Rebecca Black Marks 14 Years of ‘Friday’ with Humor: ‘Old Hag!’
Rebecca Black is looking back on the song that made her an internet sensation—whether she wanted it to or not. The singer-songwriter is celebrating the 14th anniversary of her viral…
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 18: Rebecca Black attends the Stella McCartney “Get Back” Capsule Collection and documentary release of Peter Jackson’s “Get Back” at The Jim Henson Company on November 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)Rebecca Black is looking back on the song that made her an internet sensation—whether she wanted it to or not. The singer-songwriter is celebrating the 14th anniversary of her viral 2011 hit, Friday, and she just realized something wild: the song is now older than she was when it first came out.
On Monday, Feb. 10, the X (formerly Twitter) account Pop Base posted, “14 years ago today, Rebecca Black released ‘Friday.’” Black, responded with a mix of humor and disbelief, writing, “girl this video officially older than i was when it dropped,” before jokingly calling herself an “old hag!”
Back in 2011, 13-year-old Black faced brutal online bullying after Friday went viral. While some saw it as a fun, goofy track (even landing her a cameo in Katy Perry’s Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) video and praise from Lady Gaga), others labeled it the “worst song ever” and even sent her death threats. The relentless hate eventually led her to leave traditional school and be homeschooled.
“In my life, there were people I personally knew at school and in my inner circle who verbally abused me,” she shared in a 2017 essay for NBC News’ Think. “But then there were also complete strangers from all around the world using social media to deride me, degrade me and even worse; some people threatened my life.”
Speaking on the Mythical Kitchen podcast on Jan. 14, she reflected on how the bullying impacted her: “And a lot of those experiences were people who were obviously, like, poking fun and laughing. That can be like, slightly crushing as a kid.”
Now, Black is stepping into a new era with her upcoming album, Salvation, set for release on Feb. 27. In a Feb. 10 cover story for Totem, she shared how the album represents a powerful personal transformation. “It feels like coming home,” she said. “Reclaiming confidence I’ve always known I had but struggled to tap into.”
Reflecting on her journey, she added, “It’s been a journey back to that sureness I had when I was younger, doing musical theater or when I first recorded ‘Friday.’ It feels healing.”
