interview//justina x rebecca

 photo snitched from rebecca's instagram

stop singing it right now

I recently got the chance to talk with Rebecca Black 

and it was awesome. 

She exploded into pop culture 

with that song I know you're humming right now even though I told you not to,

 and pulled off the impossible by actually sticking around in a relevant manner. 

Her YouTube videos are on point, she's a tumblr queen,

 and if you haven't heard Saturday yet, you're doing it wrong. 

Justina: First things first: is Friday actually your favorite day of the week?

Rebecca: Um...no. To be honest, haha. I'd have to say my favorite day is...Saturday.

That makes sense to me.

Maybe at one point, but with everything that happened..not so much. 

Kinda killed the vibe. Just a little bit. 

(conversation spins off into discussion on Mondays)

So I watched your "Draw My Life Video", and obviously this was something you were really looking forward to, but was Friday what you expected? 

I honestly didn't know what to expect. For me, way back then, it wasn't really about the song, it was more about getting experience in a recording studio, and just like,meeting anyone in the industry, because I  knew that was what I wanted to do. But I really didn't expect it to go anywhere, it was like, a test run. Just ended up going a little bit further than the usual test run. In term of the song itself (I don't know if this sounds good or bad actually) it wasn't a huge factor for me. 

I know you've gotten asked this over and over again, but when you were recording [the song], because it has a really..unique sound, did they tell you that's what they were going to make it sound like? 

Oh, no. No. 

I wish I would have known what I know now about music. I honestly didn't even know what auto-tune was, (I know) and clearly, there's a lot of that in the song. If I would have had the mind I have now, I would have probably been like "Uh, can we turn it down a notch or two at least?" But I really had no idea or control over what they were doing. I went in for a few hours, recorded it, and the that was that, I was out. I didn't hear it again until the day of the video shoot, and by then, I honestly wasn't even paying attention. I really let it slip. I would definitely now say, know what you're doing.

I can relate.

Yeah, the whole deal with them [Ark] is like "We don't really give you an option, we figure it out, and give it to you."

  

Without throwing too much shade, I'm just not really sure what they thought they were doing. But every little weird thing about that song and video made it what it was, so I'm grateful for that.

It's a pretty cool legacy.

I know, I mean, people remember me because of a day of the week! Not everyone can say that. I mean, there's only six left now.

If someone came up to you and gave you the option of saying one last thing about Friday, and then you'd never have to talk about it again, would you A. accept and B. what would you say? 

 Oh wow. I don't know. On one hand, there's a part of me that is is think, you know, it did get me to where I am today and I cannot tell you what would have happened without it. On the other hand, the inner singer songwriter is like "you know, there's other things you could have done..." But the last thing I would say is..gosh that's hard. I don't think I've ever been asked that before.

Thank you.

Haha, I think I would say, "It is what it is." Because it is. 

Fast-forwarding a couple years, you're super huge on YouTube now. How much of that do you think is residual from "Friday" and how much is  "Rebecca Black is my favorite Youtuber!!". 

There are a lot of people who know who I am, but not much about me, or...care to? I mean, it was a viral video, so I get that. I mean, I don't really want to know much about grumpy cat. But other people really get into the videos, and that's cool.

I went on a bit of a comment-stalking, and there's always that person referencing your past, but most of your viewers just love you, now.

 

 I love that. It feels so good to see people who really want to know me, and not just...Friday.

You have a lot of friends in That Youtube Group (jennxpenn, lohanthony, etc.) and then your regular friends, how do you blend them? Or is that just two things that don't touch?

It's hard. I have a difficult time trusting new people, just with everything that's happened. Also all my friends in That Youtube Group live in LA, and so I have to find someone who'd be willing to make the hourish long trek up there. I've learned that the people that do msh well with that group are people who don't watch YouTube. They aren't trying to like, film anyone eating under the table or something. It can be really awkward. It'd be like me being friends with James Franco. It'd be so weird because I am so in love with him. It's a lot about protecting yourself and your friends. 

Just saying, if we were hanging out, and Anthony showed up, I would probably freak out and then try to be chill and it would just come off super awkward.

I am a very awkward person in general. Like, in the flesh. So we relate on that. I embrace it. Just go with it.

What do you think you'd be doing if Friday hadn't happened?

Trying to survive highschool. I mean, I'm doing that now, but still. I have always loved the thought of Youtube, and having this platform, so probably would have posted something. Music, of course. Fashion. Who knows?

How is high school??

It was a stretch going back this year. I feel like people had a really set idea of who and what I was going to be. "psst psst oh my god Rebecca Black is coming here psst psst" Very preconceived.  The first day was tense. I just found my people. It's all good now.  

Bullying has been an issue in the past for you, has that come up again in highschool?

I wouldn't consider it bullying. I'd say there are people who are flat out annoying. I've accepted it though. They're gonna be like that, and that's their thing, whatever.

What would you say has been the most out of the box experience you've had in your career?

 All-time? The Katy Perry music video. Not a lot of people can say they've experienced that. 

Completely different direction: 

You're into fashion, is that somewhere you can see yourself expanding into?

I would love to.  That is a dream. I just need to slowly find a way to make it something people should actually wear, not just like, t-shirts with my face on it, you know?  

So like Kylie 'n Kendall or Disney?

I've been trying to think of ideas, I keep telling myself I'll focus on it tomorrow. But I want it to be stuff I'd wear. I know that's cliche, but if it were someone I liked, I'd want it to be their clothes, not stuff with them splattered all over it. That's my goal for this year. 

 

 Goals are good.

I have a lot. I just want to try everything, but there's stuff I need to finish. 

I'm gonna get back to you at the end of the year and make sure you do it.

Thank you!

*Advice collected from my conversation with Rebecca*

 

1. "Take the opportunity that's right for you at the moment."

2. "People mess up sometimes, it's okay."

3. "Find a good balance."

4. "Find your people."

5. "Watch out for those who don't have good intentions."

6. "Figure out what you love and how to do it for the rest of your life."

Follow Rebecca all around the internet and thank me later.

xx,

Justina

 

ps. 

special thanks to the absolutely brilliant Kelly, who put up with my thirty million texts 

and made this conversation happen. 

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