Rebecca Black is laughing all the way to the bank

Rebecca Black, the 13-year old singer who has been widely panned for singing “the worst song ever”, is laughing all the way to the bank. Billboard.com has estimated that the singer is making about US$27 000 per week off the song, and is likely to make even more once she releases her acoustic version, which she announced she is doing to dispel the rumours that she needs auto-tune to sing.

The Hollywood Reporter picks up the story: “…iTunes pays 70 cents per download. “Friday” has reportedly been downloaded several hundred thousand times, and is listed as No.45 on iTunes best-selling singles list.” Apparently Black has announced that she’ll donate a portion of the proceeds to Japan earthquake relief.

As for the revenue from advertising on the YouTube video itself, Forbes.com explains “For videos running ads as part of the revenue sharing program, that revenue is then split between YouTube and the content creator. Content creators, or partners, take 68% of the profit. At 30-million views, that lands Black and Ark Music Factory US$20 000 – a 1 000% return on investment.”

It was Black’s mom who paid US$2000 to L.A music producers Ark Music Factory to record the song and video. It went viral all over the world and has been a top trending topic on Twitter for more than a week. The comments have been scathing and vicious, but that hasn’t stopped people from watching and downloading it.

Forbes initially estimated that Black would make a million dollars off the song, but has since revised the figure downwards. But no doubt we can expect some more from Black. And rest assured that hundreds of wannabe pop stars and stage moms will be approaching Ark Music Factory looking for the chance to be the next Rebecca Black, and that the world will soon be awash in this type of vanity music project.