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Together with Rogers and his partner, Carl Sturken, Rihanna composed almost a dozen songs, taking inspiration from dancehall and ragamuffin which are the musical culture of her origin and blended them with R&B tunes. "My music is mostly Caribbean beats mixed with R&B," she described eagerly. "I don't want to be pigeon holed into being just a dance artist because I can sing too. I have ballads on the album as well as upbeat tracks."
Looking for a label, Rihanna landed her feet at Def Jam Recordings in which Shawn Carter or popularly known as Jay-Z has become the president as well as its CEO. Upon witnessing her performance, the acclaimed rapper quickly offered her a recording contract on the spot. She afterwards set out to collect materials for her debut album, co-writing most of its tracks. "Pon De Replay" eventually was released on May 25, 2005. The single turned out to be a great piece of music as it was labeled one of the summer's hottest jams in U.S..
Achieving success with "Pon De Replay," Rihanna put her hopes to repeat the same attainment on her first album " Music of the Sun " which was launched on August 30, 2005. With tracks featuring both Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel , it provided some serious heat to burn either radio stations or clubs throughout the country. It was truly like a dream coming true for the enchanting performer. "If I hadn't met Evan and Carl I might have just been dreaming forever. I am so thankful for everything they've done for me," Rihanna said gratefully. Dream or no dream, her debut album, recorded by RIAA, received Gold in U.S. and Platinum in several other countries. She was soon the highly anticipated act that Gwen Stefani tapped her to open her tour.
This success was relayed by Rihanna's sophomore set titled " A Girl Like Me " that was out in April 2006, only eight months after the first album's release. Instead of crushing her career, the rush actually brought a greater triumph for her. The lead single "SOS" entered Billboard Hot 100 chart at #1 and therefore marked her first No.1 song. The same song gained popularity in U.K. and Australia followed by equally strong "Unfaithful". The third single released "We Ride" however, didn't meet the same fate as it failed to enter the Hot 100 chart but was good enough to send the album to 2x platinum sale.
Having a good rhythm, Rihanna released the third album ' Good Girl Gone Bad ' the next year. Before the package arrived on the shelves, first single "Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z had a slow start in Billboard Hot 100 by entering the chart under Top 40. However, the catchy chorus and fresh beat quickly won the single a much better luck by peaking at no.1 in U.K. single chart and a ten consecutive weeks reign at the same position. Receiving mostly favorable reviews, the third studio effort topped the charts in multiple countries including the U.K., Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Russia and at number two in the U.S. and Australia. A headlining tour was kicked off in September 2007 to support the album. She was then a frequent nominated artist and winner of awards events including Teen Choice Awards, Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards in 2007.
So successful was "Good Girl Gone Bad" that it was re-released in June 2008 under the title " Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded ". Three new songs, "Disturbia", "Take a Bow" and "If I Never See Your Face Again", were added as bonus. All three amazingly went well on the chart and boosted the sale of the remix album " Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes ", which was released in January 2009.
In the peak of her success, a tragedy struck Rihanna's personal life. On the eve she was supposed to perform at the 51st Grammy Awards, Rihanna got into a physical altercation with then-boyfriend Chris Brown . It quickly became hot news as Rihanna and Brown's romance had been under the spotlight all that year. Brown was arrested for assaulting Rihanna and making criminal threats. Photo of Rihanna's battered and bruised face surfaced online, leading to many protests and hatred for Brown. In June 2009, Brown pled guilty to the felony assault and received five years probation in exchange of his plea. He was also ordered to stay fifty yards away from Rihanna.
Rihanna was back to record music in July 2009, collaborating with Kanye West and her mentor Jay-Z in "Run This Town". Several months later, her fourth studio album " Rated R " was released with "Russian Roulette" as the first single. However, it was third single "Rude Boy" that became the album's juggernaut, peaking at number 1 on Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. She went on Last Girl on Earth Tour to support the album, traveling worldwide. Rihanna also made a successful collaboration with Eminem on "Love the Way You Lie", which touched the subject very sensitive to her heart; domestic violence. The song went number 1 in more than 20 countries.
Rihanna announced in October 2010 that she had parted ways with manager Marc Jordan and joined Jay-Z's Roc Nation. She released new single "Only Girl (In the World)" that year as the first offering from her fifth studio album, " Loud ". The song was followed by "What's My Name?", featuring Drake , that reached number one on several charts even before its predecessor. "Only Girl" went on winning a Grammy Award in 2011 for Best Dance Recording and Rihanna embarked on another headlining tour which was sold out in most dates.
A year after "Loud" hit the market, a new studio album called " Talk That Talk " was released in November 2011. The lead single, "We Found Love", topped charts in eighteen countries worldwide, peaking on the top ten in thirty countries and breaking a string of records worldwide. Rihanna won Video of the Year award at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Surprisingly, Rihanna reconciled with Brown to record a remix of her songs called "Birthday Cake" and "Turn Up the Music" for the new album. In fact, she would be seen on the same scenes with Brown from then on.
Rihanna starred in her first theatrical feature film " Battleship ", which was released on May 18, 2012. Her acting was labeled mediocre by many critics. Rihanna was soon back in the studio to record her seventh studio album, " Unapologetic ", featuring another collaboration with Brown called "Nobody's Business". The album's lead single "Diamonds" peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. On top of releasing the album on November 19, 2012, Rihanna had scheduled a worldwide tour that begins in March 2013.
