Better Mistakes

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Better Mistakes
Bebe Rexha - Better Mistakes.png
Studio album by
Bebe Rexha
ReleasedMay 7, 2021 (2021-05-07)
RecordedMay–October 2019
GenrePop
Length36:00
LabelWarner
Producer
Bebe Rexha chronology
Expectations
(2018) 		Better Mistakes
(2021)
Singles from Better Mistakes
  1. "Baby, I'm Jealous"
    Released: October 9, 2020
  2. "Sacrifice"
    Released: March 5, 2021
  3. "Sabotage"
    Released: April 16, 2021

Better Mistakes is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha, released on May 7, 2021, by Warner Records. It serves as the follow-up to her debut studio album, Expectations (2018), and contains guest features from Travis Barker, Ty Dolla Sign, Trevor Daniel, Lil Uzi Vert, Doja Cat, Pink Sweats, Lunay and Rick Ross. The album was preceded by the singles "Baby, I'm Jealous", "Sacrifice", and "Sabotage".

Background[]

Bebe worked on the album and finished it before the COVID pandemic, with most of the recording taking place in the summer and fall of 2019. Rexha announced the parent album's title as Better Mistakes, along with its artwork and release date (May 7, 2021), on April 14, 2021,[1][2] along with the announcement of the third single, "Sabotage".[3] On April 15, she revealed the tracklist on her social media accounts. The album was available for pre-order on April 16, conceding with the release of "Sabotage".

The whole album is based off of actual insecurity. My mental health, self-love, me sabotaging everything in my life, am I good enough for this relationship? [...] It was really just taking the real-life stuff that I'm going through, which is really important for me to write about. There's still guitar, but there's a lot of hip-hop in it, but it's still pop. And there are some really pop records. It's not really dance music, but you can bop to it. But when you listen to it, it's really a body of work. And we worked really hard sonically to make sure that everything leads into one another, and it sounds like body of work instead of just having a playlist.

— Rexha describing the inspiration for Better Mistakes, People[4]

Singles[]

On October 5, 2020, Bebe Rexha announced the lead single called "Baby, I'm Jealous", featuring Doja Cat, would be released on October 9.[5][6][7] The song charted at number 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100. She released the follow-up single, "Sacrifice", on March 4, 2021.[8] On April 14, Rexha announced the third single, "Sabotage", would be released on April 16, along with the album's pre-order. On April 28, Rexha announced the song "Die for a Man" featuring American rapper-singer-songwriter Lil Uzi Vert would be released as the promotional single off the album on April 30.[9] She later gave a snippet of the song a day before the single's release.[10]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Young Folks4.0/5 stars[11]
Entertainment WeeklyB[12]
Clash7/10 stars[13]
The Forty-Five3.5/5 stars [14]
Spectrum Culture6.5/10 [15]
AllMusic3.0/5 stars [16]

Robin Murray from the Clash said about the album: "A bulldozer 30 minute pop experience, ‘Better Mistakes’ affords Bebe Rexha space to amplify her potency while exposing her insecurities. Who else but Rexha, for example, could make space for both Travis Barker (on opener ‘Break My Heart Myself’) and a cover of wedding staple ‘Amore’ (alongside the actual Rick Ross)?
13 songs that punch out their truths and then dissipate, ‘Better Mistakes’ ramps up idea after idea.
It's an intriguing formula, one that seems to work: when Bebe Rexha misses – ‘On The Go’ doesn't quite connect, for example – she's able to reload and try again. It all makes for a true rollercoaster experience. ‘Baby, I'm Jealous’ finds Bebe toying with Doja Cat, while Ty Dolla $ign illuminates ‘My Dear Love’. ‘Die for a Man’ is a hilarious statement of independence, while title track ‘Better Mistakes’ is an ultra-personal manifesto."

Commercial performance[]

The album debuted at number 140 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Rexha's lowest charting album on the chart.[17]

Track listing[]

