Bebe Rexha

Bebe Rexha

Bebe Rexha (2013)
Background information
Birth name Bleta Rexha
Born August 30, 1989
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active 2010–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website www.beberexha.com

Bleta "BeBe" Rexha (born August 30, 1989; Albanian pronunciation: [bibi ɹɛd͡ʒə]) is an American singer and songwriter, known for being featured on the hit single "Take Me Home" by Cash Cash, being the lead vocalist of the American band Black Cards created by Pete Wentz and for co-writing the number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit "The Monster" by Eminem featuring Rihanna.[1]

Biography

Rexha was born in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, to ethnic Albanian parents. Rexha began her approach to music at the age of 4, and continued to pursue her love for music through Tottenville High School on Staten Island, taking part in musicals such as Hello, Dolly!, Jesus Christ Superstar and Fiddler on the Roof.[2] She was inspired by musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Tori Amos, John Legend, and The Temptations.[2] Rexha earned the "Best Teen Songwriter" at The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences's annual New York "Grammy Day" event,[2] that allowed her the opportunity to meet many successful music producers.

Black Cards

Bebe Rexha with Pete Wentz in 2011.

In March 2010, Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz formed an alternative electro band with Rexha, called Black Cards. Wentz decided to form the group during his break from music in 2009, when he decided to concentrate more of his time on raising his family. During this period, Wentz started being inspired by Jamaican music, and decided to contact producer Sam Hollander to discuss an idea to mash up ska, dance and reggae music with '80s British rock and pop to create an experimental sound.

Hollander was instrumental in introducing Rexha to Wentz, as Rexha would spend a lot of time in his studio writing and recording songs. Wentz decided to sign Rexha under his Decaydance label with Island Def Jam, and during on an interview on MTV, he announced that album was set to release for mid-2011. In the same year, the duo released their first single "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Fame" and many songs were leaked to YouTube, but the album was postponed to March 2012, according to reports from an interview that Wentz did with Spin magazine. On January 12, 2012, the band announced via Facebook that Rexha was no longer a member of the group.

Solo career

Rexha in 2010

In 2013, Rexha was signed to Warner Bros. Records by A&R Executives Jeff Fenster and Alex Wilhelm after a 3 label bidding war,[3] following success as a professional songwriter, penning songs such as "Like a Champion" for Selena Gomez on the album Stars Dance, "Glowing" for South African-born Island Def Jam recording artist Nikki Williams, and the number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit "The Monster" for Eminem featuring Rihanna. "The Monster", was originally called "Monster Under My Bed". Rexha initially recorded the track as a potential song for her debut solo album, then she and her collaborators pitched Eminem's label a stripped-down version of the song that was later reworked to become "The Monster".[1]

In the same year, Rexha released an original pop track on her SoundCloud page, "Comeback Kids", and is featured with Roseland, New Jersey-based EDM group Cash Cash on their single "Take Me Home", which peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Cash Cash and Bebe also recorded an acoustic version of "Take Me Home" along with a video that was released on February 25, 2014 through Big Beat Records.[5]

Rexha is working on her debut album, and has already entered the studio with producers such as David Guetta, Fraser T Smith and Frequency, among others. On March 21, 2014, Bebe released her first single from her debut album, "I Can't Stop Drinking About You", via Warner Bros. Records.[6] Rexha released "I'm Gonna Show You Crazy" on December 23, 2014 as the second single from her debut album.[7] Another song, "Gone", was released on the same day.[8] On March 19, 2015, Bebe announced on her Instagram that a song off of her album (and possibly her next single) would be titled "Blanket.".[9] She posted another snippet of "Blanket" on April 5, 2015, confirming it would most likely be a single.[10] On April 21, it was announced Rexha would release a 5-track EP in May called "I Don’t Wanna Grow Up". [11]

