Bebe Rexha Shuts Down Comparisons to Olivia Rodrigo: ‘No Need to Put Women Against Each Other’

Bebe Rexha is making it clear that she has no interest in participating in the competitive narratives often forced upon female artists. The singer recently pushed back after a social media user attempted to compare her commercial success to that of Olivia Rodrigo, whose third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, recently debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

The exchange occurred after Bebe Rexha shared a heartfelt tribute to the late artist Oliver Tree on social media. In her post, she revealed that the two had recorded a song together for her latest album, Dirty Blonde, which ultimately did not make the final tracklist. “I’m in shock. I was in the middle of my CD signing in NYC when I found the news of Oliver Tree. I can’t believe it,” she wrote. “We recorded a record together to be on Dirty Blonde. He was so smart, passionate, talented, and kind. I’m so sad. May he rest in peace.”

The conversation took an unexpected turn when a commenter replied to the post, stating, “Olivia outsold u btw.”

Rather than engaging in a negative back-and-forth, Rexha chose to de-escalate the situation with a message of unity. “I’m actually happy for her,” she responded. “No need to put women against each other. Stream DIRTY BLONDE for women empowerment. Livies X Rexhars.”

The response was widely praised by fans, who applauded the singer for rejecting the common industry trend of framing women in pop music as rivals. This moment of grace follows a period of reflection for Rexha, who has been vocal about her own experiences navigating the industry. Last year, she made headlines after publicly criticizing former collaborator G-Eazy, citing feelings of being undermined and silenced by the industry. While she has been open about her frustrations in the past, her recent comments suggest a focus on celebrating the success of her peers.

For now, Rexha remains focused on her own creative output and fostering a supportive environment for fellow artists, signaling a shift toward solidarity in the pop landscape.