Rebecca Black - Friday

Rebecca Black - Friday

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Updated May 16, 2022 at 12:11PM EDT by Zach.

Added Mar 13, 2011 at 05:39AM EDT by checkthat1.

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Featured Episode

About

Rebecca Black is an amateur YouTube musician who soared into the public eye for her music video "Friday." The song gained significant online notoriety in March 2011 for its monotonous lyrics accompanied by heavy use of auto-tune.

Origin

The music video was first uploaded via YouTube on February 10th, 2011, but it didn't gain viral momentum until a month later when the popular The Daily What[1] posted the video on March 11th, 2011.



CNN Marquees blog reported that Black’s music video was produced by Ark Music Factory, a California-based video company that was also behind similar teen-pop videos like Alana Lee’s “Butterflies” and Kaya’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Mind” .[2]

Lyrics

The song was not written by Black, but by Ark Music founder Patrice Wilson, who also appears as the rapper on the song and video. For more lyrical analysis, check out KYM Infographic – Rebecca Black Friday Lyrics.

Spread

Online Reaction

From The Daily What, "Friday" M/V was subsequently reblogged by other popular blogs like Tosh.0[4], Urlesque[5], Huffington Post[6], Buzzfeed[7] and shared on Tumblr[8], Twitter[9], Memebase[10] and various other discussion forums. On March 14th, 2011, "Rebecca Black" emerged to the top trending topics on Twitter. By March 15th, the video had reached over 3 million views and by March 17th it reached 10 million views with the single reaching the Top 100 on iTunes. As of March 30th, 2011, Rebecca Black's "Friday" YouTube video officially surpassed Justin Bieber's "Baby" in total number of user downvotes with over 1.1 million downvotes.

News Media Coverage

On March 17th, Internet news blog The Daily Beast interviewed Rebecca and her production company Ark Music Factory about her unexpected online fame. According to the article, the 13 year old from Orange County, CA, was quite surprised by the negative reactions and hateful comments, but it didn't faze her to pull her music video down from YouTube:

“Those hurtful comments really shocked me,” Black said yesterday in her first interview since the song came to dominate a certain quadrant of popular culture and crack the iTunes Top 100 singles chart this week, besting the likes of Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber. “At times, it feels like I’m being cyberbullied.”[13]


In the following week, Rebecca Black appeared on morning talk shows including ABC Good Morning America to share some of the hateful comments her video has drawn, as well as an acoustic studio performance of "Friday."

The viral breakout of Black's "Friday" also inspired many punchlines and parodies on nighttime talk shows, including Stephen Colbert's performance of the song on NBC Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien's parody song "Thursday" and live performance by Black herself on NBC Tongiht Show with Jay Leno.

On April 4th, producer Patrice Wilson posted a hip-hop song on YouTube whose lyrics defend the "Friday" video and addresses various other points brought up by the Internet community.

Awkward Dancing Girl Speaks Out



Benni Cinkle, also known as the "awkward dancing friend", uploaded this video on March 18 in response to the overwhelming number of animated GIFs of her making the rounds on Tumblr. The video was posted to Reddit on March 19th.[14]


WHITE PEOPLE 4GIFs.com

Months later in August 2011, Benni Cinkle released a music video for her single "Can You See Me Now." On September 1st, the video was posted to viral content site BuzzFeed[22], and was subsequently published to Gawker[23] the following day. The video was posted to ThatGirlInPink.org[25], Cinkle's personal site dedicated to help teens who have suffered from cyber bullying attacks.



Anniversary Post

On February 10th, 2020, Black tweeted her thoughts on "Friday" roughly nine years after the song's release.[29] She wrote, "9 years ago today a music video for a song called 'Friday' was uploaded to the internet. Above all things, I just wish I could go back and talk to me 13-year-old self, who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world. To my 15-year-old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she faced. To my 17-year-old-self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends. To my 19-year-old self who had almost every producer/songwriter tell me they'd never work with me."

She continued, "I'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. You are not defined by any one choice or thing. time heals and nothing is finite. It's a process that's never too late to begin."