Discography

Extended plays

Title Album details Peak chart
positions
US
I Don't Wanna Grow Up —

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US US
Heat		 US
Pop
[12]		 AUS
[13]		 FIN
[14]		 NOR
[15]		 SWE
[16]
"I Can't Stop Drinking About You" 2014 115[upper-alpha 1] 22 31 — — — — I Don't Wanna Grow Up
"I'm Gonna Show You Crazy" — — — — 17 17 30
"Gone" — — — 87 — — — TBA

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[18]		 US
Dance		 AUS
[13]		 AUT
[19]		 GER
[20]		 NZ
[21]		 SCO
[22]		 UK
[23]
"Sink or Swim"
(Pierce Fulton featuring Bebe Rexha)		 2012  — — — — — — — — Non-album single
"Take Me Home"
(Cash Cash featuring Bebe Rexha)		 2013 57 6 7 63 86 28 2 5 Overtime
"Yesterday"
(David Guetta featuring Bebe Rexha)		 2014 — 28 — — — — — — Listen
"Hey Mama"
(David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Afrojack) (uncredited vocals)		 27 1 27 39 28 38 — 98
"This Is Not a Drill"
(Pitbull featuring Bebe Rexha)		 — — — — — — — — Globalization
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.

Promotional singles

Year Title Album
2012 "Ride Till You Die"
(featuring Voli)		 Non-album singles
2013 "Comeback Kids"

Production and writing credits

Year Artist Album Song Label
2010 Shinee Lucifer "Lucifer" SM Entertainment
2012 Nikki Williams — "Glowing" Island Def Jam
Madonna MDNA "Some Girls" Interscope
2013 Cash Cash feat. Bebe Rexha Overtime EP "Take Me Home" Big Beat /Atlantic Records
Selena Gomez Stars Dance "Like a Champion" Hollywood Records
Eminem feat. Rihanna The Marshall Mathers LP 2 "The Monster" Interscope
2014 Tinashe Aquarius "All Hands on Deck" RCA
David Guetta Listen "Yesterday" Parlophone
"Hey Mama"
Bella Thorne Jersey "Jersey" & "One More Night" Hollywood Records
Pitbull Globalization "This Is Not a Drill" RCA

Notes

  1. ↑ "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number fifteen on the Bubbling Under chart, which acts as a twenty-five song extension to the Hot 100.[17]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Creating a Monster: How Bebe Rexha's Song Became Eminem's Chart-Topping Hit | Pigeons & Planes". pigeonsandplanes.com. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Who is Bebe Rexha, Black Cards lead singer ? Videos, audio, photos and bio!". starcasm.net. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  3. ↑ "Bebe Rexha "Comeback Kids"". hitsdailydouble.com. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  4. ↑ "Cash Cash - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  5. ↑ "Cash Cash's 'Take Me Home' Acoustic Video: Exclusive Premiere | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  6. ↑ "Bebe Rexha - "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" | NYLON MAGAZINE". Nylonmag.com. 2014-03-21. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  7. ↑ "Bebe Rexha Teases New Single "I’m Gonna Show You Crazy": Listen To A Snippet Of The Fiery Anthem - Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com". Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com.
  8. ↑ "iTunes - Musik – "Gone - Single" von Bebe Rexha". iTunes.
  9. ↑ http://instagram.com/p/0dN5-qPge-/
  10. ↑ http://instagram.com/p/1HWLXIvgQB/
  11. ↑ RICHARD BAXTER (21 April 2015). "Bebe Rexha Announces ‘I Don’t Wanna Grow Up’ EP, Releases ‘I’m Gonna Show You Crazy’ Music Video". www.popologynow.com. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Bebe Rexha".
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Peaks in Australia:
  14. ↑ "Finnishcharts.com: Bebe Rexha discography".
  15. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com: Bebe Rexha discography".
  16. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com: Bebe Rexha discography".
  17. ↑ "Billboard Chart Songs Bubbling Under Hot 100 This Week (11/06/14)". Daily Postal. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  18. ↑ Peak positions for the featured singles in the US:
  19. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Bebe Rexha". Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  20. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Bebe Rexha". German Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  21. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Bebe Rexha". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  22. ↑ Peak positions for singles in Scotland:
  23. ↑ Peak positions for singles in the UK: