BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY RIHANNA.
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Rihanna performing during the Diamonds World Tour in 2013
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| Born | Robyn Rihanna Fenty February 20, 1988 Saint Michael, Barbados |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
| Net worth | US $90 million (est. 2013)[1] |
| Website | rihannanow |
| Musical career | |
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Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988) (/riˈænə/ ree-an-ə),[2][3] is a Barbadian singer and songwriter. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, her career began upon meeting record producer Evan Rogers in late 2003 through mutual friends; she recorded demo tapes with his guidance. Her tape was sent to several record labels, and she subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its then-president, hip-hop producer and rapper Jay Z. Both her debut album, Music of the Sun(2005) and its follow-up A Girl Like Me (2006) peaked in the top ten on the US Billboard 200; the former featured the commercially successful song "Pon de Replay" while the latter produced her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "SOS".
She rose to widespread prominence and became a household name with the release of her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad(2007), and its chart-topping lead single "Umbrella." The album and its 2008 Reloaded re-release were nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella". From 2009 to 2012, following a highly publicized altercation with then-boyfriend, entertainer Chris Brown, she annually released four Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) platinum certifiedalbums: Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and her first Billboard 200 number one album Unapologetic (2012). The same year, she appeared in her first theatrical feature film, Battleship.
Rihanna has sold over 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.[4] Many of her songs rank among the world's best-selling singles of all time, such as "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "S&M", "We Found Love", "Diamonds" and "Stay". In addition to her solo work, Rihanna has collaborated with other artists and was featured on the worldwide hits "Can't Remember to Forget You" (with Shakira), "Live Your Life" (with T.I.), "Run This Town" (with Jay-Z andKanye West), "Love the Way You Lie" and "The Monster" (both with Eminem). She has achieved thirteen number-one singles on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the youngest and fastest solo artist to accomplish this record. Billboard named her the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade and the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade.[5][6][7]
Rihanna is known for frequently reinventing her style and image, most notably since Good Girl Gone Bad.[8][9] Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including eight Grammy Awards,[1] eight American Music Awards, 23 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards. In 2012, Forbes ranked her the fourth most powerful celebrity of the year, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012. The same year, Time named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. At theAmerican Music Awards of 2013, she received the first ever Icon Award. On June 2, 2014, Rihanna received the Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).[10]
Contents
Early life
Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. Her mother, Monica Braithwaite, is a retired accountant of Afro-Guyanese background, and her father, Ronald Fenty, is a warehouse supervisor of Barbadian and Irish descent.[11][12]Rihanna has two brothers, Rorrey and Rajad Fenty, and two half-sisters and a half-brother from her father's side, each born to different mothers from his previous relationships.[13][14] She grew up in a three-bedroom bungalow in Bridgetown and sold clothes with her father in a stall on the street. Rihanna's childhood was deeply affected by her father's addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol. By the time she was fourteen, her parents had divorced.[12][15] Rihanna grew up listening to reggae music and began singing at around the age of seven.[13][16]She attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and Combermere High School, where she studied alongside future England cricketer Chris Jordan and formed a musical trio with two of her classmates.[13] Rihanna was an army cadet in a sub-military programme; the singer-songwriter Shontelle was her drill sergeant.[17] Although she initially wanted to graduate from high school, she chose to pursue a musical career instead.[18]
Career
2003–04: Career beginnings
Before signing to Def Jam Recordings, Rihanna was discovered in her home country Barbados by American record producer Evan Rogers. The two met in December 2003 through mutual friends of Rihanna's and Rogers' wife, while the couple was on vacation in Barbados, because Rihanna's friend told Rogers' wife that the aspiring singer was always singing and performing.[19] After meeting for the first time, Rogers' asked Rihanna to come to his hotel room, where she performed renditions of Destiny's Child's "Emotion" and Mariah Carey's "Hero". Rihanna's renditions impressed Rogers, who then took her to New York, accompanied by her mother, to record some demo tapes which could be sent to record labels.[19][20] She recorded the demo over the next year intermittently, due to Rihanna only being able to record during school holidays.
