As an early adopter Rexhar (I first wrote about her back in early 2014, and we had our first chat later that summer), it’s been quite something for me to watch Bebe Rexha‘s career shape-shift over a half decade or so.
From songwriting queen – best known for Eminem and Rihanna‘s “The Monster,” plus bops like Tinashe‘s “All Hands on Deck” and Iggy Azalea‘s “Team” (and Shinee‘s “Lucifer” years before!), to EDM feature queen (“Take Me Home” with Cash Cash) to hip-hop hook queen (“Me, Myself & I” with G-Eazy) to country radio crossover queen (“Meant To Be” with Florida Georgia Line), Bebe’s made a lot of different musical moves in a short period of time.
Now, at long last, she’s back to being a messy queen. (And no, I’m not talking about that awkward Twitter scuffle with our Current Reigning Drag Race Queen – although that did provide a great popcorn.gif moment.)
Bebe’s gone batty with her latest single “I’m A Mess,” and she’s gonna show us crazy yet again, as the mental institution-themed music video will help to illustrate. (This concept will likely offend some people on the Internet. But also, everything offends people on the Internet. You can’t win, as our One True Idol once proclaimed.)
Surrounded by jittery, severely shook back-up dancers (and/or Britney fans coming to terms with the fact that “Apple Pie” was never real), Bebe gives us her most unhinged performance to date.
The video has shades of Lady Gaga‘s own mental breakdown-tinged spectacle “Marry The Night,” and Girl, Interrupted, and feels like a Proper Pop Star Video with ample choreography and flamboyant, mental patient-chic looks in a sleek and sterile hospital setting. (And who does’t love some mascara tears?)
No surprise that this video is a stunner, though: the prolific Sophie Muller is the one behind the camera. Gwen Stefani‘s “Cool” alone…
In the time between her songwriting streak for other pop stars and the first slew of successful features, Bebe started out with two vulnerable, emotionally unstable singles that led to her debut I Don’t Wanna Grow Up EP in 2015: “I Can’t Stop Drinking About You” and “I’m Gonna Show You Crazy,” two songs that remain some of her best solo work to date, still.
Not to discredit all the great songs that have come from her since, but with her latest single and video, it genuinely feels like that emo-pop version of Bebe is back, messier than ever.
And I, a fellow mess, couldn’t be more pleased.
“I’m a Mess” was released on June 22. (iTunes)
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