Last Saturday, Rebecca Black took over the Orangerie, a venue within the cultural center Botanique. This was one of my most anticipated concerts of the year, knowing Rebecca Black’s discography contains plenty of hyperpop queer songs. Her latest project, SALVATION, is what brought her to Brussels for the first time. The singer transformed the room into a queer night club, needless to say, she exceeded my expectations.
Who is Rebecca Black?
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Rebecca Black has been making music since she was thirteen. By releasing her first single Friday at that age, she received a massive amount of backlash and hate. At one point, the music video was the most disliked video on Youtube. Rebecca Black spoke openly about her journey with mental health following the unnecessary amount of hate she received for simply making a song people disliked, which was her first single as a teenager.
Although she continued making music throughout her teenage years, there wasn’t a specific track that was acclaimed. Rebecca found her style in 2021, when she released the first single off Rebecca Black Was Here, a track named Girlfriend. The lyrics of the song refer to getting back with her girlfriend, establishing her status as a queer pop musician.
Followed by two other singles, Personal and Worth It For The Feeling, Rebecca released the EP that brought her back to attention. Rebecca Black Was Here came out in 2021. The project tells a story of breaking up with her girlfriend, then exploring the complex feelings surrounding her decision to get back with her. That’s how I discovered Rebecca Black again, another queer artist on my playlist that was on repeat.
Forever I’ve been asking for everyone’s opinion,
Never learned to trust my own intuition.
Worth It For The Feeling, Rebecca Black
The SALVATION Tour at Botanique
Rebecca Black brought the SALVATION Tour to Botanique, a venue in Brussels that is known for giving a platform to emerging artists. It is one of the venues I visit the most for live music, since that’s where the majority of small artists I listen to perform. Botanique is unique compared to other venues, given it is a cultural center surrounded by botanical gardens and shaped like a greenhouse.
The exterior is impressive, but what’s even more breathtaking is the interior. Botanique offers a selection of rooms depending on the various needs an artist can have. Each stage is special, Witloof Bar being a 360 square stage and Rotonde offering a more intimate setting. Rebecca Black performed at Orangerie, a room with a capacity of 650 people. To get to that stage, you have to walk inside the venue until the end of the path. The walk builds up excitement for the concert, and it is also fascinating.
The glass windows offer a view of the botanical gardens, and there are often exhibitions inside the venue worth checking out. Here comes the best part: the hallway is adorned with the names of famous people who performed there before their rise to fame, such as Florence + The Machine, Arctic Monkeys, and Billie Eilish to name a few. It is also where Griff performed last year, an article worth revisiting to get the importance of supporting small artists and small venues.
It is fascinating to see all the artists who began by performing at Botanique, which offers an intimate and warm atmosphere no matter which room is selected. When you reach the end of the walk, there is a terrace that gives you a beautiful view of Brussels, either in broad daylight or at sunset. I showed up an hour before the concert, and got to witness the gorgeous sunset.
Botanique welcomes all types of music genres. I was elated to see Rebecca Black take over the stage with her queer hyperpop discography.
Blue Hawaii as the Opening Act
The Canadian duo Blue Hawaii opened the concert, with Agor on the DJ set and Ra as the vocalist. Besides being a singer, Rebecca Black is also a DJ – which made complete sense with Blue Hawaii’s sound. The band hyped the crowd with electronic and dance tracks, and Ra even surprised us by speaking French. It’s worth checking out their music, especially if you’re into dance music with an 80s vibe.
It’s Friday, Friday… Wait, it’s not!
The concert began with a countdown, which elevated the excitement of the crowd for a show that was promising we’d have the time of our lives. At the end of the countdown, the screen shows a short video where Rebecca is questioned by an authority figure. He asks her “Which day is it?” and declares her guilty. The opening shows she doesn’t deny her first single, and is a satire about the people who sent her hate. The remix of Friday starts playing, showing Rebecca has moved past the rejection of the song while inviting us into her new era, SALVATION.
Two men wearing sparkly hats and short skirts walk on stage and make out. Rebecca makes her appearance by walking on stage wrapped in gauze, black sunglasses hiding her expression. The two dancers unwrap her as she introduces the tour with Twist The Knife, the last song on the project itself. From the moment the video played, I had no doubt Rebecca Black’s creativity would take the wheel, but I was still shocked at how inventive and symbolic the performance was.
The lyrics recount how she isn’t going away, no matter what other people say. She will keep on making music she likes and be pleased in spite of them. Rebecca Black shows us the new version of herself – unapologetic, honest and assertive. With the two dancers unwrapping the gauze, it is reminiscent of the healing of a wound. To me, it also represents her comeback. Later in the concert, Rebecca would thank the audience for being there. She would reveal how much she had wished for this moment, being on stage and performing for us in the city of Brussels.