At the age of 16, Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and Carl Sturken's production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions, who assigned her a lawyer and manager, before the completed demo tape were distributed to various record labels around the world in late 2004.[20] The first to respond to the demo tape was Jay-Z, who had recently been appointed as president and Chief executive officer (CEO) of Def Jam Recordings.[21] He was given Rihanna's demo by A&R Jay Brown, but when Jay-Z heard the track "Pon de Replay", he felt the song was too big for her, saying "when a song is that big, it's hard [for a new artist] to come back from. I don't sign songs, I sign artists".[22] Despite being skeptical about signing Rihanna, he invited her to audition for him and music mogul L.A. Reid, in his office.[20][23] Looking back on the audition and meeting Jay-Z, Rihanna explained that "when we first got there, I was shaking. I had never met a celebrity, and to have to audition for one and meet him at the same time ... I was hysterical. But the minute I went in the office, it was totally different. He was so welcoming; the environment was so warm and friendly. The jitters just went away immediately."[22] During the audition, Rihanna performed Whitney Houston's cover of "For the Love of You" (1987), as well as "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time", which were written and produced by Rogers and Sturken and would be included on her debut album Music of the Sun.[20] Jay- Z stated about Rihanna's audition that "from meeting her at four [p.m.] in the office till three in the morning, I was absolutely certain. [...] When she walked in the office, it was something about her. She performed the song, and I was like, 'OK.'"[22]
The audition resulted in Rihanna signing a six-album record deal with Def Jam in February 2005, on the same day of the audition to prevent her from signing with another label.[22] After signing to Def Jam, Rihanna cancelled other meetings with record labels and relocated from Barbados to New York to live with Rogers and his wife.[24] In May 2005, she appeared on the track "The One" with rapper Memphis Bleek on his fourth studio album 534 and released her debut single, "Pon de Replay", which charted successfully worldwide, peaking in the top five in fifteen countries, including at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart.[25]
2005–08: Early releases and Good Girl Gone Bad
Rihanna worked with different producers to complete her debut studio album, primarily Rogers and his production partner Carl Sturken.[26] Music of the Sun, was released in August 2005. It debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over 500,000 units.[27] The album sold over two million copies worldwide. It received mixed reviews; Rolling Stone gave it two and a half out of five stars and described as lacking replay value, ingenuity, and rhythm.[28] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine described the album as a "glut of teen R&B chanteuses" and described her lead single as "a dancehall-pop mixture that owes plenty of its sweat and shimmy to Beyoncé's "Baby Boy".[26] A second single, "If It's Lovin' that You Want", was not as successful as its predecessor, but reached the top ten in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.[29]
Aside from her work in music, Rihanna made her acting debut in a cameo role in the straight-to-DVD film Bring It On: All or Nothing, released in August 2006.[30] A month after the release of her debut album, Rihanna began working on her second studio album.[31] A Girl Like Me was released in April 2006.[32] The album was a commercial success, charting in the top ten in thirteen countries. The album reached number one in Canada and number five in the United Kingdom and United States, where it sold 115,000 copies its first week.[27][33] Its lead single, "SOS", was an international success, charting in the top five in eleven countries, including Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in Australia, her first to reach this chart position.[34] "Unfaithful", the album's second single, reached the top ten in eighteen countries, including number one in Canada and Switzerland.[35] "We Ride" and "Break It Off", the latter featuringSean Paul, were also released as singles.[36][37] Following the release of the album, Rihanna embarked on her first headlining tour, the Rihanna: Live in Concert Tour.
In early 2007, Rihanna began work on her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad.[38] She embraced a new musical direction through uptempo dance tracks produced byTimbaland, will.i.am and Sean Garrett.[39][40] Released in May 2007, the album charted at number two in Australia and the US and topped the charts in multiple countries, including Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Russia and the UK.[41] The album received the most positive critical reviews of her first three albums.[42] The lead single, "Umbrella", topped the charts in thirteen countries and remained number one in the UK for ten consecutive weeks, the longest-running number one single since Wet Wet Wet's single "Love Is All Around" spent fifteen weeks at the top in 1994.[43][44] It was Rihanna's first single to be named one of the best-selling singles worldwide, with sales of over 6.6 million copies.[45][46] The songs "Shut Up and Drive", "Hate That I Love You" featuring Ne-Yo, and "Don't Stop the Music" were also released as singles. In support of the album, she began the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour in September 2007, with 80 shows across the US, Canada, and Europe.[47] Rihanna was nominated for several 2008 Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella" alongside Jay-Z.[48]
Throughout 2008, Rihanna performed on the Glow in the Dark Tour alongside Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D.[49] Her third studio album's reissue, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, was released in June 2008 with three new songs: "Disturbia", "Take a Bow", and the Maroon 5 duet "If I Never See Your Face Again". All three were released as singles and charted highly, reaching peak positions worldwide.[50][51][52] In August 2008, Rihanna and a host of other female singers, recorded the charity single "Just Stand Up!", the theme song to the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer.[53] "Live Your Life", a duet between T.I. and Rihanna, released that November, and topped the Billboard Hot 100. A remix album, Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes, was released in January 2009. Good Girl Gone Bad has sold over 2.8 million units in the United States alone, receiving a two-times-platinum certification from the RIAA. It is Rihanna's best-selling album in the country to date.[27][54] The album has sold over seven million copies worldwide.[55] By late 2008, Rihanna remained on the charts with her eighth single, "Rehab" and was named "Diva of the Year" by Entertainment Weekly for her "newfound staying power".[56]
2009–11: Rated R, Loud and Talk That Talk
