Former YouTube sensation Rebecca Black has admitted that her viral hit “Friday” made her “afraid of the world”.
In 2011, Black’s self-funded video, which was made for $4,000, became an internet meme. It became YouTube’s most disliked clip for several months, after going viral amid mockery about its quality.
As a result of the video’s virality, Black, then 13, was subjected to death threats and trolling.
Now 22, Black took to Twitter to make a statement about her experience, writing: “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 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 no one to talk to about the depression she faced. To my 17 year old self who would go to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends.
1/15 T-Series
The YouTube channel homepage for Indian record label T-Series, which overtook controversial Swedish vlogger PewDiePie in 2019
AFP/Getty
2/15 PewDiePie
PewDiePie has been the most popular YouTuber since 2013
PewDiePie / YouTube
3/15 5-Minute Crafts
5-Minute Crafts, which offers quick and quirky DIY tips to viewers, didn’t even feature in the top 15 YouTube channels in July 2018
5-Minute Crafts
4/15 Canal KondZilla
Brazilian music video producer and director KondZilla began his career after buying a camera with life insurance money left to him after his mother died when he was 18
Getty
5/15 SET India
Sony Entertainment Televesion (SET) launched in 1995 and has recently seen huge growth of its Hindi-language YouTube channel
AFP/Getty
6/15 Justin Bieber
Canadian musician Justin Bieber held the number-two spot in 2018 before T-Series took over
Getty
7/15 WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment has managed to gain a huge following on YouTube by sharing clips of fights and interviews with its stars
WWE
8/15 Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes
This YouTube channel specialises in 3D animation videos of nursery rhymes, as well as its own original songs. It is owned by the American firm Treasure Studio
Cocomelon
9/15 Dude Perfect
YouTube personalities Coby Cotton, Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, and Cory Cotton form Dude Perfect, a sports entertainment channel from the US
Getty
10/15 HolaSoyGerman
YouTube personality German Garmendia is a Chilean comedian and writer
HolaSoyGerman
11/15 Ed Sheeran
One of several musicians that populate the top 15 most popular YouTube channels, Ed Sheeran joined the list in 2017
Getty
12/15 Badabun
Music channel Badabun’s subscriber count has not been publicly visible since 6 March 2019, at which point it had 37.2 million subscribers
Badabun / YouTube
13/15 Eminem
US rapper Eminem first entered the list of the top 15 YouTube channels in 2013, the same year that PewDiePie took over
AFP/Getty
14/15 Whinderssonnunes
Brazilian Whindersson Nunes Batista joined YouTube in 2013 and became popular for his comedy videos
Whinderssonnunes / YouTube
15/15 Ariana Grande
US singer and actress Ariana Grande is the latest addition to the top 15 YouTube channels
AFP/Getty
1/15 T-Series
The YouTube channel homepage for Indian record label T-Series, which overtook controversial Swedish vlogger PewDiePie in 2019
AFP/Getty
2/15 PewDiePie
PewDiePie has been the most popular YouTuber since 2013
PewDiePie / YouTube
3/15 5-Minute Crafts
5-Minute Crafts, which offers quick and quirky DIY tips to viewers, didn’t even feature in the top 15 YouTube channels in July 2018
5-Minute Crafts
4/15 Canal KondZilla
Brazilian music video producer and director KondZilla began his career after buying a camera with life insurance money left to him after his mother died when he was 18
Getty
5/15 SET India
Sony Entertainment Televesion (SET) launched in 1995 and has recently seen huge growth of its Hindi-language YouTube channel
AFP/Getty
6/15 Justin Bieber
Canadian musician Justin Bieber held the number-two spot in 2018 before T-Series took over
Getty
7/15 WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment has managed to gain a huge following on YouTube by sharing clips of fights and interviews with its stars
WWE
8/15 Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes
This YouTube channel specialises in 3D animation videos of nursery rhymes, as well as its own original songs. It is owned by the American firm Treasure Studio
Cocomelon
9/15 Dude Perfect
YouTube personalities Coby Cotton, Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, and Cory Cotton form Dude Perfect, a sports entertainment channel from the US
Getty
10/15 HolaSoyGerman
YouTube personality German Garmendia is a Chilean comedian and writer
HolaSoyGerman
11/15 Ed Sheeran
One of several musicians that populate the top 15 most popular YouTube channels, Ed Sheeran joined the list in 2017
Getty
12/15 Badabun
Music channel Badabun’s subscriber count has not been publicly visible since 6 March 2019, at which point it had 37.2 million subscribers
Badabun / YouTube
13/15 Eminem
US rapper Eminem first entered the list of the top 15 YouTube channels in 2013, the same year that PewDiePie took over
AFP/Getty
14/15 Whinderssonnunes
Brazilian Whindersson Nunes Batista joined YouTube in 2013 and became popular for his comedy videos
Whinderssonnunes / YouTube
15/15 Ariana Grande
US singer and actress Ariana Grande is the latest addition to the top 15 YouTube channels
AFP/Getty
“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.”
In response to Black’s heartfelt statement, her fans have been offering their support.
One wrote: “Friday brought me LOADS of happiness as a kid xxx Keep on keeping on queen!”
Another said: “I still quote you at the close of nearly every week. You are a quintessential part of American culture.”
As a result of “Friday”, Black won the Web Star Teen Choice Award and appeared in the music video for Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night”.
In 2017, Black released her debut album RE/BL, which had a distinctly different sound than “Friday”. Her most recent single, “Sweetheart”, takes aim at the patriarchy.