About this episodeBebe Rexha and Justin Tranter discuss their collaborative songwriting process, highlighting the importance of …AI summary
Bebe Rexha and Justin Tranter discuss their collaborative songwriting process, highlighting the importance of emotional honesty and fun in the studio. Bebe shares her experiences with child stardom, including the trauma of public harassment and the industry's gender dynamics, while also revealing her recent depression diagnosis and how it influenced her new music.
Key takeaways 5
Collaboration thrives on fun and conversation; Bebe Rexha and Justin Tranter start sessions by joking and talking, often turning casual comments into song lyrics.
Child stardom involves significant trauma, including public harassment at meet-and-greets where minors are exposed to predatory adults, requiring artists to develop thick skin early.
The pop music industry is dominated by straight male producers who often lack genuine interest in female pop art, leading to sessions where women's ideas are ignored or appropriated.
Bebe Rexha recently discovered she had been suffering from depression for five years, mistaking her apathy for personality traits, which directly influenced the themes of her new album.
Artists should prioritize their own vision over polished production if the demo captures the right emotion; Bebe prefers keeping raw, demo-like vocals for vulnerable songs rather than technically perfect but emotionally flat versions.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“You are profiting off of like pop girls and you hate women and yet the bulk of pop music being sung by women is being made by straight men who they don't even like this art form.”
▶ 0:14Bebe Rexha explaining why she refuses to work with male producers who dismiss her ideas in sessions.
“I didn't really feel like I had a super big lust for it like or love for it. I like didn't care. Like I was just kind of like gh I'm doing this and like I want to succeed I guess cuz like I have bills to pay.”
▶ 8:59Bebe Rexha describing her initial lack of passion for songwriting before collaborating with Justin Tranter.
“What makes you feel hot? ... That I'm ugly in LA.”
▶ 0:46Bebe Rexha's immediate, honest answer that inspired the song 'LA Ugly'.
“I truly thought that I just got older and my personality became apathetic. Like I was like, 'Oh, like I've just been so beaten down by the world that I've developed really thick skin... instead of just being thick skinned and still experiencing joy, I was like and my thick skin is so thick that I never get too excited about anything.'”
▶ 36:38Bebe Rexha describing how she misinterpreted her depression as just growing up before her friend Teddy corrected her.
“If you are not like in a small group of people kind of like working on a project together then everyone always just wants to get like the single and then you have a full record of just songs that are just like it doesn't necessarily go together.”
▶ 56:24Bebe Rexha explaining why she prefers working with a tight-knit team of producers and writers to create a cohesive album.
Chapters & Sections (44)▼
0:00Child Stardom and Early Career Struggleschapter2
2:04Podcast Banter and Fan Shirt Tribute
3:16Teenage Tumblr Aesthetic and Isolation
5:38Collaboration with Julia Michaels and Justin Tranterchapter4
7:50Finding Joy in Small Writing Spaces
9:31Shift from Ego to Genuine Songwriting Passion
11:12Child Stardom and Vocal Cord Hemorrhage
13:26Pixar movies and childhood singing
15:14Child Stardom Early Auditions and Public Harassmentchapter1
16:56Developing Resilience Amidst Public Criticism
20:24Child Stardom Trauma and Meet-and-Greet Safetychapter2
23:52Industry Pressure on Child Stars
25:26Disrespectful Collaborators and Gender Bias
27:52Male Producers and Female Pop Musicchapter2
30:03Male Dismissal of Young Female Songwriters
32:16Songwriting Process and Creative Mysteries
33:54Discovering Undiagnosed Depression Through Friendshipchapter2
35:22Misinterpreting Depression as Adult Apathy
37:30Realizing Depression Through Friends' Observations
39:36Songwriting Process and Sex for Attention Storychapter1
41:08Dive Bar Dudes and Free Drinks
44:07Sex for Attention Story and LA Ugly Songchapter2
46:14LA Ugly Song Inspiration and Self-Acceptance
48:11Songwriting Collaboration and Self-Image
49:27Demoitis and Vocal Production Perfectionchapter1
51:39Artist Control and Marketing Reality
55:37Songwriting Process and Vocal Challengeschapter2
57:39Vocal Lessons and Tour Preparation
59:38Vocal Challenges and Performance Anxiety
1:01:16Candid Songwriting and Finding Humor in Traumachapter2
1:03:32Embracing Past Versions Through Candid Songwriting
1:05:04Lyrical Truth and Collaborative Joy
1:07:33Paramore Live Show Inspiring Musical Careerchapter1
1:09:07Paramore Live Show Inspiring Musical Career
1:12:22Gag or Drag: Party Etiquette and Tech Habitschapter2
1:13:36Party Etiquette and Gag or Drag
1:16:11Sleep Habits and Location Sharing
1:18:20Celebrity Relationships, Fan Expectations, and Social Etiquettechapter1
1:19:56Fan Expectations and Social Etiquette
1:22:56Handling Regret, Comebacks, and Label Changeschapter1
1:24:59Excitement for New Label and Career Comeback
1:27:28Advice for Young Artists and Child Stardomchapter2
1:29:23Advice for Young Artists on Passion and Success
1:31:07Sacrifices and Mental Health in Child Stardom
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