In early 2009, Rihanna began working on her fourth studio album, Rated R.[57] Meanwhile, she collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West on "Run This Town", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top ten in ten other countries.[58] Rated R was released in November 2009 with Rolling Stone stating that Rihanna "transformed her sound and made one of the best pop records of the year".[59][60] Rated R featured a darker and more foreboding tone than Rihanna's previous albums.[61] Rated R debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 181,000 copies in the United States, giving Rihanna her highest first-week sales in the US at that time.[62][63][64] The album was supported by six singles including "Rude Boy", which was the biggest worldwide success from the album, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and reaching top ten positions in twenty-two other countries.[65][66] Rated R: Remixed was released in the spring of 2010 and featured ten tracks remixed by Chew Fu.[67]To promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her second worldwide tour, the Last Girl on Earth Tour.[68] At the 52nd Grammy Awards, "Run This Town" won Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.[69]
In summer 2010, Rihanna collaborated with rapper Eminem on "Love the Way You Lie", which was a major worldwide success, reaching number one in over twenty countries.[70]The song was Rihanna's seventh US number one of her career, making her the female artist with the fifth-most number ones in the chart's history.[71] Reaching number two, the song became the biggest-selling song of 2010 in the UK, and the first of Rihanna's singles to sell over one million copies in the country.[72][73] She also lent her vocals to "All of the Lights", a single from Kanye West's album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, alongside John Legend, The-Dream, Elly Jackson, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Kid Cudi, and Elton John.[74] In October 2010, Rihanna switched managers, joining Jay-Z's Roc Nation Management.[75]
Loud, Rihanna's fifth studio album, was released the following month.[76] Its lead single, "Only Girl (In the World)", reached number one in fifteen countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[77][78][79] The album's second single, "What's My Name?", featuring rapper Drake, also reached number one in the US and UK, making Rihanna the first female solo artist to have five number one singles on the UK Singles Chart in consecutive years.[80] The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 before "Only Girl (In the World)", the first time in the chart's history that an album's lead single reached number one after the second.[81] The third single, "S&M", reached number one on the Hot 100 following the release of its official remix featuring Britney Spears, becoming her tenth number one single, which tied her with Janet Jackson for fourth place among female soloists who have topped the chart. With only four years, eleven months, and two weeks between her first and tenth number one on the chart, Rihanna set a record as the solo artist with the fastest accumulation of ten chart toppers.[82]
At the 53rd Grammy Awards, "Only Girl (In the World)" won the award for Best Dance Recording.[83] "Man Down" and "California King Bed" were released as singles in May 2011 with moderate success.[84][85] "Cheers (Drink to That)", which interpolates Avril Lavigne's 2002 single "I'm with You", was released as the sixth and final single from the album, reaching the top twenty in the UK and the top ten in the US.[86] To promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her Loud Tour in June 2011, which sold out ten nights at the The O2 Arena in London, the most sold out shows for a female artist in the venue's history.[87][88] The tour was the seventh highest grossing tour worldwide of 2011.[89] The final three shows in London were filmed for Rihanna's second live video album, titled Loud Tour Live at the O2, which was released on December 18, 2012.[90][91]
Rihanna's sixth album, Talk That Talk, was released in November 2011.[92] The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with sales of 198,000 copies[93] and number one in the UK, selling 163,000 copies. The lead single, "We Found Love", topped charts in twenty-seven countries worldwide, peaking in the top ten in thirty countries and breaking many records worldwide.[94] It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, becoming Rihanna's longest-running number one single and the longest-running number one of 2011.[95][96] The song was later named the 24th biggest hit of all time on the Billboard Hot 100.[97]"You Da One" and the titular track featuring Jay-Z were released as the second and third singles from the album to moderate success, the former reaching the top twenty in the UK and US.[98][99] "Where Have You Been", the fifth single, successfully charted worldwide, reaching number five in the US and six in the UK.[100][101] "Cockiness (Love It)" was released as the album's sixth and final single in a remixed form featuring rapper ASAP Rocky.[102]
2012–14: Collaborations, Battleship and Unapologetic
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In early 2012, two collaborations featuring Rihanna were released: Coldplay's "Princess of China" from the album Mylo Xyloto and Drake's "Take Care" from his album of the same name.[103][104] In February 2012, Rihanna won her third Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the2012 Grammy Awards, and was voted the Best International Female Solo Artist at the 2012 BRIT Awards for the second consecutive year.[105][106]March 2012 saw the simultaneous release of collaborations between Rihanna and Chris Brown: remixes of her song "Birthday Cake" and his "Turn Up the Music". The recordings received mainly negative responses due to the pair's history of domestic violence.[107] In September 2012, "We Found Love" won the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, making Rihanna the first woman to receive the accolade more than once.[108]
Rihanna starred as Petty Officer (GM2) Cora Raikes in her first theatrical feature film Battleship, which was released on May 18, 2012.[109] Loosely based on the game of the same name, both the film and Rihanna's performance received mixed-to-negative reviews; The New York Times said she was "just fine in the rather generic role".[110] She received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress[111] and, on a more positive note, a Teen Choice Award.[112] She appeared in Katy Perry: Part of Me, a 3D autobiographical documentary-concert film about her friendKaty Perry. On August 19, 2012, Rihanna appeared in the first episode of the second season of Oprah Winfrey's American prime time television show Oprah's Next Chapter.[113] The episode scored the second-highest ratings in the history of the Oprah Winfrey Network.[114]
Rihanna's seventh studio album, Unapologetic, was released in November 2012.[115] In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of 238,000, marking Rihanna's first number one album in the country. In addition, it was the best-selling debut week of her career, besting her fifth studio album Loud (2010).[116] The album was Rihanna's third consecutive number one album in the United Kingdom and fifth in Switzerland.[117][118] The lead single from the album, "Diamonds", reached number one in more than twenty countries worldwide, including on the US Billboard Hot 100, her twelfth number one on the chart which tied her with Madonna and The Supremes as the artists' with the fourth most number ones on the chart's history.[119] The album's second single, "Stay", featuring Mikky Ekko, reached the top five in over twenty countries, including number three on the Billboard Hot 100.[120] As promotion prior to the album's release, Rihanna embarked on the 777 Tour, a mini tour of seven shows in seven countries in seven days.[121] A documentary DVD of the tour was later released.
