Bebe Rexha is an American singer and songwriter known for co-writing Eminem and Rihanna's hit single "The Monster" and for performing charting collaborations such as "Meant to Be" with Florida Georgia Line. She has released the studio albums Expectations, Better Mistakes, and Bebe, while also writing songs for artists including Selena Gomez and Nick Jonas.
Personal life
Rexha has described her sexuality as "fluid" and is a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. She revealed in 2019 that she has bipolar disorder, and she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome in 2023.
Rexha began dating cinematographer Keyan Safyari in 2020, and they separated in 2023. In July 2023, she appeared on Celebrity Family Feud with her family.
Early life and songwriting recognition
Bleta Rexha was raised in Staten Island by Flamur and Bukurije Rexha, alongside her brother Florent. Her parents are Albanian, with family roots in Debar and Gostivar in North Macedonia. The Albanian word bletë means "bee," which inspired her nickname and stage name, Bebe.
Rexha played trumpet for several years and taught herself guitar and piano. At Tottenville High School, she performed in musicals and sang in the choir, where she discovered that her voice was a coloratura soprano. As a teenager, she won the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences' Best Teen Songwriter award from a field of about 700 entrants, leading to songwriting classes in Manhattan with talent scout Samantha Cox.
Black Cards and solo debut
In 2010, Rexha met Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and began working with him at a New York recording studio. She became the lead vocalist of Black Cards, Wentz's experimental project, which performed live and released singles and remixes. Rexha left the group in 2012 to pursue other opportunities and received the Abe Olman Scholarship for her songwriting later that year.
Rexha signed with Warner Bros. Records as a solo artist in 2013. Her songwriting credits included Eminem and Rihanna's "The Monster," as well as songs recorded by Selena Gomez and Nick Jonas. She released her first solo single, "I Can't Stop Drinking About You," in 2014 and her debut EP, I Don't Wanna Grow Up, in 2015.
Collaborations, Expectations, and later albums
Rexha gained wider recognition through collaborations including "Hey Mama" with David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, and Afrojack, "Me, Myself & I" with G-Eazy, and "In the Name of Love" with Martin Garrix. Her collaboration with Florida Georgia Line, "Meant to Be," reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 50 weeks at number one on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart.
She released the EPs All Your Fault: Pt. 1 and All Your Fault: Pt. 2 in 2017. Her debut studio album, Expectations, followed in 2018, reached number 13 on the Billboard 200, and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. She released Better Mistakes in 2021 and Bebe in 2023. The latter included "I'm Good (Blue)," her collaboration with David Guetta, which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped charts in 22 countries.
Television, film, and public appearances
Rexha hosted the 2016 MTV Europe Music Awards and appeared in the MTV documentary Bebe Rexha: The Ride in 2017. She later served as a coach on The Voice's Comeback Stage, appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, and performed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Her screen credits include voicing Tuesday in UglyDolls and playing Tempe Tina in the 2021 film Queenpins. In June 2023, she suffered a black eye and required stitches after a concertgoer threw a phone at her head during a performance. The following year, she headlined Pride in London in Trafalgar Square.
Quick facts
- Bebe Rexha won the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences' Best Teen Songwriter award after competing against about 700 entrants.
- She was the lead vocalist of Black Cards, an experimental project formed with Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz.
- Rexha received the Abe Olman Scholarship for her songwriting in 2012.
- She co-wrote Eminem and Rihanna's "The Monster," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance.
- Rexha co-wrote and performed on David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, and Afrojack's "Hey Mama," although she was initially not credited on the song.
- "Meant to Be" with Florida Georgia Line spent 50 weeks at number one on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart.
- Her album Expectations reached number 13 on the Billboard 200 and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
- Rexha hosted the 2016 MTV Europe Music Awards.
- She served as a coach on The Voice's Comeback Stage during its 16th season.
- Rexha required stitches after a concertgoer threw a phone at her head during a June 2023 performance.
- She has played trumpet and taught herself to play guitar and piano.
- Rexha discovered that she was a coloratura soprano while singing in her high school choir.
FAQs about Bebe Rexha
What is Bebe Rexha diagnosed with?
Bebe Rexha has bipolar disorder and was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome in 2023.
Is Bebe Rexha LGBTQ?
Bebe Rexha is a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and has described her sexuality as fluid.
Also view
Suggest an edit to this profile
Spotted something wrong or missing? Tell us what should change and, if you can, where you saw it.