Following the success of "Unapologetic", which became her first No. 1 set on Billboard 200, Rihanna joined Eminem for another chart-topping single. They collaborated again on "The Monster" off the rapper's 2014 album, " MMLP2 ".
Rumors about Rihanna's new album began swirling in late 2014. In the following year, she joined " The Voice " as the key adviser for the ninth season, released the hit "FourFiveSeconds" with Kanye West and Sir Paul McCartney , and another single "B**ch Better Have My Money". She announced the album's title, " Anti ", and unveiled its cover art in late 2015, but the year ended with no R8 in sight.
The long wait was finally over in late January 2016, when she released the album on Jay-Z's Tidal. It was made available exclusively on the service for a few days before hitting iTunes and other retailers. As part of her partnership with Samsung, she also gave away a million copies of the album to Samsung users. Because of that, the record was immediately certified Platinum by the RIAA, though Nielsen wouldn't count the free copies for the Billboard 200 chart.
"Anti" missed the chart's top 10 in its first week, but soared to No. 1 in the second week. Its lead single, the Drake-assisted "Work", was an instant hit, currently sitting at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100.
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Entrepreneur, movie siren AND award-winning singer - Rihanna is the definition a modern boss lady. Here's everything you need to know about universally-loved superstar.
As of 2022, Rihanna is estimated to be worth a staggering $1.7 billion. This is thanks to her hugely successful music career, her Savage X Fenty lingerie line, her lucrative Fenty Beauty cosmetics company, her FENTY fashion brand, Fenty Skin, her movie career and her long line of endorsements with brands including Chopard, Manolo Blahnik and Stance.
At the end of 2020, reports surfaced claiming that longtime friends Rocky and Rihanna had officially started dating after months of speculation. The pair were spotted enjoying dinner with friends in New York, months after the singer split with her billionaire ex-boyfriend Hassan Jameel. They later confirmed their relationship in March 2021, and welcomed their first child together in May 2022.
Rihanna is 35 years old and she was born on February 20th 1988. Picture: Getty
Surprisingly, a lot of people are unaware of why Rihanna uses the name 'Fenty' across her beauty and clothing brands. The reason? Fenty is Rihanna's surname! Hence the names 'Fenty Beauty', 'Fenty x Puma' - you get the drill.
Rihanna's birth name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Her family and close friends call her Robyn; she once told Rolling Stone that after becoming numb to hearing ‘Rihanna’, she pays attention when she hears ‘Robyn’. Fun fact: her middle name means 'sweet basil' in Arabic and is pronounced 'Rih-Anna'.
Rumours of an engagement between Rihanna and her ex-boyfriend Hassan Jameel began swirling after news of their relationship broke in June 2017. A few months later, Rihanna was spotted in New York wearing a huge diamond ring on her ring finger. However, the pair split up after three years together in earlier 2020.
Rihanna was first spotted getting cosy with Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel while the pair enjoyed a Spanish holiday together in June 2017. Hassan is the deputy president and vice chairman of family business 'Abdul Latif Jameel Domestic', who own the rights to sell Toyota vehicles in Saudi Arabia. However, he and Rihanna split up in early 2020 after three years of dating. Jameel was previously romantically linked to iconic supermodel Naomi Campbell.
After "seven or eight years" of DJ Khaled trying to get Rihanna on a track with him, he finally achieved it with 'Wild Thoughts'. The sultry Latin-influenced banger also features the vocals of fellow R&B singer Bryson Tiller, who recorded his verse after Khaled played him a demo of the song during a dinner at the producers house. The song went on to become Rihanna's ninth number one single in the UK!
Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados and raised in Bridgetown, the capital and largest city of the Caribbean island. Growing up, Rihanna live in a three-bedroom bungalow with her mother, father and siblings and sold clothes on a street stall with her father. Rihanna is very proud of her heritage - her care-free attitude and island-tinged sound is carried through her music to this day.
Rihanna dropped her debut album, 'Music Of The Sun', in 2005. Her sophomore album 'A Girl Like Me' followed in 2006 and 'Good Girl Gone Bad' arrived the year after that. In 2009, her fourth album 'Rated R' dropped before her hit-laden record 'Loud' was released in 2010. 'Talk That Talk', her sixth album, arrived in 2011 followed by 'Unapologetic' in 2012. Four years passed before Rihanna unleashed her eighth album, 'ANTI', in 2016.
After facing various pregnancy rumours throughout her career, Rihanna confirmed her first pregnancy with boyfriend A$AP Rocky on January 31, 2022! They welcomed their first child, a son, together in May 2022. She announced her second pregnancy in February 2023 during her Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Rihanna stands at 5ft 8in, or 1.73 m, which is actually above average height for women in Hollywood!
Rihanna was originally announced as Puma’s creative director in 2014, and released her first Fenty x Puma collection in early 2016 during New York Fashion Week. She has since gone on to create multiple ranges with the brand and popular items include her iconic sliders, jelly slides and the award-winning Fenty creepers that have since made the brand a worldwide success.
