In town recently amidst a whirlwind tour schedule, Bebe Rexha gave us the inside scoop on finding success and working with One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson.
Blondes really do have more fun. Just ask hit-machine Bebe Rexha, who has two singles to her name burning up the charts currently. Following breakthrough success with rapper G-Eazy on their 2015 runaway smash ‘Me, Myself and I’, Bebe switched hair colour to the lighter side, and since then, has seen a slew of smash hits follow in line. Besides being one of today’s most sought after pop stars, the lively femme fatale is also a bonafide songwriter and a rising fashion icon. Read on to find out how Bebe is doing it all and more.
Hi Bebe! What’s the best thing about your fans in Asia?
Bebe: I think the best thing about Asia and my Asian fans is that they’re so kind, and so respectful. I love the food here and I’ve never been to Asia [before] so I think my favourite thing so far of this whole trip has been seeing this culture and its really exciting and I love it!
Congrats on all the success with the new EP All Your Fault: Pt 2. We also hear rumours about a Part 3 with songs like ‘Bed’ and ‘Naughty’? Could you share the scoop on that?
Bebe: I’m not sure yet exactly on what I want to do and I don’t wanna throw a date out there. But I am working on some new music and I do have some songs that are already finished. I possibly may do a part 3 or I may put an album out but there will be more music coming soon in the next 2-3 months.
Your new single ‘The Way I Are (Dance With Somebody)’ is blowing up. If you could dance with anyone in the world, who would it be?
Bebe: I would dance with my grandfather. He’s dead but I really loved him so much and I would love to have a dance with him, even though I remember he was a really bad dancer. I would probably do a simple waltz or something – a grandad dance.
The song has also evolved to become a self-empowerment anthem. What’s one feature about yourself that you’re not embarrassed about?
Bebe: That I have a big butt… and I cannot lie! (Laughs)
‘Back To You’, your single with Louis Tomlinson is also huge right now. What’s it like working with Louis and how did the song come about?
Bebe: He reached out to me, and they had the song kinda already done. I knew One Direction and how big they were, and I was a little scared cos I didn’t know how it was gonna turn out; I was really nervous to meet him. Honestly it was the best decision I ever made. I listened to the song and immediately loved it and I knew there was something special about it and I feel like it resonated with me because I remember being in relationships where I’m like “oh my god I love this person but I can’t be with you, but I have to go back to you” and I felt like everybody goes through this. Working with Louis in general, it’s fun and easy and there’s no stress or egos. It’s super chill and we were just having fun. We filmed the video in his hometown Doncaster. It’s interesting, and I get it. He’s always wearing track suits and he is that kinda guy – laidback and chill.
If you could go back in time and tell teenage Bebe one thing, what would it be?
Bebe: I think if I told teenage Bebe that I was going to be performing at the Teen Choice Awards with Louis Tomlinson, and then travelling to Asia and seeing Singapore, Beijing, Jakarta and other countries, I think 16-year-old Bebe would be screaming and peeing her pants. I’d tell her to take a chill pill, and everything is going to work out just fine.
You’ve already achieved so much this year. What’s the next thing you hope to achieve in 2017?
Bebe: I think I’d like to find balance in my life – in my personal life and in my music life. I think that in the last 11 years being in the music business, I think my journey’s been interesting because it’s been this constant grind. And I think that I’m starting to see it pay off, but I also see now that life is much more than just numbers on a chart or how much money you have. I think life is about the people around you and happiness and success is not always what you think it is. I think right now, I want to find a way on how to manage being in the music business and being happy and being balanced, and sharing my success with the people that I love.
Featured image: Dennis Leupold/Warner Music Singapore
Stay tuned for our full video interview with Bebe! Listen to All Your Fault: Pt 2 below:
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