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In February 2013 at the 55th Grammy Awards, Rihanna won her sixth Grammy Award, in the category Best Short Form Music Video for "We Found Love" (2011).[122] Also that month, the Official Charts Company announced that Rihanna had sold 3,868,000 records in the past year in the UK alone, ranking at number one in the list of 2013 BRIT Awards artist nominees.[117] Rihanna's fifth headlining concert tour, the Diamonds World Tour, began in March 2013 in support of Unapologetic.[123] Rihanna appeared in the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comedy film This Is the End, released in June 2013.[124] That same month, American hip hop artist Wale released a remixed version of his single "Bad" featuring Rihanna.[125]
In October 2013, Eminem released his Rihanna-assisted single, "The Monster", the fourth release from his eighth studio album The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013). With the song entering the UK Singles Chart at number one, Rihanna joined Elvis Presley and The Beatlesas just one of three acts to have scored a number one single each year over seven consecutive years in the chart's history.[126] The song also peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which marked Rihanna's thirteenth chart topper, tying her with Michael Jackson for the third most number ones in the chart's 55-year history.[127] The song won them a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. Rihanna appeared on Shakira's single, "Can't Remember to Forget You", which was released as the first single from Shakira's album on January 13, 2014.[128] In May 2014, Rihanna left Def Jam to sign fully with Roc Nation, who had managed her career since October 2010.[129]
2015: Home and Anti
News of Rihanna's work on her eighth studio album began in 2014, which would go on to be titled Anti. [130][131] The first single from the album, "FourFiveSeconds", featuringKanye West and Paul McCartney, was released on January 24, 2015.[132] West revealed that he is the executive producer for Rihanna's eighth studio album during the 57th Annual Grammy Awards red carpet.[133] She also released a concept album based around the 3D animated film Home,[134] which she starred in, alongside Jim Parsons, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez. "Towards the Sun" was released as the first single from the Home soundtrack on February 24.[135] On March 5, Rihanna released a snippet of a track called "Higher", but didn't confirm its origin.[136] She later released the second single from her eighth studio album "Bitch Better Have My Money", performing it for the first time at the 2nd iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 29, 2015.[137] Another song entitled "American Oxygen" debuted on Tidal on April 5, 2015. The song will reportedly be featured on her upcoming album.[138][139] Rihanna also posted an interlude entitled "James Joint" in its entirety from the upcoming album on her website on April 21, 2015, as a "celebration of420".[140] While modeling in a Dior Secret Garden advertisement, Rihanna teased a 1-minute clip of a song called "Only If For A Night" that is allegedly on her upcoming studio album.[141]
On July 1, 2015 the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that Rihanna had surpassed more than 100 million Gold & Platinum song certifications. In doing so Rihanna has the most Digital Single Awards and is the first and only artist to surpass RIAA’s 100 million cumulative singles award threshold.[142] On August 13, 2015, it was announced that Rihanna will be joining the ninth season of The Voice as the main advisor in October 2015.[143] In October 2015 it was announced that Rihanna would have a major role in the upcoming Luc Besson film, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, an adaptation of the comic book series Valérian and Laureline, which will begin filming in December 2015 and scheduled for a 2017 release.[144][145] Later that month it was announced that Rihanna had inked a $25 million contract with Samsung. The deal would see Rihanna promoting Samsungs Galaxy line of products whilst Samsung would sponsor the release of ‘ANTI’ and its supporting tour.[146]
Artistry
Music and voice
Rihanna possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range of three octaves and two notes.[147] While recording tracks for her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Rihanna took vocal lessons from Ne-Yo. Speaking of the experience she stated, "I've never had vocal training, so when I'm in the studio, he'll tell me how to breathe and stuff... He'll call out these big fancy words: 'OK, I want you to do staccato.' And I'm like, 'OK, I don't know what that is.'"[40] Her vocal performance on Loud (2010) received positive reviews from music critics. James Skinner from BBC praised Rihanna's vocals on the song "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" and wrote that her voice is powerful and that "it is Rihanna's vocal – at once commanding, soulful and vulnerable – that anchors the song, and Loud itself".[148] Andy Gill from The Independent feels that "California King Bed" features her best vocal performance.[149] In a review of Unapologetic, Billboard magazine wrote, "Diamonds finds Rihanna doing one of her throatiest, most impassioned vocals to date, on this inspirational pop ballad."[150] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times stated, "over the years, as her game face froze in place, her voice cured into a weapon of emotional chill and strategic indifference. It's decidedly unfriendly, made to give orders".[151]
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"Pon de Replay" is infused with a reggae style using a mixture of dance-pop and R&B. Lyrically, the song is about Rihanna asking the DJ to play her favorite song repeatedly.