Rihanna's talents aren't limited to singing - the Bajan beauty has appeared in a number of feature films since her career breakthrough. She portrayed herself in 2006's 'Bright It On: All Or Nothing' before playing Cora in 2012's 'Battleship', Moon Goddess in 2014's 'Annie', Tip in the animated 2015 movie 'Home', Bubble in 2017's 'Valerian' and Eight Ball in the 2018 film 'Ocean's Eight'.
Over the years, Rihanna has become known for her eclectic collection of inkings. The R&B singer has 25 tattoos (that we know of) including her Mandala-inspired hand design, the goddess Isis on her chest, the 'Shhh' on the side of her finger and the trail of stars on the back of her neck.
Rihanna is from the Caribbean island of Barbados, born in Saint Michael and raised in the country's capital and largest city, Bridgetown. Her mother, Monica Braithwaite, is of Afro-Guyanese decent while and her father, Ronald Fenty, is of Afro-Barbadian and Irish heritage.
Unfortunately, Rihanna - ike many other public figures - has faced scrutiny over her weight throughout her career. In October 2017, the star happily described herself as having a “fluctuating body type”, and admitted to having both "skinny weeks" and "fat weeks". She also hilariously responded to one Instagram commenter who called her "fat" with a slew of crying-laughing emojis, so Ri is clearly unfazed by the criticism.
Rihanna's ground-breaking cosmetics range, Fenty Beauty, was launched in 150 countries to widespread praise from customers worldwide. The star product of the brand's debut was the Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, which is available in a trailblazing 40 different shades and caters for a diverse range of skin tones.
Chris Brown secretly attended Rihanna's 24th birthday party. However following his infamous physical assault in 2009, the R&B singer chose to keep a very low profile. According to TMZ, he refused to enter the party at Hearst Mansion in Beverly Hills, until all workers and people who had taken pictures, had signed a non-disclosure agreement. While in the party, Chris Brown spent lots of time with Rihanna and reportedly held hands with her. Picture: Getty
Rihanna's on Instagram and her handle is @badgalriri. The superstar is also on Facebook and Twitter using just her name, @rihanna. Riri's not particularly keen on Snapchat and called them out in March 2018 for their "tone-deaf" ad on the platform which asked users if they'd rather "slap Rihanna" or "punch Chris Brown." Picture: Getty
Rihanna's dad is Ronald Fenty and Rihanna's mum is Monica Braithwaite. They were married but then divorced when Rihanna was a teen. The couple have three kids together including Rihanna, and her two younger brothers Rajad and Rorrey Fenty. Picture: Getty
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Full Name | Robyn Rihanna Fenty |
Nickname(s) | RiRi, Caribbean Queen, The Barbados Babe, Queen of Pop, Bajan beauty. |
Profession | Singer, Songwriter, Fashion, Designer, Model, Actress |
Height (approx.) | in centimeters- in meters- in Feet Inches- |
Weight (approx.) | in Kilograms- in Pounds- |
Figure Measurements (approx.) | 34-24-36 |
Eye Colour | Green |
Hair Colour | Dark Brown, dyed Black. |
Date of Birth | February 20, 1988 |
Age (as of 2022) | |
Birthplace | Saint Michael, Barbados |
Zodiac sign | Pisces |
Nationality | Barbadian |
Hometown | Bridgetown, Barbados |
School | Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School Combermere High School |
Educational Qualification | High School drop out |
Debut | Album - Music of the Sun (2005) Film - Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006) |
Family | - Ronald Fenty (Warehouse Supervisor) - Monica Braithwaite (Retired Accountant) - Rorrey and Rajad Fenty She has two half-sisters and a half-brother, each from different women that her father was with previously. |
Religion | Christianity |
Ethnicity | Afro-Guyanese, Afro-Barbadian and Irish descent. |
Fan Mail Address | Rihanna Roc Nation 1411 Broadway 39th Floor New York, NY 10018-3410 USA |
Inspirations and Influences | , Mariah Carey and Bob Marley |
Colors | Pink, Red, Black, Green |
Movies | Napoleon Dynamite/Borat |
TV Shows | Entourage |
Food | Callaloo and Jerk Chicken of Barbados and Cheesecake |
Actors | Terrence Howard and |
Actresses | , Halle Berry and Meryl Streep |
Music | Paramore |
Designers | Zac Posen and Dsquared |
Artist | Bob Marley |
Songs | On A Girl Like Me, We Ride, I'm losing it by Roc Nation and State of mind by and Alicia. |
Major Controversies | Rihanna had to bare physical abuse from her then boyfriend Chris Brown. She was supposed to perform at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, which got cancelled because of the ugly incident. Her pictures were leaked by police officials where she sustained injury marks on her face. Chris Brown was imprisoned and punished as well as restraining orders were imposed to keep her safe. There have been controversies about her videos because of nudity and explicit content. Although same level of these elements have been observed in other videos as well. Although the reasons for dropping her latest album's songs is still not clear. Rihanna filed a lawsuit of $35 million against Peter Gunis and the firm Berdon LLP. They opted for settlement out of court for over $10 million. |
Marital Status | Unmarried |
Affairs/Boyfriends | Negus Sealy (2001-2003) Chris Brown (2007-2013) Josh Hartnett (2007) Drake (2010) Ryan Phillippe (2011-2012) Asap Rocky (2013) Karim Benzema (2015) |
Husband/Spouse | N/A |
Children | - 2 • RZA Athelston Mayers (from her boyfriend A$AP Rocky; born on 13 May 2022) • Riot Rose Mayers (from her boyfriend A$AP Rocky; born in August 2023) |
Net Worth | $1.7 billion (as of August 2021) |
House | Barbados Mansion ($22 million) Los Angeles Home ($5.03 million) |
Cars | Maybach, Chevy Suburban, Porsche 997 Turbo, Lamborghini, Chevy Camaro |
Rihanna adorned a striking pink look complemented by Indian jewelry at the event in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
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When pop star Rihanna was declared a national hero in Barbados, the country that bears her roots, the crowd in her hometown of Bridgetown cheered.