Better Mistakes track listing[18]
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Break My Heart Myself" (featuring Travis Barker)
2:31
2."Sabotage"
  • Rexha
  • Rexha
  • Kurstin
2:56
3."Trust Fall"
  • Rexha
  • Sorana Pacurar
  • Blake Slatkin
2:30
4."Better Mistakes"
  • Rexha
  • Rexha
  • Tranter
  • Lisa Scinta
  • Peter Rycroft
  • Richard Boardman
  • Pablo Bowman
  • Rexha
  • Lostboy
  • The Six
2:15
5."Sacrifice"
  • Rexha
2:40
6."My Dear Love" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign and Trevor Daniel)
  • Rexha
  • Rexha
  • Lee
  • Bolooki
2:52
7."Die for a Man" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert)
  • Rexha
  • Michelle Buzz
  • Nick Mira
  • Jason Gill
  • Rexha
  • Mira
  • Gill
2:47
8."Baby, I'm Jealous" (featuring Doja Cat)
  • Rexha
  • Bowman
  • Tranter
  • Karvinen
  • Gill
  • Rexha
  • Jussifer
  • Gill
2:55
9."On the Go" (featuring Pink Sweats and Lunay)
  • Rexha
  • Michael Keenan
  • Rexha
  • Keenan
2:59
10."Death Row"Rexha
  • Rexha
  • Tranter
  • Richard Boardman
  • Pablo Bowman
  • Rexha
  • The Six
3:05
11."Empty"Rexha
  • Rexha
  • Tranter
  • Karvinen
  • Richard Boardman
  • Pablo Bowman
  • Rexha
  • Jussifer
  • The Six
2:28
12."Amore" (featuring Rick Ross)
  • Rexha
  • The Futuristics
2:54
13."Mama"Rexha
  • Rexha
  • Jussifer
  • Lee
3:08
Total length:36:00

Notes

Personnel[]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[18]

Musicians

  • Bebe Rexha – lead vocals
  • Travis Barker – drums (1)
  • Peter Rycroft – bass, drums, guitar, synthesizer programming (4)
  • David Strääf – drum programming (4), guitar (4, 11), backing vocals, drums, synthesizer (10, 11); acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion, programming, violin (10)
  • Richard Boardman – drum programming, synthesizer (4, 11); keyboards (10)
  • Burns – all instruments (5)
  • Pablo Bowman – backing vocals (5), guitar (10)

Technical

Charts[]

Chart performance for Better Mistakes
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] 57
UK Digital Albums (OCC)[20] 22
US Billboard 200[21] 140

Release history[]

Release dates and formats for Better Mistakes
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various May 7, 2021
Warner [22]
July 2, 2021 CD [23]

References[]

  1. ^ @beberexha (April 14, 2021). "Better Mistakes - New Album May 7th". Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ Alvarado, Karen (April 14, 2021). "Bebe Rexha Announces Her Sophomore Album Better Mistakes". Celeb Secrets. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  3. ^ @beberexha (April 14, 2021). "One more surprise since it doesn't seem like you all can wait any longer for this one... #SABOTAGE out Friday!". Retrieved April 14, 2021 – via Instagram.
  4. ^ Nelson, Jeff (October 28, 2020). "Bebe Rexha Talks Overcoming Insecurities — and Teases New, Britney Spears-Inspired Music". People. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  5. ^ @BebeRexha (October 5, 2020). "#BabyImJealous ft @dojacat out Friday, pre-save now beberexha.lnk.to/babyimjealous" (Tweet). Retrieved October 5, 2020 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Bebe Rexha Links With Doja Cat For "Baby, I'm Jealous"". Idolator. October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "Bebe Rexha announces new Doja Cat collaboration "Baby I'm Jealous"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Tuesday (March 2, 2021). "Bebe Rexha to premiere video for new song "Sacrifice" Thursday on YouTube's 'RELEASED' - Music News - ABC News Radio". Abcnewsradioonline.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  9. ^ @beberexha (April 28, 2021). "DIE FOR A MAN ft. @liluzivert out this Friday ☠️". Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Instagram.
  10. ^ "If you ever were to say goodbye..." Instagram. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  11. ^ Abbott, Noah (May 14, 2021). "Bebe Rexha - Better Mistakes - The Young Folks". The Young Folks.
  12. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (May 7, 2021). "Bebe Rexha - Better Mistakes - Entertainment Weekly". Entertainment Weekly.
  13. ^ Murray, Robin (May 7, 2021). "Bebe Rexha - Better Mistakes - Clash Magazine". Clash. Bebe speaks her whole truth on a riveting, contradictory, and exhilarating pop album…
  14. ^ https://thefortyfive.com/opinion/reviews/bebe-rexha-better-mistakes-review/
  15. ^ https://spectrumculture.com/2021/05/09/bebe-rexha-better-mistakes-review/
  16. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/better-mistakes-mw0003493388
  17. ^ Willman, Chris (May 17, 2021). "Bebe Rexha Addresses 'Upsetting' Album Debut, Plus More Chart Feats and Defeats". Variety. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b "Credits / Better Mistakes / Bebe Rexha". Tidal. May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  19. ^ "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  20. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  21. ^ "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  22. ^ "Better Mistakes by Bebe Rexha on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  23. ^ Physical releases for Better Mistakes:
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