Jack Carson shares his thoughts on the Friday singer’s debut album…

After the success of 2021’s Rebecca Black Was Here EP, Black is in the middle of a career renaissance. Black is known mostly for her track Friday which she released at just 13 years old. Friday was coined “the worst song ever” by Yahoo! Music and the young star was suddenly the subject of one of the internet’s most infamous hate mobs. The hate Rebecca received at such a young age would have shattered anyone’s confidence, however, Black has used it to her advantage, and has now started making serious moves as a burgeoning pop superstar.   

Black had a phenomenal 2022, as she released many collaborations, including Slayyyter’s track, Read My Mind, and Yoga with Canadian rapper bbno$. This year sees the 25-year-old enter a new era, which is clear to see in the opening track of her new record Let Her Burn. The song, titled Erase You, discusses the relationship with her viral fame, as well as the backlash from Friday that wrecked her personal and professional life. The song contains lyrics that reveal Black’s efforts to destroy any preconceptions of her past and the struggles she has faced in getting to where she is now. We see Rebecca as both an artist, and as a person show a darker side throughout the 31 minutes of her debut album.  

Let Her Burn is cemented with the triumphant lead single Crumbs, which opens with hyper-pop synths, reminiscent of her work with Dorian Electra. Black launches into her signature sultry vocals, leaving listeners with no doubt that Rebecca Black has escaped the assumptions made about her in the past. The leading hook of the song exposes Black’s vulnerability in love, where she plays the role of a fool in love, falling for someone against her better judgement.  

Let Her Burn closes with the track Performer, which is when Black emphatically shuts the door on the journey she has been on for the last 12 years. She has accepted her place as a performer, for better or worse. The track is the only one that is so explicit in tackling the potent themes of Black’s reputation, and directly addresses how the image that people were previously attacking is the same person. Performer is an acoustic ballad to end a heavily produced and densely layered album about dealing with the trials and tribulations of love and fame at a young age.  

Let Her Burn is a must for any pop enthusiast. The album shows Black’s evolution into more mature and relevant themes. Her roots from childhood, fame, and her evolution to bold sounds make her the perfect idol for Gen Z to latch on to. With Let Her Burn, Black now has an iconic LP for any Friday night.