Rihanna too was very much grateful for the honour.
"Nothing, nothing compares to being recognised in the soil that you grew in," the 33-year-old said.
Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, the singer was conferred the honour by Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley.
"May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honour to your nation by your words, by your actions, and to do credit wherever you shall go," the PM said referencing her hit song Diamonds.
"God bless you, my dear."
The Caribbean Island has made the historic move to become a republic , removing Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, and inaugurating President Sandra Mason in that role.
But the "new Queen" of Barbados is arguably Rihanna, who expressed surprise when crowned a national hero.
"This is a day that I will never, ever forget. It's also a day that I never saw coming."
The singer said the people of Barbados are the true heroes, and she takes pride in calling Barbados home.
"I'm going to be a Bajan till the day I die, and this is still the only place I've ever called home. I love Barbados.
"I love you guys and I pray that the youth continue to push Barbados forward."
Rihanna became a worldwide star when her distinctive voice hit airwaves across the world, after she was signed to rapper Jay-Z's record label.
Pon de Replay was the song that propelled her into international stardom in 2005.
She won a Grammy a couple of years later for the single Umbrella featuring Jay-Z, with her 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad selling several million copies worldwide. She's since won multiple Grammys.
Rihanna is also an entrepreneur. Her Beauty line Fenty has been described by Essence magazine as "a love song to women of colour", in the way it's inclusive of shades that "all women of colour can find themselves in."
Forbes announced her billionaire status earlier this year, saying she's "the wealthiest female musician in the world".
Her album Rated R contained lyrics that touched on revenge, and was released after fellow star Chris Brown was convicted of a 2009 assault against her when the two were dating.
Rihanna was born in St Michael parish, Barbados to a Barbadian father and a Guyanese mother in February 1988.
She grew up in Barbados, and won a high school talent show there with a rendition of Hero by Mariah Carey.
A fan of reggae, hip hop and R'n'B, Rihanna was in a girl group, before attracting the attention of an American record producer, who helped shop her demo to Jay-Z.
She's now a bonafide superstar, a billionaire, and a National Hero.
Barbados inaugurates president as head of state replacing the queen.
August 18, 2024
Life Story of Famous People
Short Bio » Pop Singer » Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress. She’s become the youngest solo artist to score 14 no. 1 singles on the billboard hot 100—the fastest to do so—she’s sold more than 54 million albums and 210 million tracks worldwide. Rihanna is the “best selling digital artist of all time… with more than 100 million [riaa] gold & platinum song certifications” and an eight-time grammy award winner who also counts 14 billboard music awards among other countless music accolades. Aside from her musical achievements, rihanna is bona fide business woman with multiple entrepreneurial ventures. however, most importantly, her undeniable cultural influence has forever imprinted her in history as a global icon despite her young age.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. Her mother, Monica (Braithwaite), is a retired accountant of African American background, and her father, Ronald Fenty, is a warehouse supervisor of Afro-Barbadian and Irish descent. Rihanna grew up listening to reggae music and began singing at around the age of seven. She attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and Combermere High School, where she studied alongside future England cricketer Chris Jordan and future West Indies cricketer Kraigg Brathwaite. Rihanna was an army cadet in a sub-military programme; the singer-songwriter Shontelle was her drill sergeant. Although she initially wanted to graduate from high school, she chose to pursue a musical career instead.
Rihanna won numerous beauty pageants and performed Mariah Carey’s single “Hero” in a school talent show. Her life changed forever when one of her friends introduced her to Evan Rodgers, a producer from New York who was in Barbados for a vacation with his wife, who is a native. Rodgers arranged for her to go to New York to meet Jay Z, CEO of Def Jam Records. He heard her sing and knew she was going to be incredibly successful. She was age 16 when she was signed to Def Jam. Since then, she’s amassed phenomenal success. Before long Rihanna had signed a contract with DefJam Recordings and brought out her debut album, ‘Music of the Sun’ in 2005. It debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and sold over two million copies worldwide despite receiving only mixed reviews from critics. Her second album ‘A Girl Like Me’ was released the next year. The album not only became a huge commercial success charting in the top ten in 13 countries, but also established the young singer as a teenager sensation. It featured the hit single ‘SOS’ which peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
After enjoying more success in the ensuing months, she embarked on the Glow in the Dark Tour with Kanye West, Lupe, N.E.R.D, and others in 2008. The concert tour travelled to Latin America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand and Australia, and received much critical acclaim. In 2009, her much awaited album ‘Rated R’ was out. She adopted a new musical style in this album which was well-received by her fans. The album reached No. 4 on the US Billboard 200 chart and featured the single ‘Rude Boy’ which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. The year 2010 was a very eventful year for her. Her album ‘Loud’ went on to become a super-hit prompting the artist to embark on the Loud Tour to promote it further. ‘Loud’ spawned numerous hits including ‘What’s My Name’, ‘Only Girl (In the World)’ and ‘S&M’. She also featured on many hits by other artists, including Jay-Z’s ‘Run this Town’, Eminem’s ‘Love the Way You Lie’ and Kanye West’s ‘All of the Lights’. More Info: Wiki | IMDb | Twitter | Instagram | FB | YouTube
Published in Singer
In 2005, 17-year-old Robyn Rihanna Fenty broke onto the music scene with the release of the smash hit "Pon de Replay." Since then, the world has watched her grow into one of the most successful women on the planet. According to Forbes , Rihanna became the world's richest female musician in 2019, a result of her success with music and makeup, along with becoming "the first black woman in charge of a major luxury fashion house."
