Bebe Rexha is a Brooklyn-born pop singer who has been making a lot of waves recently with prominent singles like “Me, Myself & I” with G-Eazy, “In the Name of Love” with Martin Garrax (a song I really like, might I add), “Hey Mama” with David Guetta and several others, and of course the massive “Meant to Be” with Florida Georgia Line, a song that actually ended up on this record. This is her debut studio album, though it’s not the first project she’s put out, as she’s released three EPs before this album, and has actually been in the music industry since 2009.
Now, this album honestly caught me off guard. Not because I didn’t expect it, but because I wasn’t sure how to feel going into it. Not only is Bebe Rexha an artist I’m unfamiliar with, but given the few songs I’ve heard her on (“Meant to Be,” “In The Name of Love” and “PUSH BACK” from Ne-Yo’s latest album “GOOD MAN”), Bebe Rexha kinda surprised me when she brought on featured artists like Quavo and Tory Lanez with this album. So all in all, I’m walking into this knowing little of what to expect, which can be equal parts exciting and frightening. Let’s hope it’s worthwhile, yes?
Ferrari: Kicking things off, we have a rather pounding, guitar-driven track that serves as a strong showcase of Bebe’s very powerful vocals. Here, she compares the way life moves so fast to the speed of a Ferrari. I think her vocals, like I said, are quite powerful, and the song allows her to really showcase that they carry some very real emotional weight, but I don’t really find much of the production to be that sticky on this one. Not that it’s really bad, but it just doesn’t really pop or do much to stick in my memory. It’s definitely a decent track, it’s just not anything I’ll be returning to over and over again.
I’m a Mess: A track that sees Bebe expressing optimism for the future even in spite of her mental state, this is a more upbeat electropop song that takes a more danceable vibe than the last one. I know I don’t really analyze lyrics that much, but I found the line “It’s gonna be a good, good life / That’s what my therapists say” to be strangely fascinating. I’m not sure what it was, but that was a line that made me say “oh!” and it stuck with me during the song. And I like the feel of this one a bit more: it’s a bit more poppy, but it’s got a fun beat, great vocals as always from Bebe, and a rather sticky hook. I think I also dig it because it’s a song about staying optimistic despite your insecurities, and as someone that has quite a few insecurities, this is a track I just find myself gravitating towards. I really dig it!
2 Souls on Fire (ft. Quavo): Another more poppy song, Bebe collaborates with Quavo of Migos fame (a feature that kind of surprised me) to make something of a love song (I hesitate to call it a ballad) where they talk about what they want from their future lovers. I really like their vocal interplay on this one; Quavo and Bebe mesh nicely together, and they sound great against the very snappy, click-clacking beat here. Yes, it’s a bit standard and poppy, but I think the very charismatic vocal performances and groovy guitar riffs make this one a rather enjoyable listen.
Shining Star: Genius.com interestingly described this song as a “reserve Sk8er Boi-esque story,” which I think is actually a quite hilarious description. That said, it appears to be accurate, as Bebe talks about a bad girl and a good guy who loves her despite all of her flaws. While this one isn’t quite as sticky as the last few, I like the sweet Latin guitar grooves and the rather snappy percussion. Bebe’s vocals also sound nice as usual, though I do think the hook wasn’t the most captivating one on the record. Also, I wish the song didn’t just *end*. It finishes really abruptly and that just doesn’t really work for me. A decent, if slightly flawed, cut.
Knees: A ballad about faded love, Bebe sings over an acoustic guitar melody asking her lover to set her free from their struggling relationship. I like Bebe’s vocal flow on this one, and I think her vocals have some very solid emotional weight. The acoustic guitar melody, even if it’s probably nothing you haven’t heard before, still sounds very smooth and fits nicely up against Bebe’s more low-key but still emotional vocals. It’s a track that takes things a bit lighter than the last few while maintaining Bebe’s poppy aesthetic to a degree, and it’s definitely a nice cut.
I Got You: A track that was actually previously featured on Bebe Rexha’s “All Your Fault: Part 1” EP, she talks on this one about “letting your walls down” and taking a chance on finding love, even if it can be scary. It’s actually kinda funny because I hadn’t realized that I’ve heard this song before listening to this album, even though I didn’t mention it in the intro. Sorry. Either way, even though a lot of this might seem standard, I actually really enjoy it! The electronic production is infectious, the hook is actually quite fun, and Bebe’s vocals are very nice, even if they are filtered to a degree. I definitely dig this one!
Self Control: Bebe sings on this one about her lack of self-control over a very tropical, electronic guitar-driven instrumental melody. It’s definitely got a nice, danceable vibe to it, even though it does feel like several songs I’ve heard before. Still, I’ve said it before, “similar” is not “bad” if it’s got some charm to it, and there’s plenty of charm to the production here; Bebe’s vocals are nice, and the hook is quite sticky as well. I didn’t think I’d enjoy this one all that much because of the very same-y production, but I actually had quite a bit of fun with it!
Sad: On this one, Bebe Rexha talks about her sadness, and seems to come to terms with her melancholy and her loneliness. Man, I wish it was that easy for me to come to terms with my anxiety. Teach me your ways, Bebe. Either way, I think there’s some fun to be had with this more electronic, sort of moody track, but it’s not quite as infectious as some of the other cuts on the record. I don’t think the hook sticks quite as much, and even if the song has a somewhat danceable vibe to it, the production doesn’t really do a ton to set itself apart from the other songs on the album.