The post received more than 357,000 likes and 40,000 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below).


Rebecca Black @MsRebeccaBlack above all things, i just wish i could go back and talk to my 13 year old self who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world. to my 15 year old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she faced. to my 17 year old self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends. to my 19 year old self who had almost every producer/ songwriter tell me they'd never work with me. hell, to myself a few days ago who felt disgusting when she looked in the mirror! i'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. you are not defined by any one choice or thing. time heals and nothing is finite. it's a process that's never too late to begin. and so, here we go! this might be a weird thing to post but the honesty feels good if nothing else. 4:28 PM · Feb 10, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone


Many responded positively to the post. YouTuber Anthony Fantano tweeted,[30] "You dropped this 👑👑👑👑" (shown below, left). Twitter[31] user @zerowondering tweeted, "This is a very scary reminder on how super impactful the internet can be. A lot of people made fun of her, and for them that was it. But for her, she went through a massive struggle for many years. You never really know how you can affect people with words. People forget this." The tweet received more than 21,000 likes and 3,800 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below, center).

Black responded to the support on Twitter. She wrote,[32] "okay so i just got back on twitter and i am just so blown away and confused and grateful at the messages you guys have been sending to me in response to this. i could have never imagined support like this. that you a million times i just wanna cry!! (happily!!!)" The post received more than 25,000 likes and 1,000 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below, right).


@MsRebeccaBlack · 20h Rebecca Black above all things, i just wish i could go back and talk to my 13 year old self who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world. to my 15 year old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she faced. to my 17 year old self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends. to my 19 year old self who had almost every producer/ songwriter tell me they'd never work with me. hell, to myself a few days ago who felt disgusting when she looked in the mirror! i'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. you are not defined by any one choice or thing. time heals and nothing is finite. it's a process that's never too late to begin. and so, here we go! this might be a weird thing to post but the honesty feels good if nothing else. 27 40K 357.5K 4K Thee Anthony Fantano @theneedledrop Replying to @MsRebeccaBlack You dropped this 8:52 PM · Feb 10, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone Tempo ZeRo @zerowondering This is a very scary reminder on how super impactful the internet can be. A lot of people made fun of her, and for them that was it. But for her, she went through a massive struggle for many years. You never really know how you can affect people with words. People forget this. Rebecca Black @MsRebeccaBlack · 20h above all things, i just wish i could go back and talk to my 13 year old self who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world. to my 15 year old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she faced. to my 17 year old self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends. to my 19 year old self who had almost every producer/ songwriter tell me they'd never work with me. hell, to myself a few days ago who felt disgusting when she looked in the mirror! i'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. you are not defined by any one choice or thing. time heals and nothing is finite. it's a process that's never too late to begin. and so, here we go! this might be a weird thing to post but the honesty feels good if nothing else.' 8:43 PM · Feb 10, 2020 · Twitter Web App Rebecca Black @MsRebeccaBlack okay so i just got back on twitter and i am just so blown away and confused and grateful at the messages you guys have been sending to me in response to this. i could have never imagined support like this. that you a million times i just wanna cry! (happily!!!) @MsRebeccaBlack · 21h Rebecca Black above all things, i just wish i could go back and talk to my 13 year old self who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world. to my 15 year old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she faced. to my 17 year old self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends. to my 19 year old self who had almost every producer/ songwriter tell me they'd never work with me. hell, to myself a few days ago who felt disgusting when she looked in the mirror! i'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. you are not defined by any one choice or thing. time heals and nothing is finite. it's a process that's never too late to begin. and so, here we go! this might be a weird thing to post but the honesty feels good if nothing else. 11:27 PM · Feb 10, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone


Notable Examples

GIFs

Several image macros have popped up with fried eggs photoshopped over Rebecca Black in reference to the way "Friday" sounds similar to "fried egg" in the song. Parodies were posted to BuzzFeed,[11] YouTube,[12] and YTMND, where mondegreen jokes quickly emerged around the lyrics.