Yet, despite being so successful and popular, Rihanna has managed to keep her private life private for the most part. Though many fans are aware of her story during her rise to fame, her life prior to that is not as well known. Perhaps that's because information about the hitmaker's childhood in Barbados is not freely available, or because Rihanna is protective of her family and her secrets.
Whatever the reason, there's an interesting story there. Even if Rihanna makes her success look easy, it was anything but: she grew up in less than ideal conditions and faced more than her fair share of struggles, but it was largely because of her difficult past that she became the person she is today. Here is the tragic, real-life story of Rihanna .
Rihanna remembers growing up in Barbados as being "just a little island girl riding bikes, running around barefoot and flying kites in the cemetery," but her childhood home wasn't as free. Her father's drinking problems would lead to tense moments. "Fridays would be scary because he would come home drunk," she told Rolling Stone in 2011. "He'd get paid, and half of it would go toward alcohol. He'd walk in the door, and it was all eyes on him."
The future pop star could feel the temperature in the house go up whenever domestic violence was around the corner, previously telling ABC News , "[My parents] had a very abusive relationship. My dad was the abuser. [He hit her] on numerous accounts." She added, "I don't want to say normal, but it wasn't a surprise when it happened. She never went to the hospital ... Domestic violence is not something that people want anybody to know."
Though her mother was the primary victim of her father's outbursts, Rihanna recalled a time when she was punished for wanting to stay at the beach 10 minutes longer. "He slapped me so hard," she revealed to Rolling Stone . "I ran home with his handprint on me. I couldn't believe it. My mother saw my face, how traumatized I was. You know how, when you know you did something wrong, and you deserve to get beat? This was out of nowhere."
Rihanna is a musician first, but she's a powerful business woman, as well. As noted by Rolling Stone , "She's had endorsement deals with Nike, Gucci, CoverGirl and Clinique, not to mention her own scent, Reb'l Fleur." Her upbringing as the oldest child in the family made her staunchly independent, and her father helped mold her into the woman she would become. "He taught me how to fish, how to swim, how to run, how to ride," the singer-songwriter told the media outlet. "He really toughened me up."
When she was young, Rihanna's father sold clothes on the street or out of his car to make a living. Whether through want or necessity, she would sometimes join him. "She used to sell stuff on the side of the street like I did," Rihanna's dad, Ronald Fenty, said in a 2011 interview with The Sun . "She'd come outside of the store and put up a rack and sell hats and belts and scarves ... She would also buy sweets, put them in packages and take them to school to sell to her friends for a profit." It was that entrepreneurial spirit that had Rihanna's father thinking she would end up in business. In the end, he was right, in a way.
Addiction sadly took a substantial toll on this celeb's early life , when drugs planted their hooks in Rihanna's father and ran havoc through her family home. "My family broke up because of his addiction," she tearfully told Oprah Winfrey on Oprah's Next Chapter . According to the Mirror , dad Ronald Fenty bought drugs even when money and food in the house were low. "Even as a toddler, I learned that my mum and dad would argue when there was foil paper in the ashtray," Rihanna said, referring to drug packaging or freebasing paraphernalia.
When she was nine years old, Rihanna walked in on her dad smoking crack, as per Rolling Stone . "I did have a drug problem and Robyn did walk in and see me taking drugs in our house," Ronald told The Sun . "She was just a little kid and it made her look at me, and other things, differently. Around the same time we were walking down the street with the kids and there was a guy sleeping on the sidewalk. Her mother said to Robyn, 'Your dad is going to end up like that.' I did not want my children to see me sleeping on the sidewalk so I started making the changes."
Rihanna's father would eventually beat his addiction, but it cost him his marriage and damaged his relationship with his children. "I had to give up drugs for my family," he said. "I still kind of lost them."
Rihanna is loved and admired around the world, but she didn't always feel loved as a child in Barbados. Her father was a descendant of a poor Irish community , the members of which were often referred to by derogatory names . Rihanna's last name, Fenty, was a common surname for this group of people. The future singer-songwriter also had a light skin shade, and this combination led to teasing at school.