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Rihanna's music has encompassed a broad range of genres. Her music is generally Pop,[152] but she also incorporates R&Band dance-pop. Some of her songs are also inspired through record sampling from other artists.[153] At the time of her debut, she recorded songs that were inspired by her caribbean roots such as dancehall and reggae.[154] Her early dancehall roots can be found on her debut album, Music of the Sun (2005), and its follow-up, A Girl Like Me (2006). She revealed duringOprah's Next Chapter that Def Jam's pop-princess blueprint made her feel claustrophobic during her early years with the label.[155] According to Rihanna, "I felt like they were giving me a blueprint. [...] They had a brand, they had an idea of what they wanted me to be without figuring out who I was."[156] She later experimented with different genres such as hip hop,dubstep, and rock while shifting her musical style and image away from the Barbados island girl.[157] Volume 65 of theContemporary Black Biography book series notes that "Rihanna is the rare rhythm and blues diva to emerge from theCaribbean world."[158]
The combination of dancehall and reggae on Music of the Sun (2005) was complimented by Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times, who said, "Dancehall reggae sometimes seems like a furiously insular form of music, but ... Rihanna is only the latest singer to discover how versatile the genre's spring-loaded electronic rhythms can be".[159] Her debut album was primarily produced by production duo Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, who discovered her and helped launch her career with her debut single "Pon de Replay".[40] Aiming for artistic growth, A Girl Like Me (2006) expresses personal experiences that typical 18-year-old girls go through with ballads that were described as elegant and mature.[160] The sophomore effort features a more urban sound than her previous island-flavored debut with a bit of rock with the track "Kisses Don't Lie".[161]
With Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), she wanted to record uptempo songs, departing from her Caribbean sound of her early releases, while working with new producers such asTimbaland, Sean Garrett, and Christopher Stewart, who produced the international hit "Umbrella", a major breakthrough.[162][163] "[At] this stage I feel like I want to do a lot of uptempo [songs] ... but still be soulful at the same time", she said.[40] Recorded after the assault by her then-boyfriend, Chris Brown, Rated R (2009) had a much darker tone and was filled with various emotions she experienced throughout 2009.[164] Released in 2010, Loud reflects on the fun and energetic attitude she had while recording the album.[165]The album is a mixture of ballads, party anthems, and empowering love songs.[166] Talk That Talk (2011) was similar to Rated R, as both contain hip hop, R&B, dancehall, and dubstep genres.[167] Loud and Talk That Talk also saw her return to her dancehall roots, evident in the tracks like "Man Down" and "Watch n' Learn".[168] She also branched out into house music with tracks like "We Found Love", "Only Girl (In the World)" and "Complicated."[169]
Influences
Rihanna has named Madonna as her idol and biggest influence. She said that she wanted to be the "black Madonna".[170][171] "I think that Madonna was a great inspiration for me, especially on my earlier work. If I had to examine her evolution through time, I think she reinvented her clothing style and music with success every single time. And at the same time remained a real force in entertainment in the whole world."[170] She also cites Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, Celine Dion as major influences and idols,[172][173]Of Janet Jackson, Rihanna has commented that "[s]he was one of the first female pop icons that I could relate to."[174] Rihanna has said the late R&B singer Aaliyah has a huge impact on her style and also complimented on the singers artistry as well.[175] Rihanna was inspired to start her career after watching Beyoncé on television with Destiny's Child.[176]
Rihanna commented that Marilyn Monroe and vintage clothing served as visual inspiration for the music video "Hate That I Love You" and "Rehab". The "dark, creepy" scenes of "Disturbia" have been compared to Michael Jackson's Thriller.[177][178] Other musical influences include Alicia Keys,[179] Fefe Dobson,[180][181] Brandy,[182] and Gwen Stefani.[citation needed] Jon Bream of the Star Tribune commented "[i]n the tradition of Madonna and Janet Jackson, Rihanna has become the video vixen of the '00s ... Rihanna has perfected the pout, the long-legged strut and trend-setting hairdos that keep women and men alike checking her out on YouTube."[177] George Epaminondas of InStyle considers Rihanna's music videos to be "cinematic" due to her "blend of lush island rhythms and swinging pop and ... mischievous sensuality."[183]
