I haven’t thought about Rebecca Black in the music world for almost 15 years. I, of course, remember the pay-for-play “Friday” dominating YouTube’s pages back in 2011, but after seeing Rebecca Black live at Palomosa, she is waayy past that. Nothing could prepare me for Rebecca Black’s comeback, from a teenage talk singer to a now full-on vocal pop powerhouse. The show began with several signs standing on the stage, saying “HOMO SEX IS LIFE,” or “STR8? SEEK REBECCA BLACK,” and two ripped, burly men holding a banner saying “Rebecca Black.”
Rebecca Black burst from the banner and dove into a song from her latest album, Salvation, called “American Doll,” which was clearly about the female image of pop stars, and immediately felt like a Lady Gaga kind of pop song; heavy on bass and catchy lyrics. I had no idea Rebecca Black would come back as a queer icon, but as most pop stars rely on a vocal backing track, she does not. Her voice is insanely powerful, and she loves to show just how powerful during the show. The sound will cut out just as she lets out a piercing falsetto and switches into a cascading growl. Her vicious syncronized dance moves paired with her flamboyant backing men were also extremely entertaining. “Montreal if you don’t dance to this one, I’ll kill you,” she screams while lying prone on top of her dancer’s dual backs. She is doing work on that stage, reduced to a puddle of sweat by the end of the first couple songs.
During a very brief intermission, the show becomes somewhat of a weird infomercial. The two dancers come out holding trays of strange liquid called “Sugar Water Cyanide,” and begin “selling” it to the audience. Rebecca reemerges and jumps into her “Suger Water Cyanide,” track and for 30 seconds, we get a sped-up version of “Friday.” As she watched the audience lose their minds and chant “partyin, partyin’ (Yeah)” Rebecca Black’s manic smile could cut glass. This might be the best way to reclaim a song you became famous and trolled for back in your youth, and she knows it. Hat’s off Miss Black.