"I was cultured in a very 'black' way," Rihanna said in a 2009 Allure interview. "But when I got to school, I'm being called 'white' ... They would look at me, and they would curse me out. I didn't understand." The future celeb didn't take it lightly, and she fought back , some times with her fists. "I got teased my entire school life," she said to Glamour . "What they were picking on I don't even understand. It was my skin color. Then when I got older, it was about my breasts."
The constant bullying she faced, however, helped shape her and prepare her for a life in the limelight, a life that can be cruel and unforgiving. "This thick skin has been developing since my first day at school," Rihanna told Harper's Bazaar in 2015. "It didn't happen after fame; I couldn't survive fame if I didn't already have it. So sometimes the toughest thing in life is to be vulnerable."
With Rihanna's father battling his own demons and the fights at home increasing, the future celeb's mental health understandably suffered . Though the trouble at home was kept private, the young Rihanna began to separate herself from the other kids at school. According to Rolling Stone , "She wouldn't talk, wouldn't even cry." It was around this time that the future singer's grades slipped along with her health.
"She had always been a straight-A student, but she started to struggle," Rihanna's mother, Monica Braithwaite, said. "She would suffer from these terrible headaches. She had to get CT scans." The headaches went on from the age of eight until Rihanna was 14, but the doctors had no answers for the excruciating migraine-like attacks. Initially, they believed that Rihanna may have a tumor of some sort, with the singer herself once saying , "It was that intense." However, the test results always came back negative.
It wasn't until her parents separated and the fighting stopped that the headaches finally went away. Rihanna believes that the pain was caused by the emotional stress of the arguing and domestic abuse.
In February 2009, the world was rocked by reports that Chris Brown had abused then-girlfriend Rihanna . TMZ later released photos of her battered face, and the abused singer became fodder for nearly every news outlet in the U.S., causing Rihanna to retreat from the public eye for months.
In her isolation, however, she began to worry about Brown, despite her being the victim. "If I feel this depressed , then what is he going through?" Rihanna later explained to ABC News . "I had to protect him. I thought that I had to let him know, don't do anything crazy. Like just hang in there ... The whole world hates him now. His fans, his career. He just, he lost me, I just need to let him know; don't do anything stupid." Eventually, the two reunited and Rihanna faced criticism for it.
For her part, Rihanna was disappointed because she'd made a promise to her younger self that she was "never going to date somebody like my dad" (via E! News ). She wasn't proud of her choice, but she had been overpowered by love. Fair or not, Rihanna found that her personal decisions had far-reaching consequences, and told ABC News , "It's completely normal to go back. It's not right. When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn't be held responsible for going back."
Many high-profile celebrities contend with rumors, from exaggerated tales to outright lies. For Rihanna, it seems that every single celebrity she talks to becomes the target of a reported relationship . While working on a Rolling Stone cover story, Rihanna happened to be in the same restaurant as Colin Farrell, someone she'd been rumored to be sending salacious texts. As Farrell left the restaurant, he stopped by the singer's table. "Our friends outside are gonna get some good mileage out of this," he jokingly said. "We're gonna be texting each other all f**king night!" The actor was right: the next morning, several tabloids suggested the two celebs ate dinner together and were romantically linked.
To make matters worse, rumors have sometimes come from within. After Rihanna was assaulted by Chris Brown, her father sold information to the press . "That was the first time," Rihanna later told Vogue in 2011 (via Billboard ). "My dad went to the press and just told them a bunch of lies. Because he hadn't talked to me after ... that whole thing." She added, "He never called to find out how I was doing, if I was alive, nothing ... He went straight to the press and got a check." That wouldn't be the last time either, as Ronald Fenty would later sell more gossip on his famous daughter. "It really makes me question what I have become to my father," Rihanna wondered. "Like, what do I even mean to him?"
After her challenges with Chris Brown, Rihanna found that she was spiralling into a dark place. She recalled on Oprah's Next Chapter that she was "resentful," "angry," and struggling to overcome it all. When asked how she finally got through it, Rihanna said, "[I] repaired my relationship with dad." The singer had grown apart from her father after her parents' divorce years earlier. "I was so angry at him," she explained, adding, "I couldn't separate him as husband from him as a father."
After the reconciliation, however, Rihanna and Ronald Fenty continued butting heads. In some cases, it wasn't personal — it was business. According to CNN , Rihanna discovered that her father and his business partner, Moses Perkins, were allegedly using her name and brand, Fenty, to earn money. The singer and her representatives reportedly asked the pair repeatedly "to cease and desist all activity and efforts to exploit Rihanna's name and the goodwill associated with the Fenty brand." When that failed, they filed a lawsuit.
According to the 2019 suit, Rihanna's father reportedly launched a production and talent company called Fenty Entertainment in 2017, and negotiated 15 unauthorized Rihanna shows in Latin America, two at the Staples Center, and another at the T-Mobile Arena, all totaling nearly $15.5 million. He even reportedly attempted to use the Fenty brand to register a line of resort hotels. With the case set to move to a jury trial in June 2020, The Blast reports that it was later postponed due to the pandemic.
Rihanna was exposed to things in life much earlier than most. In fact, she saw and experienced things as a child that most people never do. By the time the singer-songwriter was 16 years old, her father had moved out and her mother had returned to work to support the family. This left the young teenager at home to look after younger brother Rajad. Though it caused Rihanna to grow up quickly, she looks back at these times fondly, telling Elle that it was "probably the best summer I ever had."