Rihanna's music contains strong influences of Caribbean music, including reggae and dancehall.[184] The video for "Rude Boy" was inspired by her Caribbean roots.[184] She stated that while growing up in Barbados she listened to reggae music, and when she came to the United States she was exposed to many different types of music.[185] Rihanna is heavily influenced by the Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley. She stated, "[h]e's one of my favorite artists of all time [...] he really paved the way for every other artist out of the Caribbean".[186] She built a shrine in her home dedicated to Marley.[187] Rihanna has covered Marley's "Is This Love" and Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Redemption Song".[188]
Videos and stage
Rihanna has worked with music video director Anthony Mandler on more than a dozen music videos, the first being "Unfaithful" (2006).[189]"We've done 16 videos together; they're not all tough, [...] Yeah, I mean, I'm known for the 'Disturbia's and the 'Russian Roulette's and things like that, but 'Only Girl (In the World)' is certainly an ethereal kind of empowering, beauty-filled video," Mandler said.[189] Jocelyn Vena of MTV wrote, "Rihanna, like Madonna, also has a tendency to make truly thought-provoking music videos that fit the songs they represent. Smattered in between glitzier, more glamorous clips, Madge and Ri want us to think about bigger issues".[169] "Unfaithful", "Love The Way You Lie", "Man Down", and "We Found Love" were shot as short films exploring issues such as love triangles, abuse, and substance abuse romance.[169] Her music video for "Umbrella" shows Rihanna's transition into adulthood and her newly adopted image.[190] Tamar Anitai from MTV Buzzworthy listed "Disturbia" at number five on the "Buzzworthy's Top 5 Most Paranoid Music Videos". He said that "Paranoia never looked so supernaturally sexy!".[191] The video for "Russian Roulette" features Rihanna in a padded room playing a game of russian roulette with her partner. A scene of Rihanna being approached by a speeding car at night was compared to the altercation with Chris Brown.[192] The Caribbean-inspired music video for "Rude Boy" was compared to rapper M.I.A.'s video "Boyz" by many critics for its colorful aesthetic similarities.[184]
In 2011, Rihanna released three controversial music videos about sadomasochism, rape, and domestic violence. The video for "S&M" was banned in eleven countries for its sexual content.[193] "Man Down", which features Rihanna shooting a man in a train station, was criticized by the Parents Television Council.[194] "We Found Love", which shows Rihanna and her love interest in a drug-filled unhealthy relationship,[192] sparked criticism from the Rape Crisis Centre for its inappropriate message.[195] But Charne Graham of the Houston Press defended the singer, asking, "Why should Rihanna's music videos get everyone riled up when others' equally sexual and controversial videos are in rotation?" He added, "she just like[s] to make music videos that give us something to talk about."[196] Rihanna is the first woman to pass two billion cumulative views on the music video website VEVO.[197] As of September 2013, she has accumulated over four billion views on the site.[198]
Denis Armstrong of Canadian Online Explorer commented on her performance at the Ottawa Bluesfest, saying "her show was a Disney-esque choreographed fantasy of non-stop hip-swiveling, sassy attitude and personal endearments and a string of funky, sugar-free hits."[199] Her performance of "Disturbia" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards was ranked tenth best on the MTV Video Music Awards, according to a Billboard poll.[200] Her revealing leather costumes during her Good Girl Gone Bad Tour were highly criticized by Malaysia's conservative Islamic party, who recommended that her concert tour should be banned.[201] Whilst commenting on her third album's accompanying tour, The Timescompared Rihanna's stage wardrobe styling to that of Janet Jackson and called her "a vision of Ann Summers couture in thigh-high boots and a few scraps of black PVC."[202] In the October 2011 issue of British Vogue, Rihanna said her performance outfits and appearances are all an act; "[t]hat's not me. That's a part I play. You know, like it's a piece of art, with all these toys and textures to play with".[203]
Public image
Known for reinventing her style and image, Rihanna's music and fashion sense are noted by the media.[204] In 2009, New York magazine described Rihanna's early look as that of a cookie-cutter teen queen, noting she has the ability to shift looks dramatically and with great ease.[205] Around the time of the release of her second studio album, A Girl Like Me (2006), many critics felt that Rihanna's style, sound, and musical material were too similar to those of Beyoncé.[206][207] In an interview with Look magazine, Rihanna spoke about comparisons to Beyonce: "Beyoncé is a great artist and I feel honored to be mentioned in the same sentence, but we're different performers with different styles".[208]Described as one of the sexiest woman of her generation, with the release of her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Rihanna dismissed her innocent image for an edgier look with a new hairstyle, which was inspired by Charlize Theron's bob cut in the science fiction thriller Æon Flux (2005).[209] In 2007, she was tagged Venus Breeze's "Celebrity Legs of a Goddess" by Gillette,[210] and was ranked second on People magazine's list of "10 Best Dressed Stars" the following year.[211]
