Bebe Rexha was mourning the death of a fellow artist when a social media commenter tried to drag her into a rivalry with Olivia Rodrigo. Rexha did not take the bait.
The exchange started after Rexha posted a tribute to Oliver Tree, who had died while she was in the middle of a CD signing in New York City, according to Billboard. The two had recorded a song together for her album Dirty Blonde that 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. Kind. I'm so sad. May he rest in peace."
A commenter responded to the post with: "Olivia outsold u btw."
Rexha replied: "I'm actually happy for her. No need to put women against each other. Stream DIRTY BLONDE for women empowerment. Livies X Rexhars."
Rodrigo's third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, had debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and broken streaming records. The commenter's remark appeared to be a reference to that success.
Rexha's response drew wide praise from fans, many of whom credited her for rejecting a pattern that has become common online, where female pop artists are framed as competitors rather than peers.
It is not the first time Rexha has spoken publicly about challenges in the music industry. Last year she posted a message on social media calling out what she described as being undermined and silenced. "I have been UNDERMINED. I've been so quiet for the longest time," she wrote. "I haven't seen the signs even though people constantly are bringing them up and they have been SO OBVIOUS. And when I have spoken up I've been silence and PUNISHED by this industry Things must change or I'm telling ALL of my truths. The good the bad and the ugly. (sic)" She later removed that post, saying a member of her team had asked her to take it down.
For now, Rexha's public focus remains on Dirty Blonde and on supporting other women in music.
