Rebecca Black was just 13 years old when she appeared in the music video for the catchy pop song, Friday.
The track went viral for all the wrong reasons, and now, aged 21, the singer has reflected on the horrific online abuse she received in the aftermath, which included death threats.
Speaking on The Project on Friday night, the American songstress says online bullying is ‘dangerous’ and she was not prepared for the barrage she received.
Tough times: Speaking on The Project on Friday night, Rebecca Black (pictured) says online bullying is ‘dangerous’ and she was not prepared for the barrage she received over her viral hit song Friday
‘No-one can prepare you on how to deal with that. There is no class to go to, there is no teacher or mentor. I don’t think world of the internet had realised the consequences that it can have to a person,’ she said.
YouTube was still taking off at the time, back in 2011, and Rebecca likened what she experienced to the ‘Wild West’.
She told the hosts: ‘I think that is one of the most dangerous parts about the online world, you feel like you can say whatever you want behind a screen.’
The singer was even the subject of death threats in the past and told NBC’s Think, she did not know if she would ‘survive’ the hatred she received.
Tough: The track went viral for all the wrong reasons, and now, aged 21, the singer has reflected on the horrific online abuse she received in the aftermath, which included death threats. Pictured: Rebecca Black in the music video Friday
Fame incoming: ‘No-one can prepare you on how to deal with that. There is no class to go to, there is no teacher or mentor. I don’t think world of the internet had realised the consequences that it can have to a person,’ she said. Pictured: Rebecca Black in 2011
Strange times: YouTube was still taking off at the time, back in 2011, and Rebecca likened what she experienced to the ‘Wild West’. Pictured: Rebecca Black in 2011
‘When Friday went up on the internet, it went crazy — and the onslaught of negative attention I received was so sudden and so intense that I wasn’t sure I would survive.
‘In my life, there were people I personally knew at school and in my inner circle who verbally abused me.
‘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.’
Horrible: ‘The onslaught of negative attention I receive was so sudden and so intense that I wasn’t sure I would survive’ she said. Pictured: Rebecca now
Scary: The singer was even the subject of death threats in the past and told NBC’s Think , she did not know if she would ‘survive’ the hatred she received. Pictured: Rebecca now
In 2001, Rebecca’s mother had paid a production company $2,000 to give her a song and produce an accompanying music video for it.
The result was Friday, a repetitive pop song which has been viewed on YouTube more than 122 million times over the last seven years.
Within days of being uploaded, it swept the internet and the teen, just 13 at the time, became the target of cruel jokes and the subject of endless memes.
Now eager to launch a career as an adult songstress, Rebecca has just released her latest single, Satellite, the debut track from her EP titled RE / BL.
On her way up! Now eager to launch a career as an adult star, Rebecca has just released her latest single, Satellite, the debut track from her EP titled RE / BL. Pictured: Rebecca now