Rebecca Black: I Have Total Control And It Cost Everything

Rebecca Black sits down with me to talk about her new album Age of the Exhibitionist, surviving "Friday" to become a cult DJ, and staying independent without a label — this is ProtoPop. We get into making the album with zero major label backing, opening for Katy Perry's arena tour, why DJing funds her music videos, and the meaning behind "Anaheim Star," "Visions Again," and "Corsetry." We also talk stan culture, post-truth internet discourse, and her pop star Mount Rushmore (Fergie made the cut). Proto Pop is co-produced by Zachary Houriane & FWB Talent, edited by Tyler Murphy, and styled by Michael Kirreh, with research by Bianca Brock. Don't be a stranger! 📸 INSTAGRAM: Instagram: theswiftologist 📹 TIKTOK: TikTok: theeswiftologist 💰 PATREON: Patreon: swiftologist 🎙️ MY TAYLOR SWIFT PODCAST: https://open.spotify.com/show/70xT4aA... 📸 PODCAST INSTAGRAM: Instagram: evolutionofasnake 💌 EMAIL: [email protected] #RebeccaBlack #AgeOfTheExhibitionist #ProtoPop 00:00 Intro: Who Is Rebecca Black Now 01:29 Welcome, Rebecca Black! 02:06 Age of the Exhibitionist Era Begins 04:04 Anaheim Star: Rep Your Hometown 06:17 What Does Anaheim Sound Like? 08:21 Visions Again: LA So Close, So Far 09:00 Growing Up Big Fish, Small Pond 11:43 Crying While Dancing: Pop's Secret Sadness 12:24 Ambition, "Cut the Line to the Front" 14:22 The Age of the Exhibitionist, Explained 15:54 Confidence Isn't Constant 16:05 "I Made It" Moments 16:38 The Katy Perry Tour Story 18:02 Opening for Katy: Fighting for the Room 20:13 Openers Done Right vs. Wrong (Mitski, Chappell) 21:51 Twitter Is an Echo Chamber 22:58 Anaheim Star's Final Verse Decoded 24:13 Life as an Independent Pop Star 26:06 Advances Aren't Free Money 28:03 Why DJing Funds Her Music 30:03 Berlin, Underground Clubs & New Sound 31:31 Is This Still a Pop Record? 33:13 Would She Ever Sign to a Label? 35:37 The Power of a Small, Trusted Team 39:11 Building the Album's Visual World 41:12 Red Tights, Mod Era & Femininity 43:12 Corsetry: Track Breakdown 44:40 Dedication, Discipline & "Pain Makes the Idol" 48:24 Stan Culture: Good, Bad, or Both? 50:27 Post-Truth Internet & Viral Rumors 52:13 Fans vs. Stans: What She Actually Wants 55:16 How She Stays Grounded 56:40 Pop Star Mount Rushmore (Fergie, Gaga, Lana, Katy) 59:11 Underrated Pick: Gwen Stefani's "Wind It Up" 1:01:04 Who's Next: Underscores & New Pop Names 1:02:49 Final Thoughts & Where to Stream the Album