Expectations

## ***Expectations***Studio album by Bebe Rexha

### Producer(s)

Bebe Rexha, Max Martin, Ali Payami, JUSSI, Jason Evigan, Louis Bell, The Stereotypes and Hit-Boy

## Singles

1. "I'm a Mess"
June 15, 2018

***Expectations*** is the debut studio album by American singer Bebe Rexha. It was released on June 22, 2018, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was announced following the success of her collaboration with country duo Florida Georgia Line, "Meant to Be". *Expectations* went out for pre-order on April 13, 2018, with the release of two promotional singles: "Ferrari" and "2 Souls on Fire". The album includes the singles "I Got You" and "Meant to Be" from *All Your Fault: Pt. 1* and *All Your Fault: Pt. 2*, respectively. It features appearances from rappers Quavo and Tory Lanez, and country duo Florida Georgia Line. The album sold 604,000 units in the U.S. as of January 29, 2019 (37,000 pure).

## Background

Following the release of *All Your Fault: Pt. 2*, Rexha began teasing new songs for a third installment in the *All Your Fault* series, with her manager going on record about its release. However, it appeared plans had changed, as Rexha revealed her next project would be called *Expectations* through a tweet on November 7, 2017. Rexha revealed the cover art on April 8, 2018, with the album being available for pre-order on April 13.

## Singles

"I'm a Mess" was released as the lead single from the album on June 15, following an early radio release in the United States. It has so far peaked at number 35 on the *Billboard* Hot 100, becoming Rexha's first top 40 hit as a solo lead artist. "I Got You" and "Meant to Be" featuring Florida Georgia Line, from the first and second parts of *All Your Fault* respectively, were also included on the album.

### Promotional singles

"Ferrari" and "2 Souls on Fire", the latter of which features Quavo of Migos, were released as promotional singles on April 13, 2018 with the pre-order of the album. "Ferrari" has since received a vertical video.

## Critical reception

*Expectations* received mostly positive reviews. According to Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an averagescore of 65, based on six reviews, indicating “generally favorable reviews”. AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung viewed the album as "an improvement upon her trio of EP releases that succeeds in presenting mature, forward-thinking pop of the dark, introspective variety" and concluded, "While it could benefit from some tightening – the middle stretch stalls the momentum – *Expectations* affirms Rexha's songwriting prowess, ear for catchy hooks, and ability to pull emotion from otherwise serviceable radio pop". Craig Jenkins from *Vulture* referred to the album as "a showcase for the versatility of her instrument, which is both high and hearty and also a little wan, capable of hitting incredible marks in its upper register at the cost of coming in a little shrill". He especially praised album's intriguing ideas, playful lyrics and memorable hooks, dubbing it "one of the week's easiest pleasures".

Ilana Kaplan and Nick Hasted from *The Independent* highlighted album's ballads "Grace" and "Knees", describing *Expectations* as "album full of flawed, self-deprecating and boundary-pushing pop offerings". Idolator's Mike Nied stated that the album "perfectly captures the superstar's ethos" and that Rexha's "very recognizable voice is absolutely riveting." Nevertheless, he opined that the inclusion of "Meant to Be" "feels out of place", despite being "her biggest hit to date". Nick Levine from *NME*perceived Rexha more as an "emo singer", while *Refinery29*'s Courtney E. Smith described Rexha as an "anti-hero" and a "dangerous woman fiercely playing with themes of depression, a lack of self-control, and unpredictability". In addition, Smith expressed that the singer "did a masterful job of painting a nihilistic scene in which she's an observer, and sometimes an unreliable narrator", but emphasized a lack of "autobiographical impression". *Rolling Stone*'s Sarah Grant wrote that on *Expectations*, Rexha "paints herself as a heroine trapped in an ivory tower of her own making, but her cat-scratching upper register suggests sensitivity more than vengeance", calling it "an impressive debut album full of nostalgic heartache". Tommy Monroe from *The Quietus*stated that "a few tracks do do lack energy", however he described Rexha as "no ordinary singer" and "a chameleon who can switch vocals, blend with any sound, and find rhythm with any tempo".

In a less positive review, Laura Snapes of *The Guardian* criticized the overuse of Auto-Tune and Rexha's "desperate search of an identity" throughout the album, citing "Ferrari" as the "only remotely distinctive song".

## Commercial performance

*Expectations* debuted at number 13 on the US *Billboard* 200 chart, earning 24,000 album-equivalent units (including 10,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week. As of January 2019, the album has sold 604,000 units (with 37,000 copies in pure album sales) in the US.On October 23, 2020 the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units in the United States.

## Music videos

* "Meant To Be" received a clip on October 23, 2017, where Rexha starred with Florida Georgia Line in a 1980s tale of street-side bars and cafes, "where waitresses with red lipstick served pancakes at breakfast".

* "Ferrari" was published on April 13, 2018 and received a clip at Spotify, where Rexha sings this song that uses the metaphor of being a Ferrari, like "how fast our lives can be".

## References

1. ↑ Twitter - @BebeRexha - *#EXPECTATIONS*