IT'S"

Remixes

Brock's Dub parody became especially popular, amassing over 30 million views on YouTube, and spawning several memetic phrases, such as My Hand is a Dolphin. The parodies have been made across various genres, such as Bob Dylan-like Version, Bad Lip Reading, Brock’s Dub, "Friday, Baby (Black / Beiber Mashup)," Dimitri Finds Out About Friday_ and many more.



On April 6th, 2011 a parody by the Illinois based Community Christian Church[16] was uploaded to YouTube performed by church member Sadie B. The lyrics were adapted to fit a Christian theme with lines like "God is my friend" and "l don't want this service to end".



Celebrity Covers



Justin Bieber Sings "Friday"

Rebecca Black's wish for a duet performance with teen idol singer Justin Bieber has yet to be fulfilled, but it did come half circle on March 29th, 2011, when the teen idol singer suddenly began singing the chorus lines of "Friday" during his sold out My World Tour concert in Nottingham, England. After singing a few repetitious bars of the song, Bieber then transitioned into a cover of Britney Spears' 1998 debut single "Hit Me Baby One More Time," before performing his international hit "Baby."



Bieber's tribute came at a rather timely moment as Rebecca Black's "Friday" officially became the most disliked YouTube video with over 1.27 million downvotes, surpassing Justin Bieber's "Baby" which has just over 1.1 million downvotes as of March 30th, 2011.


66,925,390502,523,379 153,843 likes, 1,270,998 dislikes 585,816 likes, 1,174,715 dislikes"

Katy Perry Video




On June 12th, 2011, KatyPerryVEVO YouTube account uploaded a video for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" that featured Rebecca Black performing a make-over for Katy Perry's nerd character. The video is 1980's themed and has guest appearances by Corey Feldman, Debbie Gibson and Kenny G.

YouTube Rental and Removal

On June 13th, 2011, a Reddit thread was posted titled "No, Really: Rebecca Black's "Friday" video now costs $2.99 USD to rent on YouTube for 72 hours" and attached the above screenshot showing the rental claim. The rental requirement was eventually removed – However on June 16th, the video was permanently taken down from YouTube due to a copyright claim by Rebecca Black.


You Tube rebecca black friday Search BrowseM Rebecca Black - Friday (OFFICIAL VIDEO) trizzy66 18 videos Subscribe You Tube-Rentals BETA Your account needs to be upgraded for YouTube Rentals Learn more about YouTube Rentals Complete Account Setup Like, +Add to ▼ Share- 165,045,305 Rating is available when the video has been rented. Uploaded by trizzy66 on Feb 10, 2011 Rebecca Black - "Friday" Produced by Ark Music Factory http://www.ArkMusicFactory.com JOIN NOW FIND US on FACEBOOK http:/ion.fb.me/gxEaZ2 Follow Us on TWITTER http://twitter.com/ArkMusicFactory 448,551 likes, 3,177,012 dislikes Artist: Rebecca Black Price: $2.99 Rental information: Once you complete your purchase playback will begin immediately. You ill be able to watch this video for 72 hours Help | Feedback Written and Produced by Patrice Wilson and Clarence Jey Directed by Chris Lowe and lan Hotchkiss NOW ON ITUNES!! http://bit.ly/g2YEBD Connect with Rebecca on Twitter! http://twitter.com/REBECCAFANCLUB Category: As Seen On: TV Squad

Followup on ABC

On August 9th, 2011, ABC published a followup segment revealing that Rebecca had left public school due to harassment from fellow classmates.

But this past spring, Black said the teasing and harassment became so relentless that she opted for homeschooling. "When I walk by they'll start singing 'Friday' in a really nasally voice," she said. "Or, you know, they'll be like, 'Oh hey, Rebecca, guess what day it is?'" Now her mother is her teacher, and said she agreed to pull Black out of school because her daughter was being made fun of and so she had more time to focus on her career.


