Are Bebe Rexha and BTS are going to collab? Check out the news
Bebe Rexha has long been open about her admiration for BTS, and a single Instagram Live moment from years ago still sparks conversation among fans. The singer-songwriter mentioned writing a demo for the group in early 2021, but the exchange stayed at the idea stage with no confirmed follow-through. Here is the timeline and the current picture as of mid-2026.
Instagram Live
The comments surfaced during a February 2021 Instagram Live. Rexha told viewers she had just finished a rough demo aimed at BTS and described it as a mess that still needed cleaning up, adding that it sounded “really bomb.” At the time she stressed that the band had not heard the track yet. Contemporary coverage from NME and KoreaBoo captured the exchange exactly as it happened, and no later statements from either side indicated further progress.
How did Rexha & BTS meet?
The first public meeting came in 2018 at the Billboard Music Awards. BTS performed and took home the Top Social Artist trophy while Rexha, already a fan, asked V for a quick selfie that she posted to her Instagram story. The two also shared laughs in the audience during Kelly Clarkson’s set, giving fans an early glimpse of mutual warmth.
Does Rexha have experience with K-pop bands?
Her earliest K-pop credit dates to 2010, when she co-wrote SHINee’s “Lucifer,” a track that became one of the group’s signature hits. Rexha has referenced the song publicly as recently as 2024, posting on X to celebrate the anniversary and underscoring how the experience opened doors in the genre. That foundation continues to draw attention whenever new K-pop-adjacent rumors surface.
Other collabs in Rexha’s future
During the same 2021 Live, Rexha floated the possibility of working with Harry Styles and joked about whether it would be “allowed” after her successful 2017 single “Back to You” with Louis Tomlinson. The comment reflected her long-running interest in cross-genre pairings. More recently she teamed with Faithless on the March 2026 single “New Religion” and has been linked in industry filings to an unreleased track registered with BLACKPINK members, showing the same collaborative impulse still at work.
Fan reactions
Twitter lit up immediately after the 2021 Live. Users posted lines such as “Bebe Rexha on her IG live says she is currently writing a song for @BTS_twt. OMG I can’t wait!!” and “Honestly bts x bebe rexha the power is gonna be immaculate.” The quotes capture the instant excitement at the moment the demo was first mentioned; later searches show the conversation tapered off without an official release.
Recent Career Developments
After more than a decade with Warner, Rexha signed with independent label Empire in January 2026. The move gave her greater control over release timing and creative direction. The first fruit of the deal arrived with the single “New Religion” in March, followed by the full-length album Dirty Blonde on June 12, 2026. Both projects landed on streaming charts within days, confirming the strategy shift had immediate commercial traction.
Ongoing K-Pop Connections
Beyond the 2010 SHINee credit, Rexha’s name has surfaced in ASCAP filings tied to an unreleased BLACKPINK collaboration titled “Fit For.” While the track remains in development, the registration alone keeps her on the radar of K-pop fans scanning for Western writers entering the space. Social mentions from 2024 onward show the Lucifer story still resonates with newer listeners discovering SHINee’s catalog.
Status of the BTS Demo
Five years after the Instagram Live, no version of the demo has been released or publicly acknowledged by BTS or their label. Contemporary reports noted only that the track existed in rough form and that the group had not yet received it. Absent any further statements through June 2026, the project stays listed as unconfirmed, a detail that distinguishes the original rumor from later speculation.
Bebe Rexha in 2026
Rexha spent the first half of the year preparing for the Dirty Blonde Club Tour, which kicked off in June across mid-sized U.S. venues. The run emphasizes stripped-back arrangements and direct fan interaction, a deliberate contrast to arena productions she joined earlier in her career. With Empire handling distribution, she has also leaned into shorter release cycles, dropping visuals and remixes within weeks of each single rather than waiting for full album campaigns.
Other Recent Collaborations
In addition to Faithless, Rexha has continued work with longtime production partner David Guetta, whose recent European dates featured her catalog in reworked sets. Industry coverage also notes she contributed background vocals and arrangement ideas on several tracks for up-and-coming pop acts, a behind-the-scenes lane she has favored since leaving major-label infrastructure. These projects keep her songwriting credit count rising while she balances headline dates on the current tour.
Who is Bebe Rexha?
Born August 30, 1989, in Brooklyn to Albanian parents, Rexha picked up trumpet in grade school and taught herself guitar and piano soon after. High-school musicals and choir sharpened her performance skills, and a teenage submission to the Grammy Day songwriting contest earned her an award that led to early management. By 2010 she had met Pete Wentz and fronted his band Black Cards before branching into solo songwriting. Warner Bros. signed her in 2013; she supplied hits for Selena Gomez, Eminem, and others before stepping out with her own singles. The 2026 move to Empire marked the latest chapter, placing Dirty Blonde and its surrounding tour under an independent banner while she maintains the cross-genre reach that first drew attention two decades ago.
