Singer and songwriter Bebe Rexha has never been more confident in her own skin—and it shows. Rexha, 34, shared pictures of herself posing on the beach in a black swimsuit and black mesh coverup, looking serene against a gorgeous ocean background. The instagram pictures were received with overwhelming support and compliments, including a heart-eye emoji from Paris Hilton. Rexha has been open about her past struggles for self-acceptance—here’s what self-love means to her now.
Rexha always knew she wanted to work in the music industry. “My love for music started when I was 4 years old and I grew up with music in my household,” she tells Fashion Quarterly. “I started playing the trumpet and taught myself how to play piano. Then I found my love for songwriting which opened a lot of doors for me in my artist career. I’ve been very lucky to work with several artists and collaborators. I knew that I had a love for music and I wanted people to hear my songs. In order for people be in the music business, I knew I needed to do this when I was about 15 or 16, that’s when I started networking with people in the industry.
Rexha has struggled with self-image and confidence in the past, but is learning to be more gentle with herself. “I always say this, and I hope I can keep getting this out there, self-love is not something that, one day, you’re just going to wake up and say, ‘I feel perfect; I feel beautiful.’ Self-love is going to be a constant journey,” she tells Who What Wear. “It’s interesting because I’ve noticed I always give compliments to other people when they’re looking good, but I don’t give myself compliments. So, I’ve been working on saying nice things about myself even if I feel a little bloated, or I’ve gained a little weight, or I indulged in a heavy meal. I say things like ‘I love myself even though I gained a certain amount of weight,’ ‘I love myself even with my little flubby belly or my thick thighs.’ It goes a long way. Just telling yourself every single day that you love yourself, it will get in your head and become more ingrained.”
Rexha goes out of her way to preach acceptance to her female fans in particular. “I think for females it gets hard because we have to live up to standards of what society thinks we should look like,” she tells Fashion Quarterly. “You’re in the spotlight at all times which has you question yourself a lot. That’s why it’s really important for me to promote self-love and supporting other females to my fans.”
Rexha’s self-care routine is all about luxurious baths. “I wish I could say that I would sleep in, but I honestly don’t sleep much,” she tells Who What Wear. “I would take two or three baths. I love baths, and I do them all of the time. I would probably order an incredible pizza, make myself a really yummy salad, maybe get a glass of wine, watch some movies, play some vinyls—I love vinyls and I’ve been collecting them—and then I’d just make a delicious little dessert or something.”
Rexha no longer beats herself up over guilt related to food or exercise. “I have definitely gotten more comfortable in my skin,” she tells Who What Wear. “At one point, it was kind of unhealthy, and I really felt like my sense of self-worth was totally based on the way that I looked. So yeah, I’ve gotten more comfortable, and a little bit lazier, but like, if I want to eat a healthy meal or really take care of my skin, I do it from a place of love now. And hey, I’ve been eating chips and popcorn while we’ve been talking, and do I feel kinda meh about it? Yeah, but then I’m kind of just like, ‘I wanted it, my body wanted it,’ and so I honored that. I just follow my heart.”