Rebecca Black was born on June 21, 1997, in Anaheim Hills, California. She is the daughter of John Jeffery Black and Georgina Marquez Kelly, both veterinarians, and is of Spanish, Italian, Polish, and English descent. An honor student, Black studied dance, auditioned for school shows, attended music summer camps, and began singing publicly in 2008 after joining the patriotic group Celebration USA.
In late 2010, a classmate of Black and music-video client of ARK Music Factory, a Los Angeles label, told her about the company. Black's mother paid $4,000 for Ark Music to produce her daughter's music video while the Blacks retained ownership of the master. The single, "Friday", written entirely by Ark, was released on YouTube and iTunes. The song's video was uploaded to YouTube on February 10, 2011, and received approximately 1,000 views in the first month. The video went viral on March 11, 2011, acquiring millions of views on YouTube in a matter of days, becoming the most-talked-about topic on social networking site Twitter, and garnering mostly negative media coverage. As of June 14, 2011, the video had received more than 3,190,000 "dislikes" on YouTube compared to more than 451,000 "likes". As of March 22, 2011, first-week sales of her digital single were estimated to be around 40,000 by Billboard. Black appeared on the March 22, 2011 episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, during which she performed the single and discussed the negative reaction to it. The song has peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 and the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 58 and 33, respectively. In the UK, the song debuted at number 61 on the UK Singles Chart.
In an interview with The Sun, Black said that she is recording a new song for possible release as a single. She is currently working without a record deal. She also said that she is preparing materials for her debut album at Flying Pig Productions studio in Los Angeles containing songs with themes similar to that of "Friday", as she wants it to be "appropriate and clean." Black teamed up with Funny or Die on April Fools Day (the site was renamed Friday or Die) for a series of videos, including one which addresses the controversy about the driving kids in her music video, stating "We so excited about safety." She has also stated that she is a fan of Justin Bieber, and expressed interest in performing a duet with him.
In response to the YouTube video of "Friday", Black began to receive death threats in late February 2011, specifically by phone and email. These threats are being investigated by the Anaheim Police Department.
As an homage to "Friday", Black appears in the music video for Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", in which Black plays along side Perry as her best friend.
In the years following her initial viral success, Rebecca Black has released a number of musical projects. These include multiple collaborative singles with other vocalists, notably Kurt Hugo Schneider and Dave Days.
After releasing the single "The Great Divide", Black put out the 2017 EP "RE / BL" via Teall Records.
Following this, Black continued to release music independently. These included "Sweetheart", "Anyway", and double-sided single "Self Sabotage / Closer".
In February 2021, Rebecca Black released a "maximalist" hyperpop remix of Friday, celebrating the ten-year anniversary of her original viral hit. This remix featured production from Dylan Brady, as well as additional vocals from Dorian Electra, 3OH!3, and Big Freedia.
Using the popularity of the remix as a springboard, Black self-released her second EP "Rebecca Black Was Here" in June 2021, supported by the singles "Girlfriend", "Worth It For The Feeling", and "Personal".
River
Rebecca Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And watch the world in wonder as mountains turn into tiles
And trees losing their leaves and our faces becoming tired
I wish I could discover something that doesn't expire
Come and stumble me
Take me river, carry me far
Lead me river like a mother
Put me in the undertow
Such are the things that make a kingdom rumble and shatter
The same dynamic that another day would never matter
It really just depends on who's giving and who's receiving
And things that don't make sense are always a little deceiving
Come and humble me
Take me river, carry me far
Lead me river like a mother
Take me over to some other unknown
Put me in the undertow
I wanna know where you're going
A follower following
Changing but never changed
Claiming but never claimed
Take me river, carry me far
Lead me river like a mother
Take me over to some other unknown
Put me in the undertow
The lyrics of Rebecca Black's song "River" are heavily metaphorical and introspective. The first verse describes the singer's observation of the world around them, with buildings burning and mountains turning into tiles. The image of trees losing their leaves and people becoming tired suggests a sense of desolation and decay. The singer expresses a desire to "discover something that doesn't expire," perhaps symbolizing an eternal and immutable truth or meaning that would provide some sense of solace amidst the volatility of the world.
