Welcome to Behind The Glow, Lively's new series spotlighting Hollywood's amazing stars, stylists & more as they celebrate notable achievements and cool career moments.
It’s been almost a decade since Rebecca Black cemented her place in pop culture history with the release of “Friday,” a very catchy ode to everyone’s favorite day of the week. (But we don’t have to tell you that – it’s iconic.) And now, in 2020, the 22-year-old singer is back at it again with “Alone Together,” a song that’s equal parts heartwarming and inspiring.
"I hope ['Alone Together'] can give people a breath of fresh air, or light, through the constant negative and scary things we are all trying to process daily at this time," Black tells Lively of what she hopes people take away from her new single, which she released in collaboration with nonprofit Best Buddies International.
Keep reading for our exclusive interview with Black & listen to "Alone Together" below. All proceeds of the song (which is available on iTunes, Spotify & YouTube) will benefit Best Buddies.
Lively: Thanks so much for chatting with us! We’d love to know more about your involvement with Best Buddies. When did you first learn about them and their mission?
Rebecca Black: Thank you guys for having me and for supporting this project! Best Buddies has been something familiar to me throughout my life with their programs in schools. But I began working with Best Buddies in 2018. A friend of mine told me about a comedy musical Best Buddies was putting on at a small theatre near my place, so I went and saw it and was just blown away by everything about it. It’s not every day you get to be in a completely judgement-free, warm and kind community – but that is what Best Buddies consistently provides for everyone involved and is something I can forever get behind.
L: We love that. You recently partnered up with Best Buddies to release “Alone Together”! Can you share a little about the process behind making the song?
RB: At the start of the lockdowns coming into place, I began to speak with the Best Buddies team on how we can keep their mission going in a time like this. That can be challenging for people with [intellectual or development disabilities]. So, what ended up happening was a few Best Buddies ambassadors and I hopped on Zoom to catch up for a bit, hang out, and talk music. After only like 30 minutes, we ended up starting to write a song together. It felt so good to feel connected to others at this time and was something we all loved so much, we decided to release it to hopefully give that same warm feeling to someone else. I worked with each person to get vocals off voice memos, and really whatever everyone had on hand. Everyone worked remotely, which is no different to what’s happening across the music industry right now.
L: What do you hope people take away from “Alone Together”?
RB: I hope it can give people a breath of fresh air, or light, through the constant negative and scary things we are all trying to process daily at this time. The Best Buddies Ambassadors themselves inspire me so much with their commitment and freedom in their spirit, and I hope others can see that too. 100% of the proceeds from the song and video also go directly to Best Buddies, and this is a time of need for everyone right now.
L: That’s beautiful. In terms of new music or projects – are you currently working on anything else?
RB: I have kept writing and recording music through the lockdown and I am just trying to keep those creative muscles moving. It’s been much more effortless than I expected which is helpful – but I am also trying not to pressure myself into conquering the world right now. We’re all just trying to get through this, but hopefully within a couple months I’ll have new material ready to be heard.
L: How have you been practicing #wellnessfromhome?
RB: I have found so much joy in taking extra-long walks and feeling more comfortable in silence. I never realized how much I usually spend my day just stuck in whatever’s right in front of me – and it helps the uneasiness of it all to get a little bit more acquainted with myself.
L: And, of course, we have to ask: What’s your favorite Vital Proteins® product and why?
RB: I am a fiend for matcha, so the Matcha Collagen powder is one of my favorite ways to start my day, especially since I am an early riser. One scoop plus some almond milk – and mixing it all up with my milk frother is a treat! Seriously, my matcha-making routine (and routines in general) have really helped me find a sense of steadiness and peace to start my day!