She has changed her personal appearance several times, scoring different hairstyles since the release of her third album.[8][9] When putting together her own wardrobe she stated, "It's become more about taking a risk ... I always look for the most interesting silhouette or something that's a little off."[212] Jess Cartner-Morley of The Guardian wrote that "Rihanna's wardrobe is the most talked-about, influential and dissected in pop right now" and that whatever she wears "is immediately reproduced on the high street, because it sells".[213] However, her style evolution has been criticized by many critics for its strong message and revealing outfits.[214] Country singer Miranda Lambert admires Rihanna's fashion and style.[215] "I don't necessarily get inspired by the whole no-bra thing, but I love that you never know what she's going to wear. It always keeps you guessing, which makes her sassy and interesting."[215] Commenting on the cultural expectation for pop stars to be role models, she said "[being a role model] became more of my job than I wanted it to be. But no, I just want to make music. That's it".[203] In a May 2013 interview with MTV, The Vagina Monologues writer and feminist Eve Ensler praised the singer, saying, "I'm a huge Rihanna fan, I think she has a kind of agency over her sexuality and she's open about her sexuality, she has enormous grace and she's immensely talented."[216]
Despite being recognized for her sex appeal, she revealed being a sex symbol is not a priority and that "it's definitely flattering, but also uncomfortable."[217] Emily Hewett from Metro wrote, "Rihanna is quite possibly THE most sexiest woman in the world. The 25-year-old songbird can grind like no other, pull off a provocative pose better than a Playboy pro."[218] Her appearance has landed her on the cover of magazines such as Maxim, FHM, Rolling Stone and GQ.[219] She has appeared in the top ten on Maxim 's Hot 100 list and on FHM 's "100 Sexiest Women in the World" several times.[220][221] In 2009, Glamour ranked her at number 17 on the 50 Most Glamorous Women and Esquire named her the Sexiest Woman Alive of 2011.[222][223] In December 2012, Rihanna became the first woman to be featured on the cover of GQ magazine's "Men of the Year" issue and ranked fifth on Complex list of "100 Hottest Female Singers of All Time".[219][224] The following year, VH1 placed Rihanna second on their list of "100 Sexiest Artists".[225]
Legacy
Rihanna's first albums established her as a "Pop/R&B Princess"[226] by music critics; Nick Levine of Digital Spy described her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad, as the closest thing to a Thriller that 2007/08 is likely to produce.[227] Her single "Umbrella", famous for its "ella ella" hook, is considered by Rolling Stone to be one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and received critical acclaim.[228] Her 2011 single "We Found Love" was ranked by Billboard as the 24th biggest US Billboard Hot 100 hit of all time.[97] Themusic video for the song was also received with acclaim, winning the Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video and MTV's Video of the Year.[229][230] Time magazine included Rihanna on its 100 Most Influential People in 2012.[231] The following month, Forbes ranked Rihanna fourth on their Most Powerful Celebrity 100 list, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012.[232] In November 2013, Rihanna was given the "Icon Award" at the 2013 American Music Awards.[233][234] On June 2, 2014, Rihanna was presented with Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a special prize reserved for "an individual whose style has made a significant impact on popular culture on an international stage".[10]
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Rihanna has sold over 41 million albums and 150 million singles worldwide,[235] making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.[236] In the United States, Rihanna has sold over 10 million albums,[237] while Nielsen SoundScan ranked her as the best-selling digital artist in the country, breaking a Guinness World Record for digital single sales of over 58 million as of 2012.[238][239][240] On July 1, 2015 the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that Rihanna had surpassed more than 100 million Gold & Platinum song certifications. In doing so Rihanna has the most Digital Single Awards and is the first and only artist to surpass RIAA’s 100 million cumulative singles award threshold.[142] In the United Kingdom, she has sold over 7 million albums making her 3rd best selling female this century.[241] Her collaboration with Eminem, "Love the Way You Lie", together with "Umbrella", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds", are some of the best-selling singles of all time worldwide.
