Bebe Rexha Shares Song Picks Before 'Dirty Blonde'
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- Bebe Rexha says the first song she fell in love with was 'Part of Your World' from The Little Mermaid, after her mom gave her the VHS at age five or six, and she connected with Ariel's longing for a different life.
- Rexha recounts her first single purchase as Christina Aguilera's 'What a Girl Wants,' bought by her aunt at a Times Square record store, and her first self-bought CD as Lady Gaga's 'Just Dance,' which she called 'a real moment of independence.'
- Rexha names her own 'New Religion' as the best party song, revealing the track sampled Faithless' 'Insomnia' — she was shocked when it was cleared and later had brunch with Sister Bliss, who told her the original files were 'on tape,' underscoring a warmth she says digital music can't replicate.
- Rexha says she can no longer listen to Shaed's 'Trampoline' because it was one of 'our' songs with her ex, and calls Adele's 'Easy on Me' the song currently making her cry.
- Rexha admits she secretly loves Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer' despite growing up believing it was 'parents' music,' and names the Fugees' 'Ready Or Not' as the song she inexplicably knows every lyric to, especially Lauryn's parts.
- Rexha's album 'Dirty Blonde' is set for release on 12 June.
Why it matters: The feature doubles as a low-key promo for 'Dirty Blonde' (out 12 June), but the Faithless anecdote is the real craft story: a working pop songwriter crediting the analog warmth of '90s masters and the personal friction of getting them cleared — a detail the listicle headlines around her picks will likely bury.