But it was more than one summer that she would act as caregiver. While Rihanna takes on much of this willingly, such as gifting her mother a massive mansion , some of it has been imposed upon her. In 2008, she was forced to send her father home from her U.S. tour for drunken behavior. According to the Daily Mail , in order to save her father from going to jail for a California arrest, Rihanna agreed to pay $58,000 for him to enter a Malibu rehab program in 2013. And while speaking with Rolling Stone , Rihanna revealed that her dad once sent her a text with nothing but prices for furniture that he wanted to buy for his house. "It's fine," she explained. "I'll give my father anything. It's not something that's hard for me to help him with. It's just, like — damn, Dad. Hi."
Being an international superstar is not easy (or so we assume). It comes with a lack of privacy and constant rumors, as well as incessant scrutiny, something of which Rihanna is, unfortunately, an expert. Rihanna has been criticized for a variety of reasons, a major one being her music. The last full album Rihanna released was "Anti" in 2016. It went number one on the Billboard 200 , and gave us hits like "Work" and "Needed Me." The album was a massive hit, and Rihanna sees it as her greatest work to date, but that does not mean fans are satisfied. Fans want more music from the star, and they are not shy about letting her know, especially on social media.
After posting a photo to Instagram stating her New Year's resolution, one fan commented, "Resolution should be releasing the album," in reference to R9 , the appellation used for the forthcoming album from the singer. Rihanna is not one to let people get her down, though, and she replied, "this comment is sooo 2019. grow up" (via Complex ).
Criticism of the singer is not limited to music, though. In 2022, while arriving at an event, Rihanna was heckled by someone yelling , "You're late," to which the singer replied "No sh*t." Sigh. Fame is not for the faint of heart.
When you're famous, you can't go through a major life event without the world finding out. Even if you are a master at secret-keeping, eventually your business is made public. And for Rihanna, some of those major life events have tragically included heartbreak. The singer dated fellow musician and collaborator Drake on and off for several years. The couple delighted fans when they went from friends to partners, but the delight was short-lived, as the two ultimately split. The singer eventually told Vogue , "We don't have a friendship now, but we're not enemies either. It is what it is."
Drake isn't the only man Rihanna has dated publicly. For three years, the singer was with Hassan Jameel, a Saudi billionaire. Rihanna was focused on making the relationship work, sharing that she would clear her calendar for days at a time to be with Jameel, but unfortunately her efforts fell short as the two couldn't make their schedules work.
The news was especially saddening after reading the words she spoke to Vogue : "I'm actually in an exclusive relationship for quite some time, and it's going really well, so I'm happy." Even celebrities are not immune to heartbreak.
Although Rihanna's had lots of tragedy in her life, she's also had lots of joy, like learning she's expecting a child with her boyfriend A$AP Rocky. In 2022, the singer made headlines for her pregnancy, particularly her bold style. "When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, there's no way I'm going to go shopping in the maternity aisle. I'm sorry – it's too much fun to get dressed up," she told Vogue . She also told the magazine, "I just feel like I can do any part of life by his side," in reference to A$AP Rocky.
But because she is in the spotlight, no good part of her life can come without something overshadowing it. One shadow came in the form of a theory that Rihanna is faking her pregnancy. Tweets and YouTube videos have documented the outlandish theory, but the singer has not responded to the rumors. Who can blame her, though? There's only so much time in the day.
Another rumor came at the hands of an influencer who wrongfully claimed that A$AP Rocky was cheating on Rihanna. Although Rihanna did not respond to those rumors either, the woman he was supposedly cheating with, designer Amina Muaddi, responded on Twitter, saying , "I initially assumed that this fake gossip – fabricated with such malicious intent – would not be taken seriously," adding, "Therefore I have to speak up as this is ... related to people I have a great amount of respect and affection for."
In 2017, Rihanna sadly lost her cousin. Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne was living in Barbados and was shot one evening near his house. Rihanna and her cousin were close, as she documented on social media. After learning of his death, she took to Instagram to pay tribute, sharing "can't believe it was just last night that I held you in my arms! never thought that would be the last time I felt the warmth in your body!!! Love you always man."
The singer attended his funeral and shared photos on social media. "Sleep well buddy..we are at peace knowing you're in a better place than we are. We will always have a void without you, but we will never stop loving you ... Hope you were happy with your going away celebration today," she said, as reported by Vibe.
The singer used the harrowing event to speak out against gun violence, using the hashtag #EndGunViolence in her first tribute post.
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Singer Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in St. Michael Parish on the Caribbean island of Barbados. She is the eldest of three children born to Monica Fenty, an accountant, and ...
Robyn Rihanna Fenty (/ r i ˈ æ n ə / ⓘ ree-AN-ə; [2] [3] [n 1] born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman and actress based in the United States. She was cited as the best-selling female recording artist of the 21st century by Guinness World Records and is the wealthiest female musical artist with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion as of 2024.
Rihanna maintained a steely and seductive persona on the albums Talk That Talk (2011), which produced the infectious international hit "We Found Love," and Unapologetic (2012), which was anchored by the starry-eyed "Diamonds." The latter release also controversially featured a duet with Brown, with whom she rekindled her relationship for a brief time.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, best known as Rihanna, (/ r i ˈ æ n ə / ree-AN-ə; [2] [3] [n 1] born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, model, actress and businesswoman. She is seen to be as one of the most successful singers in the 21st century, she signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2005 and found mainstream recognition following the release of her first two studio albums, Music ...
