Bibi Bourelly—the badass 20-year-old who penned Rihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money" as well as "Higher," a soaring #R8-bound ballad that Ri's been teasing on Instagram—considers "Riot," which she is premiering here today, an "introduction to what I'm about and what I want." An edgy and emotionally driven acoustic bad gal anthem, the song finds a raspy voiced and strong willed Bourelly vowing to do whatever it takes to make it: You won't see me crying, you gon' see the fire in my eyes. "I want to give people the truth because a lot of people aren't so authentic," she told FADER over the phone last week. "It's how I felt in school, fighting against my parents, fight to be considered a real musician. For me it's about fighting to be heard and to be recognized."
Taking a minute to briefly addressing the plagiarism allegations that have been waged against "Bitch Better Have My Money," Bourelly expressed frustration over the questioning of her hard work. "It's so ridiculous to me," she said. "It shouldn't even be talked about. I've been writing since I was a kid, I finish songs in a couple hours. I shouldn't have to argue with that, it's not a realistic accusation."
As for what comes next, she says, "You never really know with me what's coming next because I just do shit when I feel like doing it." But, she let it be known that "It's going to be a really fucking crazy journey." We're excited to watch it unfold.
Lead Image: Thayna Alves
