I'm a Mess (Bebe Rexha song)

"I'm a Mess" is a song recorded by American singer Bebe Rexha for her debut studio album, Expectations (2018). It was released as the first and only single from the album on June 15, 2018, following an early radio release in the United States.[1] The song is produced by Jussifer and vocal produced by Davor Corey. According to Rexha, "The song is about accepting your own imperfections, and not dwelling on them but rather celebrating them".[2]

"I'm a Mess"
Remixes cover
Single by Bebe Rexha
from the album Expectations
Released	June 15, 2018
Length	3:15
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Bleta Rexha Justin Tranter Meredith Brooks Shelly Peiken Jussifer
Producer(s)	Jussifer Devon Corey
Bebe Rexha singles chronology
"Girls" (2018) "I'm a Mess" (2018) "Say My Name" (2018)
Music video
"I'm a Mess" on YouTube

Background and release

On September 18, 2017, a snippet of the track was shared by Rexha via an Instagram story. The second snippet was released on April 20, 2018.[3] On June 7, 2018, Bebe announced through social media that her upcoming debut album's first single, entitled "I'm a Mess", would be released on June 15, 2018.[4]

Composition

"I'm a Mess" contains an interpolation of the 1997 song "Bitch", performed by Meredith Brooks.[5][6] It was written by Rexha alongside Justin Tranter and Jussifer, while the latter handled production with Devon Corey.[7]

Music video

The music video was directed by Sophie Muller and premiered on July 19, 2018.[8]

Live performances

Rexha performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,[9] on the Teen Choice Awards,[10] on the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards. She also performed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival (along with "Meant to Be")[11] and on Big Brother[12] and America's Got Talent.[13]

Track listing

• Digital download

1. "I'm a Mess" - 3:15

• Digital download – Acoustic[14]

1. "I'm a Mess" (Acoustic) – 2:33

• Digital download – Remixes[15]

1. "I'm a Mess" (Ofenbach Remix) — 2:44
2. "I'm a Mess" (Robin Schulz Remix) – 3:20
3. "I'm a Mess" (Alphalove Remix) – 3:11

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2018–19) Peak position Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[16] 77 Australia (ARIA)[17] 41 Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[18] 17 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[19] 30 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 25 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[21] 29 France (SNEP)[22] 86 Germany (Official German Charts)[23] 86 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[24] 31 Ireland (IRMA)[25] 40 Malaysia (RIM)[26] 15 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[27] 18 Norway (VG-lista)[28] 18 Portugal (AFP)[29] 90 Romania (Airplay 100)[30] 87 Scotland (OCC)[31] 59 Singapore (RIAS)[32] 10 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[33] 56 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[34] 34 Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[35] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 93 UK Singles (OCC)[37] 77 US Billboard Hot 100[38] 35 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[39] 20 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[40] 17 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[41] 9

Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[42] 91 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[43] 37

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44]	Platinum	70,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[45]	3× Platinum	120,000
Canada (Music Canada)[46]	2× Platinum	160,000
Norway (IFPI Norway)[47]	2× Platinum	120,000
Poland (ZPAV)[48]	Platinum	20,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[49]	Silver	200,000
United States (RIAA)[50]	Platinum	1,000,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
United States	June 15, 2018	Digital download streaming	Original	Warner Bros.	[4]
Italy	June 22, 2018	Contemporary hit radio			[51]
United States	July 16, 2018	Hot adult contemporary			[52]
Various	October 19, 2018	Digital download	Acoustic	Atlantic	[14]
United Kingdom	November 10, 2018	Hot adult contemporary	Original		[53]
Various	November 30, 2018	Digital download	Remixes		[15]

References

1. "Bebe Rexha on Twitter: "We sent all the radio stations a version so they can live with it & hopefully like it enough to play it. Some stations loved it & played it"". June 4, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
2. "Bebe Rexha on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
3. "Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess (Snippet)". YouTube. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
4. "Bebe Rexha on Twitter". June 13, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Twitter.
5. "Bebe Rexha's New Song 'I'm a Mess' Adding '90s Hit 'Bitch' Songwriters to Credits". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
6. Angermiller, Michele Amabile (2018-06-15). "Bebe Rexha's 'I'm a Mess' Gives Belated Credit to Writers of 1997 Hit 'Bitch'". Variety. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
7. "Tune. Bebe Rexha's "I'm A Mess" Is An Emo Anthem". idolator. 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
8. "Bebe Rexha I'm a Mess Music Video Celebrates Her Faults". 23 July 2018.
9. Legaspi, Althea (2018-06-26). "Bebe Rexha Navigates a Hospital for 'I'm a Mess' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
10. Cardoza, Riley (13 August 2018). "Bebe Rexha Dances On A Giant Bed For Amazing 'I'm A Mess' Performance At TCAs". Hollywood Life.
11. "Bebe Rexha Brings The House Down In Surprise-Filled iHeartRadio Performance". iHeartRadio.
12. "Bebe Rexha's "I'm A Mess" Enters Top 3 On US iTunes Sales Chart Following "Big Brother"". Headline Planet. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
13. "Bebe Rexha and Glennis Grace Team Up For Surprise Duet On 'AGT' Finale: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
14. "iTunes - Music - I'm a Mess (Acoustic) - Single by Bebe Rexha". iTunes Store.
15. "I'm a Mess [Remixes] – Single by Bebe Rexha on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
16. "Argentina Hot 100 – Semana del 20 de Octubre del 2018". Billboard Argentina (in Spanish). Retrieved October 18, 2018.
17. "Australian-charts.com – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
18. "Ultratop.be – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
19. "Ultratop.be – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
20. "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
21. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201834 into search. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
22. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés + Streaming – SNEP (Week 1, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
23. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
24. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
25. "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
26. "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles in Malaysia" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
27. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
28. "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 37, 2018". VG-lista. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
29. "Portuguesecharts.com – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
30. Arvunescu, Victor (September 2, 2018). "Top Airplay 100 – Toamna începe... tot cu Mahmut Orhan!" [Top Airplay 100 – Fall starts off... with Mahmut Orhan!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
31. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
32. "RIAS TOP 30 DIGITAL STREAMING CHART 2018 WEEK 31" (PDF). RIAS. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
33. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201909 into search. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
34. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201835 into search. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
35. "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 35, 31 augusti 2018". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
36. "Swisscharts.com – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
37. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
38. "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
39. "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
40. "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
41. "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
42. "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
43. "Pop Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
44. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
45. "Brazilian single certifications – Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. November 14, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
46. "Canadian single certifications – Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess". Music Canada. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
47. "Norwegian single certifications – Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
48. "Polish single certifications – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
49. "British single certifications – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
50. "American single certifications – Bebe Rexha – I'm a Mess". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 11, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
51. "BEBE REXHA "I'm a Mess" - (Radio Date: 22/06/2018)". radiodate.it. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
52. "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access. All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
53. "BBC – Radio 2 – Playlist". BBC Radio 2. Archived from the original on 10 November 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.