There was a time nine years ago when every middle school kid in the country was probably singing “Friday” by Rebecca Black. The song went viral after its 2011 release and has now celebrated a nine-year anniversary-but whatever happened to the then-13-year-old singer?

Black took to Twitter on Monday to mark the song’s anniversary and revealed that because of the hate the viral song received, she struggled as a teen with depression and she was bullied in several different ways because she was trying to follow her musical passion.

“I just wish I could go back and talk to my 13-year-old self who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world,” she wrote. “To my 15-year-old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she faced. to my 17-year-old self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends. to my 19-year-old self who had almost every producer/songwriter tell me they’d never work with me.”

The original upload of the song received 166 million views, but despite the hate she received, Black still did try making a name for herself away from the viral tune. According to Entertainment Weekly, not only did she release an EP in 2017 and compete on Fox’s “The Four” in 2018, but she also had three additional songs which were released in the last year as well. While she may be having a difficult time in the industry because of the song that made her famous, the now 22-year-old seems to be focusing on what’s ahead and being positive.

“I’m trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. You are not defined by any one choice or thing. time heals and nothing is finite. it’s a process that’s never too late to begin. and so, here we go! this might be a weird thing to post but the honesty feels good if nothing else,” she wrote.

Rebecca Black
Singer Rebecca Black arrives at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, February 12, 2012. Reuters