Bebe Rexha has said her own mother despises her forthcoming expletive-laden track.
The singer revealed that her latest musical creation, Mama, delves into darker subject matter than her previous work and she is “scared” by her own songwriting.
Rexha was speaking ahead of her performance at the Isle Of MTV festival in Malta, and said her mother hates the new song.
The star, who has enjoyed numerous writing credits for the likes of Emimen, Rihanna and Nikki Minaj before her own solo breakthrough, believes self-expression is more important than any backlash to her work – even from her own family.
The US singer has said her new music represents raw reality, and being truthful is central to being a great artist.
Rexha told PA: “My mom hates the song. My mom absolutely hates the song. She’s like ‘I love all the melodies, but the lyrics, I don’t like them’.
“There’s even a line in the song that says my parents are going to hate this song.
“I think as long as you’re honest with yourself, there’s nothing else to lose, because at least you’re being real with yourself.”
Rexha has said her creative departure into darker material has concerned herself as well as her mother.
The singer is apprehensive about the reaction to her work, which she has branded “insane” but “real”.
Her worries about the track relate to harsh lyrical content that she is reluctant to repeat.
She said: “I’m scared. The song I’m about to put out out is very insane. I think I say the word – I don’t even want to say it.
“Any bad word you can think of is probably in there. But it’s very f****** real. I think I say pussy, vibrator. But it’s really good. It’s insane.
“People are going to love it or hate it.”
Rexha has stressed the importance of truthful expression, and has said she would never allow songs to be written for her.
The singer’s success has been forged by her own songwriting, and she is grateful for the acclaim and lifestyle her music has brought.
Speaking in Malta, she said: “Yesterday we were on a f****** boat. We were like ‘Damn, we’re lucky’.
“That’s really awesome, it’s like a dream come true. I could still be sitting at home in New York, in my parents’ basement, still trying to make it.”
