Pretty Girls

"Pretty Girls", by Reneé Rapp, offers an intimate and poignant exploration of the complexities and emotional turmoil experienced by someone navigating their sexuality in a world that often dismisses and exploits their feelings. With a tone that oscillates between romantic yearning and quiet despair, the song delves deep into the heartache and confusion of being treated as an experiment rather than as a genuine romantic interest.

The opening lines, "You say that I'm your favorite / With your hand between my thighs," immediately set the stage for a deeply personal and vulnerable narrative. Reneé's lyrics convey a sense of being objectified, yet cherished in a fleeting moment. The intimacy is tangible, yet it is marred by the underlying understanding that this affection is conditional and temporary.

Reneé poignantly captures the bittersweet nature of these encounters in the line, "Tell me if you were gonna / That I would be the one you tried." Here, she expresses a longing to be more than just an experiment, to be the one they genuinely care for. However, this desire is met with the harsh reality that she is merely a novelty, something to be tried and discarded. The subsequent lines, "You think that I'd be flattered / It's pathetic 'cause you're right," reveal the inner conflict and self-awareness. Reneé acknowledges her own vulnerability and the painful truth that she finds some solace in this temporary attention, despite knowing it is not sincere.

The chorus, "In the PM, all the pretty girls / They have a couple drinks, all the pretty girls / So now, they wanna kiss all the pretty girls / They got to have a taste of a pretty girl," illustrates the cyclical nature of these encounters. Under the cover of night and the influence of alcohol, these 'pretty girls' allow themselves to explore their curiosities. Yet, this exploration is superficial and fleeting, driven by the safety of the night and the temporary escape from societal expectations.

As morning comes, the line "In the AM, all the pretty girls / Act like it never happened in another world" captures the inevitable erasure of these intimate moments. The daylight brings with it a return to reality, where these explorations are brushed off and forgotten. This cyclical pattern of fleeting intimacy and subsequent denial is both a blessing and a curse for Reneé, as she articulates in "Yeah, it's a blessing and it's a curse / So keep on pretending, pretty girl." The 'blessing' lies in the opportunity for connection, however brief, while the 'curse' is the loneliness and emotional aftermath when these connections are invalidated.

Reneé uses the metaphor of a "straight jacket" to describe her feelings of restriction around these encounters, as she sings, "I like a straight jacket / But it feels like it's a little tight." The wordplay here cleverly juxtaposes the idea of being restricted by straight girls who want to experiment with the literal straitjacket, highlighting the suffocating nature of these interactions.

The line "Oh, shit, yeah, he can come too" further exposes the complexity of Reneé's position. It reflects the frustration and resignation she feels when her encounters are often dictated by the presence of a boyfriend, who becomes an unwelcome third party. This line underscores the recurring theme of being an afterthought or an accessory in someone else's exploration rather than being valued for her own sake.

Ultimately, "Pretty Girls" captures the raw, unfiltered emotions of someone who yearns for genuine connection but is repeatedly met with superficial interactions. The repetition of "Keep on pretending, pretty girl" serves as a haunting reminder of the ongoing charade and the emotional toll it takes. Through her introspective and heartfelt lyrics, Reneé Rapp offers a powerful commentary on the complexities of love, desire, and the search for authenticity in a world that often reduces genuine feelings to mere experiments.