‘Pretty Girls,’ a queer anthem about falling for someone who’s sexuality changes by the hour, cooing “Tell me if you were gonna that I would be the one you tried. So you itch a little closer. Say your boyfriend, he wouldn’t mind. You think that I’d be flattered. It’s pathetic cus you're right.” Over the course of the tour, Rapp had developed a pattern of cloaking herself in crowd-gifted pride flags during the song, whether that be bisexual, lesbian or LGBTQ+, and her Irish fans did not disappoint, tossing fistfuls of rainbow fabric to the stage.

Reneé Rapp at the 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 4 March 2024. Copyright Bailey Shropshire/hotpress.com

As the night went on, Rapp continued to command her audience with the down-to-earth energy of Billie Eilish and homoerotic pride of Boygenius, inviting opener Towa Bird back on stage for an amorous rendition of ‘Tummy Hurts’ –– their performance reminiscent of the platonic intimacy coined by queer trio Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus.

Towa took a one-song hiatus as Rapp tackled the bitter breakup-ballad ‘I Hate Boston,’ welcoming the supporting artist back with a stool and acoustic guitar. Seated talk-show style at the front of the stage, the two joked briefly with Rapp’s previously identified balcony targets before taking on a cover version of The Cranberries’ ‘Linger.’

Shifting the night’s energy from melancholic acoustic to boisterous confidence, Rapp channelled her inner Regina George as she jumped into her latest release, ‘It’s Not My Fault.’ The vibrant collaboration with Meghan Thee Stallion, riddled with Mean Girls references and samples, came out January as a part of the soundtrack for the Mean Girls movie-musical remake, which saw Rapp reprise her iconic Broadway role on the big screen.

Reneé Rapp at the 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 4 March 2024. Copyright Bailey Shropshire/hotpress.com

After a heartfelt rendition of ‘I Wish,’ lovingly dedicated to her parents and marked as one her personal favourites from the album, Rapp gave diehard fans the belter they had been waiting for. Backlit by the image of a simple home window, the 24-year-old singer blew listeners away with her pure, guttural talent. ‘In The Kitchen,’ released on her original EP back in 2022, is the powerhouse ballad that budding singer-songwriters aspire to achieve.

By the end of the night, as the stage went dark, Rapp fans were itching for the blaring finale they knew was brewing. After what felt like an eternity of anticipation, Rapp reappeared onstage draped in white silk having complete an outfit change befitting of an ex-Broadway and taking her before a ten foot display of angel wings. The night’s closing number, ‘Snow Angel,’ was nothing short of celestial.

Without the eccentricities of most live performances, Rapp’s voice powered her show, a talent even more formidable in person. At 24 years old, Reneé Rapp has found a way to conquer not only Broadway, but TV, film, and now, rounding out her first international headline tour; the music industry.