Mine: Here, Bebe takes on a bit more of a trap feel, singing about a boy who has become incredibly infatuated with her. It’s a somewhat nocturnal track where Bebe brings some very real braggadocio to the table and gives us a taste of her attitude. It’s a really strong cut, I think her more attitude-driven vocals are very charismatic, and she sounds pretty great against the click-clack trap percussion. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so shocked about the features on this thing, because Bebe really comes through with a trap-leaning banger on this track. Bebe, just saying, release this as a single. It’s a damn good track, it deserves the single push!
Steady (ft. Tory Lanez): Keeping with the trap theme of the last cut, this one sees Bebe and guest artist Tory Lanez (whose last name I legitimately used to think was pronounced “la-nez” and not “lanes”) sing about falling in love while on drugs. And while Genius.com’s annotations indicate that Bebe is singing about G-Eazy and Halsey on this track, I think that’s a bit of a stretch (it’s still worth pointing out because there’s a comments section below, so we can discuss how you guys interpret the lyrics if you want). Either way, this is a much darker trap cut than the last song, and Bebe’s vocals throughout the song are gorgeous, even if the hook is not quite as strong as the pre-chorus (it’s definitely not bad, though). Tory Lanez's autotune-assisted sing-rapping sounds nice as well (though I have to say the lyric where he says he’s gonna “keep it 78 plus 22 with you” was kinda silly). I really did enjoy this track, and while it’s not the banger that “Mine” was, I think Bebe and Tory come together to make a pretty good song here.
Don’t Get Any Closer: A much darker, more sinister guitar-driven track, Bebe sings on this cut about the side of herself that she doesn’t show to her lover. She explains that there’s a very different version of herself underneath what he sees, and she does so over some very minimal production. While I don’t really find the hook all that enticing on this track, I think the more minimal, dark production gives Bebe more of a platform to show off her very powerful vocals and belt some great notes here. Again, it’s a bit too short, and the song doesn’t really stick all that much, but it’s definitely a solid track.
Grace: Now, lyrically, I have to say this song has a nice theme to it: Bebe basically talks about how she wants to break up with someone she doesn’t love anymore, but without hurting them too badly, noting that she still wants to show that she appreciates the love that they had for her. I gotta say, that sounds quite unique to me, honestly. Hats off to Bebe for coming up with such an interesting theme for a pop ballad. And what’s more, the song itself is very nice: I love the moody piano and violin melodies on this one, and as always, the lowkey instrumentals give Bebe all the room in the world to show off her vocal power, which she has plenty of. Personally, I kinda feel like this should’ve been the finisher to the album, but either way, it’s a very strong track.
Pillow: Ending things off in regards to new songs (since the final song on the album is one you’ve probably heard a million times already), Bebe sings about how love isn’t as easy as she thought, thanks to her lover being thousands of miles away. She sings over another very moody and light piano melody, and I like how, despite the very melancholy vibe of the song, there’s still a bit of bounce to it thanks to the solid electronic drum beat and the additions of the synths and acoustic guitars. Bebe’s vocals are also quite beautiful, as she switches wonderfully from very low-key, somber vocals to very powerful runs late in the song. Once again, I wish either this or “Grace” ended the album instead of “Meant to Be,” but all in all, it’s a very lovely cut that’ll definitely get some repeat listens out of it.
Meant to Be (ft. Florida Georgia Line): This song has been getting negative reviews from several critics, perhaps because of some of the lyrical themes, perhaps because Florida Georgia Line is just an easy target, or perhaps just because it’s another dull and generic pop-country crossover song akin to last year’s “Body Like a Back Road” (though, slightly less disgusting). Either way, for me personally, this song reads as just being “there” to me. I didn’t care for it when it charted, and I don’t particularly care for it now. It’s not precisely “bad,” it’s just rather standard. Nothing you haven’t heard before from a pop-country song, and not really having anything all that exciting or memorable to it. The hook is bland, the vocals are fine but not all that special, and the instrumental, while not ear-piercing, is just very basic. I get why this ends the record because “yeah, it’s the big hit!,” but it’s certainly not the best thing here. Hell, I only really know Florida Georgia Line for this and “Cruise,” but I already feel like I’ve heard their entire discography. That’s not a good sign.
Overall, even though “Meant to Be” wasn’t the best song to end on, I have to say I was honestly surprised! I kept waiting for the point where this album would slow to a screeching halt and just start to hit a struggle point, but it never did! I think Bebe did a very nice job on her debut album, bringing a nice blend of different styles, from tropical tracks to electronic dance songs to piano ballads to even a few trap bangers. And what’s more, she mostly sticks the landing on all the genres that she crosses over to (I say “mostly” because of “Meant to Be”). Bebe shows that she has a solid ear for production, her songwriting skills that she’s had for several years transfer nicely over here, and of course, her vocals are consistent gorgeous throughout the record, even on the songs where he isn’t hitting runs and jumping up in her range. All things considered, Bebe Rexha’s “Expectations” surpassed my…oh, you know what’s coming next, “expectations,” and ended up being a very wonderful collection of pop songs with some interesting crossovers. Can’t wait to hear what else Bebe has in store for us!
Favorite tracks: I’m a Mess, 2 Souls on Fire, Knees, I Got You, Self Control, Mine, Steady, Grace, Pillow
Least favorite tracks: Sad, Meant to Be
Rating: Excellent
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