When I was in ninth grade, I attended a Nick Jonas concert in a small theater, in rural Pennsylvania. The opener for my first-ever concert was BeBe Rehxa. Of course, I had done the proper teenage girl concert preparations: made matching t-shirts with my friends, cleared the storage on my phone, and researched all the possible songs being played. I did the same for BeBe Rehxa’s, even though before buying concert tickets, I had never even heard of her. Everything I remember from her performance was amazing. Thanks to my prior preparations, I even knew a lyric from her 2015 song I’m Gonna Show You Crazy, “SO WHAT IF I’M FUCKING CRAZY?”.
Before Nick Jonas came onto the stage, I wanted to go to the bathroom; It turns out the closest bathroom to the second row was close to backstage. I was waiting next in line for the stall, and in all her boob glitter glory, Bebe Rehxa opened the door. Looking back at the picture of Bebe Rehxa’s natural black hair, and my over-tweezed eyebrow ninth-grade self, I feel proud: for one thing, I had one of the best first concert experiences a teenage girl could ask for, I learned how to do my eyebrows, and I became a Bebe Rehxa fan. Who better than a female singer and mental health advocate?
In April of 2019, Bebe Rehxa officially opened up about her mental health struggles, tweeting to her 1.6 Million followers that she had Bipolar Disorder. In a SELF magazine interview, she discussed her experience stating, “I felt like me opening up to my fans was me finally saying, ‘I’m not going to be imprisoned by this.’ And maybe it’ll make somebody not feel imprisoned, in that moment, if they feel like they’re going through a rough time. That’s why I decided to really open up and to free myself from that.” Rehxa continues to open up in this article about societal, cultural (specifically Albanian), and female influences that affected her journey with Bipolar I. The article, Bebe Rexha Talks About Living With Bipolar Disorder for the First Time: ‘I Decided to Open Up and Free Myself’, is one I highly recommend checking out.
Before Bebe Rehxa made statements in the interview and on Twitter, her music gave us a glimpse too. She sang lyrics relatable to anyone struggling with their mental health, including myself. Her earliest work included I’m A Mess released in 2018, along with I’m Gonna Show You Crazy, inspired by her first visit to a therapist. Break My Heart Myself (feat. Travis Barker, another mental health ally) was released in 2021 along with a fully mental health-inspired album, called Better Mistakes:
“Hello, my name is Stevie. / Actually, I’m lying. It’s really Bebe. / It’s the meds. They make me really sleepy.”
And from the same album, the song Sabotage,
“Why do I sabotage everything I love? / It’s always beautiful until I fuck it up.”
The most popular song from this album in my opinion was Baby I’m Jealous (feat. Doja Cat), relatable to anyone with emotions, not just those struggling with mental health:
“Went from beautiful to ugly / ‘Cause insecurity told me you don’t love me.”
She also released a ballad on the Better Mistakes called Empty.
“A breakdown is my daily routine / A fake smile is my accessory”
Believe it or not, her work with music and mental health goes beyond her own career, she helped create Monster by Rihanna and Eminem.
Throughout high school, I did not know it yet, but I was struggling with my mental health. After graduation I would later be diagnosed with Panic Disorder, spend time with a therapist, make a visit to a crisis center, and have antidepressants be a part of my daily routine.
I am grateful that I had Bebe Rehxa’s music, lyrics, and career to support me through these times. Please check out Bebe Rehxa’s latest work, music, and story, because not only may it help you get in tune with some of your emotions, but it may help someone close to you as well.