The chorus refers to a river, which the singer addresses directly, asking it to "take me far" and "lead me like a mother." The river here can be interpreted as a symbol of change, flow, and renewal. The singer wants to be carried away from their present state of mind, to be taken to some unknown future. The line "put me in the undertow" could be seen as a willingness on the singer's part to go to darker, more uncertain places if it means finding a deeper truth or meaning.
The second verse describes the forces that can unsettle and disrupt the world, whether they be political, social, or personal. The line "such are the things that make a kingdom rumble and shatter" suggests that even the most powerful and enduring institutions are vulnerable to collapse. The section ends with the observation that "things that don't make sense are always a little deceiving," hinting that the singer is searching for some sense of coherence or understanding.
Overall, the song presents a sense of restlessness and yearning for escape and understanding. Its imagery of burning buildings, mountains turning into tiles, and being carried away by a river suggests an almost apocalyptic scenario, but also a sense of possibility and rejuvenation.
Line by Line Meaning
Out across cities I see buildings burn into piles
From a distance, I can see the destruction of civilization with buildings turning into piles of rubble
And watch the world in wonder as mountains turn into tiles
I am amazed by the transformation of natural wonders like mountains that are now reduced to small tiles
And trees losing their leaves and our faces becoming tired
As time passes, things are getting old and tired, with trees losing their leaves and humans aging
I wish I could discover something that doesn't expire
I hope to find something that is timeless and doesn't disappear or expire
Come and stumble me
I am open to experiencing new challenges and even setbacks
Take me river, carry me far
I am seeking the guidance and assistance of nature, specifically a river, to take me to a new place
Lead me river like a mother
I am hoping for the nurturing and protective qualities of a mother when being guided by the river
Take me over to some other unknown
I am looking to explore and discover new territories and destinations
Put me in the undertow
I am ready to face and overcome any obstacles or challenges, even if they sweep me away like an undertow
Such are the things that make a kingdom rumble and shatter
These are the events and circumstances that can lead to the fall and destruction of a kingdom or society
The same dynamic that another day would never matter
These events and circumstances can arise suddenly and unexpectedly, regardless of a peaceful day prior
It really just depends on who's giving and who's receiving
The outcome of these events will depend on who is the giver and who is the receiver, and their actions and decisions
And things that don't make sense are always a little deceiving
Sometimes things that are confusing and do not make sense can be misleading or deceptive
Come and humble me
I am willing to be humbled and learn from my experiences and the wisdom of others
I wanna know where you're going
I am curious and seeking an understanding of where the river is taking me
A follower following
I am acting in accordance with the guidance of the river, and following its lead
Changing but never changed
I am undergoing changes and transformation, but my core values and beliefs remain constant
Claiming but never claimed
I am making bold claims and declarations, but am not defined or limited by them
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
colormemichelle
LOL or, you could learn your stuff and see that this is Lights' singing, not Rebecca (as the title claims.)
urbosa_wife
That's an ocean, by the way.
Nicole Thom
I can't believe you have the audacity to post the lyrics to this song. GET. A. LIFE. This is LIGHTS -.-
augustrosebud
This is LIGHTS. Not Rebecca. Not a cover at all ~ exact same on from the Listening album - 2008
omgitskrysten
@420LilJuggalette420 Rebecca said on twitter that it was not her song. Lights even responded to a fan on twitter saying "the best is how people think it's "better than Lights' version", but it actually is my version."
Nikki
rebecca black cant sing even half as well as lights..
augustrosebud
This is LIGHTS not Rebecca O.o..
Yoshisbug90
WHAT THE HE** THIS IS SOOOOO LIGHTS WHO IS LAME ENOUGH TO LIE....LIGHTs IS AMAZING AND THIS IS HER SONG!!!
amber
this is not rebecca singing this song! its lights! lights poxleitner sang this song!!
sillycheesecakes
HOW STUPID CAN YOU PEOPLE GET?! This is obviously not her song! She even said she wasnt doing a cover on Lights so why are you still criticizing this as if she sang it?! You people have to grow up and move on. Rebecca Black has moved on from her Friday song so you should too. I cant believe you people would actually stoop down this low. STOP CRITICIZING HER ON SOMETHING SHE DID NOT DO!!