Kohl's Black Friday Commercial

On November 17, 2011, American department store Kohl's debuted an advertisement for its Black Friday sale, pairing the song with a new set of lyrics promoting the sale.[26]

Enrique Peña Nieto

On May 30th, Rebecca Black, whose mother is originally from Mexico, visited the south-central state of Morelos to endorse Enrique Peña Nieto in a public appearance. Speaking through a translator, the American teenager gave an speech on the importance of youth involvement in politics and formally supported the candidate by saying "Peña Nieto would do a fantastic job" as future President.[28]



The event was covered by numerous English and Spanish-language bloggers, many of whom struggled to make a logical connection between Rebecca Black and the election campaign in Mexico. Later that day, Latina entertainment reporter Astrid Capon explained in a video blog post that Black's appearance in Morales is linked to her uncle Gustavo Petricioli, who is a city council member for the PRI in the the capital city of Morelos state.



"This girl is not Mexican, she is not well informed," Capon said. "And for the PRI to believe that because she is famous, young people will follow… is almost offensive.”

On Twitter






Rising Star Searches for Rebecca Black and related searches like Rebecca Black Friday Jumped >10,000% between 2010 and 2011, making the young pop singer the #1 fastest rising search on Google in 2011 > 10,000% more Searches for "Rebecca Black" 2011 2010 Measuring the Event How big was Rebecca Black? You may be surprised to hear that searches for the teen singer topped even those of pop icon Lady Gaga from March 6-20, 2011. Comparing "Rebecca Black" and "Lady Gaga" Rebecca Black Lady Gaga Related Queries Explore the different ways people searched for Rebecca Black in 2011 rebecca friday Rising Search (20%) rebecca black Rising Search (20%) friday rebecca black a. Rising Search (20%) friday Rising Search (20%) rebecca black lyrics a. Rising Search (7%) a.


Search for Rebecca Black began the week of March 12th, when the video was shared on the Daily What. Search peaked between March 20th and 26th, with smaller peaks throughout the year. Search for her name had 10,000% growth between 2010 and 2011, making her Google's top rising search for the year.[27]

External References

[1] The Daily What – Where Is Your God Now of the Day / 3/11/2011

[2] Ark Music Factory

[3] City Sound – Who the Hell Made Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ Video? / 3/11/2011/

[4] Tosh.0 – Songwriting Isn't For Everyone / 3/11/2011

[5] Urlesque – Rebecca Black Friday: Worst Song / 3/14/2011

[6] Huffington Post – Rebecca Black's Friday / 3/14/2011

[7] BuzzFeed – This Is Literally The Worst Thing I Have Ever Heard / 3/11/2011

[8] Tumblr – #rebecca black

[9] Twitter – rebecca black

[10] Memebase – Rebecca Black

[11] BuzzFeed – Rebecca Black Inspires Vandalism

[12] YouTube – Fried Egg

[13] The Daily Beast – Rebecca Black: I'm Being Cyberbullied / 3/17/2011

[14] Reddit – The awkward dancing girl in pink from friday / 3/19/2010

[15] NME – Rebecca Black following 'Friday' with 'LOL' single and album / 3/26/2011

[16] Community Christian Church

[17] Christian Post – Church Parodies Rebecca Black's Friday For Easter Services / 4/8/2011

[18] Reddit – No, Really: Rebecca Black's "Friday" video now costs $2.99 USD to rent on YouTube for 72 hours / 6/13/2011

[19] RebeccaBlack Official Site – RebeccaBlackOnline.com

[20] YouTube – Rebecca

[21] What The Trend – Rebecca Black

[22] BuzzFeed – Rebecca Black’s Awkward Friend Has A Music Video

[23] Gawker – Background Dancer from Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ Releases Her Own Music Video

[24] The Hollywood Gossip – Benni Cinkle: The Next Rebecca Black?

[25] The Girl In Pink – That Girl in Pink

[26] The Daily Mail – Kohl's Rebecca Black Ad, the most annoying ever?

[27] Google Zeitgeist 2011 – Rebecca Black

[28] Milenio – Promociona Rebecca Black a Peña Nieto

[29] Twitter – @MsRebeccaBlack's Tweet

[30] Twitter – @theneedledrop's Tweet

[31] Twitter – @zerowondering's Tweet

[32] Twitter – @MsRebeccaBlack's Tweet

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