BY CHELSEA VAUGHAN
When most people think of Rebecca Black, they think of her classic 2011 YouTube hit “Friday” - but when I think of Rebecca Black, I see her as one of the most underrated artists of the current pop music industry. Electronic/hyperpop/EDM/upbeat-style pop music has taken over the pop scene this year, and Rebecca Black’s newest album, Age of the Exhibitionist, is no different, theming around pleasure & queer love. I had the pleasure of taking pictures at her current tour in Philadelphia at Union Transfer this past Friday.
From the moment doors opened, red & black outfits (Rebecca Black’s current color scheme for her newest era) swarmed the room, filling it from front-to-back, with the balcony overpacked as well. Opening up the show was Bayli, an EDM pop singer from Brooklyn, NY. Not only was Bayli an incredible choice for an opener stylistically, her energy & performance was consistent from start-to-finish, with the crowd waving their hands around and dancing the entire set. It’s refreshing to see an artist perform with so many people living in the moment. She also handed out a free hat to an audience member in the front row!
Once Bayli left the stage, Rebecca Black started her set from behind a mesh curtain, displaying visuals with her opening song, “Miss Delicious” whilst holding a silver platter & wearing a tight apron. Her backup dancers joined shortly after leading into “Anaheim Star” & “Speakerphone.”
I have been to a lot of concerts in my life and I can confidently say that Rebecca Black’s audience was one of the most consistent, bouncy, and lively crowds I have ever witnessed. They shouted out every word right back at her, and there wasn’t a single moment in the set where the crowd stopped moving. This became especially apparent in Rebecca’s hit “Waschesalon,” where you could hear the lyrics so loud that it shook the building; “I am the woman that my mother wanted me to be!”
The rest of her setlist was combined with new hits and old, with a mashup of Rebecca’s new hit “Metamorphia” mashing with one of her classics, “Sugar Water Cyanide”, with Rebecca shouting to the crowd, “Do you have the cure???” Towards the end of her set, Rebecca also received a five-minute standing ovation before performing another classic, “Salvation”. Her set ended with a large red robe & black cap, singing “Michael,” another personal favorite of mine - “His love is spiteful, but what if Michael could be me?”
Seeing Rebecca Black live in this era feels to be the equivalent of seeing Charli XCX in her Crash era, Chappell Roan at the beginning of her Midwest Princess tour run, or any big pop artist right before their inevitable blow-up. It’s only a matter of time before Rebecca Black gets this same treatment, and I highly recommend getting into her music now, so you can say “I told you so.”
To keep up with Rebecca Black’s tour/music, follow her on Instagram here!
