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    Rebecca Black leaves the meme in the rear view

    She scored a much-maligned hit at the age of 13 with "Friday." Now 25, Rebecca Black is finally releasing her debut album, Let Her Burn.
    by A Martínez Feb 09, 2023 7 minutes
    Rebecca Black, whose debut album <em>Let Her Burn</em> is out Feb. 9.

    Tomorrow will mark 12 years since Rebecca Black, back then a California teen with an interest in music, released the video for the song "Friday," a strange pop song that she did not write the lyrics to, nor pen the melody of. Or produce. Or direct the video for. She was, after all, 13 years old. You may remember what happened next — Black became one of the earliest prototypes for teenaged internet celebrity, and commensurate with that job description, a target for bullying.

    Now 25, Black has left her meme (far) behind, focusing in the years since on coming to terms with the experience and with herself, while working toward the dream of pop stardom on her own terms. Black's debut album, Let Her Burn, is out today.

    This interview has been edited and condensed. To hear the broadcast version of this conversation, use the audio player at the top of this page.

    A Martínez, Morning Edition: Alright. So, Rebecca, 12 years since "Friday?" It was Feb. 10th, 2011 when the song hit YouTube.

    : Yeah. That's almost exactly half my life

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