Bibi Bourelly

Vocalist and songwriter Bibi Bourelly is a bold and outspoken talent whose music is informed by a life that's been far from conventional. She was born in Berlin, Germany on July 14, 1994. Her father was Jean-Paul Bourelly, a guitarist who released 12 solo albums and collaborated with Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Cassandra Wilson, and Craig Harris, while her mother was the director of the art department in Berlin's House of the World's Cultures. Bourelly was a rebellious spirit from an early age, and after her mother succumbed to cancer when Bourelly was six, the youngster developed a keen sense of self-reliance. Her reluctance to conform made her a poor fit for school, and when she was 16, she left Germany and relocated to Washington D.C. to strike out on her own. Three years later, she moved to Los Angeles and worked odd jobs while trying to get her foot in the door of the music business. Bourelly began working with producer Paperboy Fabe, whom she met online, and through him she met Kanye West, who brought her into the studio and put her in a vocal booth to see what she could come up with. The end product was the song "Higher," which was recorded by Rihanna, who was pleased enough with the tune that she turned to Bourelly for more material. Bourelly's "Bitch Better Have My Money" became a major hit for Rihanna, and soon she was writing material for Nick Brewer ("Talk to Me") and Selena Gomez ("Camouflage") and appearing with Lil Wayne on "Without You," a cut from his Free Weezy Album. In April 2015, Bourelly released her first solo single, "Riot," and after scoring a deal with Circa 13/Def Jam Records, she dropped a second single, "Ego," in October 2015