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Bibi Bourelly: The Writer Behind Rihanna's 'BBHMM' Talks Risk, Imagination and Living Uncensored

This article is more than 8 years old.

Learning begins with imagination.

From infancy, children explore boundless ideas free of resistance. What stimulates the spirit of young boys and girls is the liberation that comes with seeing a world of endless possibility.

From that space of freedom - passion, potential and purpose are cultivated. It's where kids start developing their identity.

Fueling the imagination makes the impossible logical. More importantly, it makes being a student the act of being fully aware to the lessons within and around you.

For Bibi Bourelly, the 20-year-old Berlin-bred writer behind Rihanna’s “B*tch Better Have My Money” – trusting your imagination, taking risks and being unapologetically yourself is more than a personal manifesto. In fact, she believes those elements form the common source of power that ignites us all.

“People who are their own entity and aren't afraid to be who they are can move a nation,” says the bold and intentional artist, “I believe the height of my career is going to be during the start of a revolution.”

Throughout history, brave visionaries with a passion for empowering the collective have spearheaded revolutions. For Bourelly, her movement is grounded in both seeing and expressing without limits.

“This is a new time – a new age – a new generation,” she stated, “people are pissed, people are hopeless…we should get to the point and say what we feel – that’s how it should be.”

What Bibi notes is the fundamental role of the artist. Artistry is the practice of authentic expression, fearlessly sharing your unique perspective and allowing others to be impacted by it.

Born to musical parents - her father a celebrated guitarist, Jean-Paul Bourelly, and her late mother an educator who ran the Music Department – Bibi’s upbringing established heavy artistic roots, but further instilled the intangible value of having guts and believing in dreams.

They taught her that education is a tool, not an identity.

The traditional structure of  formal education, in many cases, causes kids to participate in a process of limiting their imagination. The emphasis on order and obedience gives principles like compliance and imitation precedence over creativity and individuality.

“They tell you going into high school that those are the four years that are going to define the rest of your life,” she continues, “when you’re already becoming, stop, then try to start again – it often doesn’t come back.”

While fighting through school, Bibi reached a turning point. She placed a bet on herself, left Berlin in the 10th grade, and traveled to the states to fully pursue her music career - which started in the D.M.V., before moving to Los Angeles.

Working tirelessly with Paperboy Fabe - a producer she met online - the honesty, authenticity and storytelling style of her songs landed Bourelly a session with Kanye West. Giving the young artist a beat and isolating her in a small room with a microphone, Bourelly was challenged to dig within and find her voice.

After a few unfavorable attempts at forcing a sound - she silenced the noise, removed expectations and followed her own north star.

Returned to the room locked in, she completed the song in 30 minutes. That song became Rihanna’s “Higher”. That song changed her life.

When Kanye West brought Rihanna in for “Higher”, he ended up playing “B*tch Better Have My Money”, which she swiftly gravitated toward and selected as the lead single to her anticipated new album.

Photo courtesy of Instagram.com/BibiBourelly

“Now I know fearlessness,” Bourelly calmly and assuredly stated in reference to her journey, “think about how many dreams die with people – if you don’t believe in yourself, whatever you’re doing is for no reason.”

When asked about the level of vulnerability in her music, she stated, “my music comes from heartbreak - from feeling what it’s like to lose everything and not being able to express it through words because it doesn't make sense.”

Bourelly continued, “ I understand the value of pain – pain made me everything I am – and if you approach art outside of anything but yourself, it loses authenticity.”

Despite copyright accusations surrounding the song, the success and buzz around Rihanna’s recent single is still strong, claiming multiple slots on the Billboard Charts.

“Authenticity can't be replicated or faked. You're either real or you're not.”

With a new song of her own, “Riot”, releasing – we’re sure to hear much more from the incredibly talented artist.

The key takeaway: craft a career rooted in your passions, evolved by your experiences, and fueled by your truth.

You are the smart idea. Whatever the gift - bet on yourself and expect to win, even in the face of failure. If ever in doubt, reference Bibi as your proof.

 

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