Rihanna. Actress: Battleship. Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988 in Bridgetown, St. Michael, Barbados to Monica Braithwaite, an accountant & Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor. Her mother is Afro-Guyanese and her father is of Afro-Barbadian and British Isles ancestry. Rihanna lived the life of a normal island girl going to Combermere, a top sixth form school.
Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty) is a Barbadian singer-songwriter considered to be one of the best-selling artists of all time. This biography of Rihanna provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline ... Best Short Form Music Video: Rihanna Feat. Calvin Harris: We Found Love (2011) 2012: Best Rap/Sung ...
Rihanna Biography Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on February 20, 1988. She is a well-known singer, songwriter, model, dancer, actress, fashion designer, entrepreneur, and music producer of Barbadian and American nationality. Rihanna is the daughter of Monica Braithwaite, a retired public accountant, and Ronald Fenty, a commercial supervisor from both Barbados and Ireland.
Rihanna in the music video for "Umbrella." Rihanna/YouTube As Billboard's Joe Lynch writes, when "Umbrella (feat.Jay-Z)" dropped, "Rihanna already had two albums and four top 10 Billboard Hot 100 ...
Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, in St. Michael's Parish, Barbados. Her mother, Monica, hails from Guyana and is an accountant-turned-boutique owner. Her father, Ronald, is a Barbadian and has worked as a warehouse supervisor. Growing up, Rihanna watched her father struggle with addiction as he battled crack ...
Rihanna (real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty) was born and raised in Barbados. Her birthday is Feb. 20, 1988, and her height is 5'8". She got her start when at age 15, she met producers Evan Rogers and C…
Despite her young age, Rihanna's dream of getting her music out into the world falls short of her current reality. Within a decade, she has become a best-selling songwriter, singer, and actress. She has sold over 540 million albums worldwide, won countless awards, and is the youngest solo artist to score 14 Billboard music hits.
Rihanna - SOS (Official Music Video) Click to load video. In 2007 the planet starts to succumb to Rihanna's third album Good Girl Gone Bad - worldwide sales thus far are in excess of 10 ...
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known by her stage name Rihanna, was born in Barbados in 1988. Her childhood was deeply affected by her parents' marital problems and her dad's battle with drug and ...
Living in: United States. Robyn Rihanna Fenty, known by the mononym Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados and raised in Bridgetown, during 2003 she recorded demo tapes under the direction of record producer Evan Rogers and signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning ...
Rihanna starred in her first theatrical feature film "Battleship", which was released on May 18, 2012. Her acting was labeled mediocre by many critics. Her acting was labeled mediocre by many critics.
Rihanna stands at 5ft 8in, or 1.73 m, which is actually above average height for women in Hollywood! 13. Rihanna has been working with Puma since 2014. Rihanna was originally announced as Puma's ...
Brad Barket/Getty Images. When she was just a teenager, Robyn Rihanna Fenty signed to Def Jam and left her home in Barbados to live and work in Los Angeles full time. The mononymous superstar in ...
Rihanna is official ambassador for Barbados' tourism agency. Rihanna had signed a $25 million with Samsung in October 2015, where she agreed to sell the Samsung Galaxy range and Samsung would support release her album ANTI and its World Tour. Rihanna's voice type is mezzo-soprano and her vocal range is three scales and two notes.
Rihanna was born in St Michael parish, Barbados to a Barbadian father and a Guyanese mother in February 1988. She grew up in Barbados, and won a high school talent show there with a rendition of ...
Short Bio » Pop Singer » Rihanna. Rihanna. February 20, 2023. Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress. She's become the youngest solo artist to score 14 no. 1 singles on the billboard hot 100—the fastest to do so—she's sold more than 54 million albums and 210 million tracks worldwide. Rihanna is the "best ...
The Tragic, Real-Life Story Of Rihanna. In 2005, 17-year-old Robyn Rihanna Fenty broke onto the music scene with the release of the smash hit "Pon de Replay." Since then, the world has watched her ...
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ree-AN-ə; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman and actress based in the United States.She was cited as the best-selling female recording artist of the 21st century by Guinness World Records and is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with sales estimated at 250 million units worldwide. . Rihanna is the highest-certified female ...
Like any right-thinking human being, I only want the best for Rihanna, so I've been thrilled to watch the evolution of the 36-year-old singer and beauty mogul's heartwarming and long-running ...
Rihanna (Barbadian, Singer) was born on 20-02-1988. Get more info like age, biography, family, boyfriend, husband, children, facts, height, weight, wiki & latest news etc. ... Short Biography. Rihanna was born on 20-02-1988 in the state of Saint Michael, Barbados. She is a Barbadian Singer, Songwriter, Fashion Designer, Model, Film Actress ...
Here's a brief biography of Tim Walz. Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' VP pick: Minnesota governor named running mate: Live updates Gov. Tim Walz is 60 years old, born on April 6, 1964.
Rachael Lillis was born on July 8, 1969, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., the youngest of six girls. She graduated from Smith College, where she was pre-med, Ms. Orr said.