BEBE REXHA BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Born Bleta Rexha on August 30, 1989, in Brooklyn, New York, the 37-year-old singer known as Bebe Rexha is an Albanian-American singer-songwriter who turned a behind-the-scenes songwriting career into global pop stardom. Her birth name — "Bletë" means "bee" in Albanian — suits an artist who has buzzed across genres: the country-pop phenomenon "Meant to Be" and the dance anthem "I'm Good (Blue)" made her one of the defining hitmakers of her generation. Like fellow Albanian-American pop star Ava Max — profiled in our Ava Max biography — Rexha belongs to a wave of Albanian-diaspora talent reshaping mainstream pop, a wave that also includes Dua Lipa (see our Dua Lipa biography).

Image: jus10h, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — Bebe Rexha at the Grammy Museum, September 2026

Early Life

Bleta Rexha was born on August 30, 1989, in Brooklyn, New York City, to Albanian parents with roots in North Macedonia. Her father Flamur was born in Debar, while her mother Bukurije was born in the United States to an Albanian family with roots in Gostivar. Her first name, "Bletë," is the Albanian word for "bee" — the inspiration for the nickname Bebe.

When Rexha was six, the family moved to Grasmere, Staten Island. She attended Tottenville High School, where she sang in the choir and trained as a coloratura soprano. Her songwriting gift surfaced early: she won "Best Teen Songwriter" at the Recording Academy's Grammy Career Day, beating roughly 700 entrants — a victory that caught the attention of talent scout Samantha Cox and launched her toward the music industry.

Career

Rexha's first major break came as the lead vocalist of Black Cards, the band formed by Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, which she fronted from 2010 to 2012. But her pen proved as powerful as her voice: she co-wrote "The Monster," the 2013 Eminem single featuring Rihanna that won the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance.

A run of featured-vocal breakouts followed — "Hey Mama" alongside David Guetta, Nicki Minaj and Afrojack; "Me, Myself & I" with G-Eazy, which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015; and "In the Name of Love" with Martin Garrix in 2016, a streaming juggernaut with more than 1.5 billion Spotify streams. Then came "Meant to Be," her 2017 collaboration with Florida Georgia Line: it peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, spent a record 50 weeks atop the Hot Country Songs chart, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Her 2017–18 chart run arrived in the same era as the solo breakthrough of Camila Cabello — read our Camila Cabello biography — as both artists helped define the sound of late-2010s pop.

In 2022 she reunited with David Guetta — more in our David Guetta biography — for "I'm Good (Blue)," which climbed to No. 4 on the Hot 100 and hit No. 1 in 22 countries. Across four studio albums — Expectations (2018), which reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200, Better Mistakes (2021), Bebe (2023) and Dirty Blonde (2026) — Rexha has earned four career Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist in 2019, alongside an ACM Award, a VMA, three EDMAs and two Billboard Music Awards.

2026 opened a bold new chapter. On March 6 she released "New Religion," a collaboration with Faithless issued through EMPIRE Distribution — her first independent release after parting ways with Warner. The track interpolates Faithless's 1995 classic "Insomnia" with the group's blessing, serves as the focus track of Dirty Blonde (released June 12, 2026), and topped Billboard's Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart. She performed it on Jimmy Kimmel Live on March 9 and at Capital's Summertime Ball on June 6, 2026.

Personal Life

Rexha has a brother, Florent. She was in a relationship with cinematographer Keyan Safyari from 2020 to 2023, and she has been dating Simos Liakos since August 2024. Away from music, she is an outspoken advocate for body positivity, mental health awareness and LGBTQ+ rights.

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official music video for "Meant to Be" above — the 2017 smash with Florida Georgia Line that spent a record 50 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Bebe Rexha and where was she born?

Bebe Rexha is 37 years old. She was born Bleta Rexha on August 30, 1989, in Brooklyn, New York City, to Albanian parents with roots in North Macedonia.

What are Bebe Rexha's biggest songs?

Her biggest hits include "Meant to Be" with Florida Georgia Line, "I'm Good (Blue)" with David Guetta, "Me, Myself & I" with G-Eazy and "In the Name of Love" with Martin Garrix — plus "The Monster," the Eminem and Rihanna smash she co-wrote.

What albums has Bebe Rexha released?

She has released four studio albums: Expectations (2018), Better Mistakes (2021), Bebe (2023) and Dirty Blonde (2026).

What did Bebe Rexha do in 2026?

In 2026 she entered her independent era, releasing "New Religion" with Faithless on March 6 through EMPIRE Distribution and her fourth studio album Dirty Blonde on June 12, with performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and at Capital's Summertime Ball.