ABC/Paula LoboBebe Rexha‘s latest hit is “I’m A Mess,” which she co-wrote with hitmaking songwriter Justin Tranter, who’s penned hits for Fall Out Boy, Selena Gomez, Hailee Steinfeld, DNCE, Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons, Nick Jonas and more. She says when they wrote the song, Justin took the words right out of her mouth…literally.
“I always wanted to write with him and I was nervous ’cause he’s such a big songwriter,” Bebe tells ABC Radio. “The first [writing] session, that we had, I was really upset, ’cause I was in an unrequited love situation, so I walked in the room crying.”
“There was mascara dripping from my eyes,” she continues. “And the first thing I said when I walked in the room was, ‘I’m a mess!’ And he’s like, That’s it! That’s the song! Don’t overthink it.’ I’m like, ‘Are you sure?’ He’s like, ‘Yes!'”
Having achieved her goal of writing with Justin Tranter, Bebe says another artist she’d like to work with is someone with whom she has something unusual in common: Dua Lipa.
Bebe and Dua are both Albanian, as it happens, and so is Rita Ora. In May, Bebe collaborated with Rita on the song “Girls,” and says she’d “love” to do something with Dua, too.
“I mean, it would be cool to do a collaboration with all of us,” she tells ABC Radio. “I think it’s really amazing how all these Albanian girls have kinda been rising [on the charts]. And I think it just shows that we’re really strong and there’s something in our blood! But I’m really proud of them, and I think it’s incredible.”
Maybe Bebe and Dua can exchange numbers next week at the American Music Awards. Bebe’s nominated for two awards, while Dua’s performing on the show, which airs live on ABC.
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