Hyperpop and Queerness
The genre of hyperpop is particularly popular within the LGBTQIA+ community. In the second song on the setlist, TRUST!, Rebecca Black made me, along with everyone else, lose my mind. As she danced to the beat of the queer anthem in her high heeled black boots, I couldn’t think of anything other than how incredible she was. The lights were reminiscent of a club, the atmosphere in the room getting more energetic and joyful as the audience cheered on her. Being there and seeing her receive the praise she deserved after all this time was heartwarming and meaningful.
The energy would only get better the more the concert went on, turning the small room into a much bigger sensation. At the same time, the proximity to the stage created a connection between the audience and her. For the next song, American Doll, which is about being disruptive of the norm, Rebecca returned in a new outfit. Her bringing forth more confidence and bold dance moves left me stunned. All her lyrics are explicitly queer, which made the concert a safe space for queer expression.
The Setlist, A Remarkable Feat
Earlier in the article, I mentioned Rebecca’s creativity. The setlist tells the story of Rebecca Black’s career until now. The thoughtfulness that went into the selection of the set list shows how much the tour means to the artist. There wasn’t a song that felt out of place. The first half was composed of rather emotional songs, with Personal serving as the transition into the last half, where she invites us to forget our worries and be present.
She made sure we’d feel lighter for the duration of the show, and leave with a memorable experience. The setlist is so outstanding that I don’t need to check the order, because I have it memorized.
Sugar Water Cyanide, Never Too Gay
When she changed into her third outfit, there was a whole introduction to Sugar Water Cyanide. It was the moment where she revealed the importance of every song on SALVATION, highlighting TRUST!, American Doll, and of course, Sugar Water Cyanide. Rebecca explained her hesitation releasing the track, since she didn’t know if the listeners would be down with such an experimental club anthem. The singer mentioned she worried it might be too risky or too gay, to which the majorly queer audience responded with “Never too gay!”. As a lesbian, I agreed. There is never enough queer music, and Rebecca Black delivered.
The energy went through the roof as the hyperpop artist served during the performance of Sugar Water Cyanide (quite literally, she was carrying a tray of the made up beverage on one hand). She got everyone jumping and dancing, which showed her skills as a performer. There is not much to say about this moment, you just had to be there.
I Don’t Need Salvation, Rebecca Black Saved Me!
Ending the concert with the title track of the project, Salvation, she brought together everything that the show represented. Salvation is an empowerment anthem, encouraging us to be our own savior. As a queer person who grew up religious, getting to sing these lyrics at the top of my lungs was cathartic.
Rebecca Black returned as a queer hyperpop icon, and there’s no doubt people will catch up. She has everything she needs – talent, performance, innovation, creativity – and she is unafraid to take the risk. If you haven’t listened to her latest project, this is your sign to get on board before she becomes a massive hyperpop sensation.
The Conclusion
There was an emotional moment where Rebecca highlighted the importance of this concert, because not only do we see her, but we also see each other. It is an obvious hint at being queer and feeling out of place, non-conforming to the expectations of the general public. That part almost made me tear up, as I understood what she meant. Rebecca Black didn’t just give us a show, she gave us a space to be ourselves and to not feel alone anymore. And what feeling is worth more than queer joy?
If you’re in Brussels, check out these next concerts at Botanique:
- 19/03 | Morpho : Intriguing melodies with a sweet and introspective atmosphere.
- 27/03 | Orla Gartland : Honest and touching pop music, tugging at heartstrings.
- 12/04 | Moonshine & Guests : Group of musicians mixing electronic, percussions, and African influences. Some of the artists performing are Uniiqu3 and Pierre Kwenders, figures of the Afrobeat genre.
- 11/04 | TAAHLIAH : Hyperpop performance bringing intensity to Witloof Bar.
- 15/04 | Piche : Up and coming queer rapper and past contestant of Drag Race France presenting their first concert in Brussels.
- 18/04 | Fantasilandia Party : Reggaeton party with Dinamarca, Chilean-Swedish producer with impactful sounds.
- 17/05 | Les Nuits 2025 with Michelle Gurevich as headliner : Worth checking the schedule for the Bota Nights, this evening being one of the main ones. Michelle Gurevich’s captivating voice presenting her new album It Was the Moment, which combines melancholy and emotional intensity.
- A party Bota by Night for this year’s event is in preparation. Check out the schedule of the Les Nuits to keep up!
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