The singer has accumulated thirteen number one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, tying with Michael Jackson for the third most number ones in chart's history.[242] She has been named the top Pop Songs chart artist of the past twenty years by Billboard; she ranks first with most entries (36), most top tens (23), and most number ones (10).[243] As of March 2014, Rihanna has sold over 18 million singles and six million albums in the United Kingdom.[244][245] She is the tenth best-selling[246] and the second best-selling female singles artist in the country, only behind Madonna[247] and is second only to The Beatles for the most million-selling singles in the UK of all time.[248] In August 2013, Rihanna was named the 15th biggest US Billboard Hot 100 artist of all time,[249] becoming the highest ranking newcomer on the list since the last time Billboardcompiled all time artists in 2008.[250] In the same month, Billboard ranked Rihanna the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade.[7]
Rihanna's work has directly influenced a number of contemporary artists such as Little Mix,[251] Selena Gomez,[252] Justin Bieber,[253] Ellie Goulding,[254] Tegan and Sara,[255] [256]Demi Lovato,[257] and Willow Smith.[258] Furthermore, numerous other artists have praised and/or admired Rihanna's artistry, fashion and/or work ethic, including Eminem,[259]Kesha,[260] Rita Ora,[261] Lorde,[262] Mary J. Blige,[263] Cheryl Cole,[264] and Chris Martin.[265] Rihanna has an honorary title of Ambassador for Culture and Youth in Barbados.[266]Additionally, Rihanna has become a dominating figure in social media and internet streaming, ranking at number one on Forbes' 2012 list of Social Networking Superstars.[267] In 2013, Rihanna was also named the most influential pop star in the United Kingdom by UK channel 4Music.[268]
Other ventures
Endorsements
Rihanna has ventured into other businesses and industries. In October 2005, Rihanna struck an endorsement deal (her first of many) with Secret Body Spray.[269] In 2010, Rihanna featured in the Optus commercial, in conjunction with Optus supporting Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour.[270] The same year Rihanna also featured in the Kodakcommercial along with rapper Pitbull.[271] In October 2010, the singer released an eponymous book.[272] The book, featured photos from Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour and served as an accompaniment to her fourth studio album Rated R (2009). Rihanna's first fragrance, "Reb'l Fleur", was released on January 2011.[273] The product became highly successful, according to Rolling Stone, Reb'l Fleur was a financial success and was expected to gross US$80 million at retail by the end of 2011.[274] In 2011, Nivea celebrated its "100 Years of Skincare" festivities which featured several performances from Rihanna.[275] Rihanna's song "California King Bed" was featured as a part of the "100 Years of Skincare" commercial campaign.[276] Rihanna also became the face of Vita Coco in 2011.[277]
Rihanna's second fragrance, "Rebelle", was released in February 2012.[278] The promotional campaign for Rebelle, was shot by director, Anthony Mandler, who also shot the promotional campaign for Reb'l Fleur.[279] In November 2012, Rihanna released her third fragrance, "Nude".[280] In 2013, the singer collaborated with MAC Cosmetics and released her own summer, fall and holiday lines of makeup called "RiRi hearts MAC".[281] In July 2013, lager production company Budweiser announced that Rihanna had become a part of their global "Made For Music" campaign, also co-starring Jay-Z. A commercial video was released featuring the singer and song "Right Now".[282] Rihanna's fourth women's fragrance, titled Rogue was released on September 14, 2013. The singer announces to release a men's version the following year.[283] It was announced on August 1, 2014 that September 2014 will see the release Rihanna's first fragrance for men, "Rogue Man".[citation needed] Also in July 2015, she announced her latest fragrance, RiRi by Rihanna. The scent features notes of passion fruit extract, rum absolute, sparkling cassis, and Italian mandarin and arrive at retailers in September 2015. [284]
Business endeavours
On March 30, 2015, it was announced that Rihanna is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in the music streaming service Tidal. The service specialises in lossless audio and high definition music videos. Beyoncé's husband Jay Z acquired the parent company of Tidal, Aspiro, in the first quarter of 2015.[285] Including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, sixteen artist stakeholders (such as Kanye West, Beyoncé, Madonna, Chris Martin, Nicki Minaj and more) co-own Tidal, with the majority owning a 3% equity stake.[286] The idea of having an all artist owned streaming service was created by those involved to adapt to the increased demand for streaming within the current music industry, and to rival other streaming services such as Spotify, which have been criticised for their low payout of royalties.[287] "The challenge is to get everyone to respect music again, to recognize its value", stated Jay-Z on the release of Tidal.[288]
In November 2015, Rihanna and Benoit Demouy launched a beauty and stylist agency named Fr8me. The business based in Load Angeles was set up in order to assist artists in booking commercials, editorial shoots, ad campaigns, and red-carpet appearances. Speaking on the venture Rihanna sated “Hair, makeup and styling play an important role in creativity, I am very involved with that part of my process, so this agency was an organic thing for me to do.” The roster includes Rihanna’s makeup artist Mylah Morales, wardrobe stylist Jason Bolden, hairstylist Patricia Morales, and Marcia Hamilton.[289] In addition to Fr8me, Rihanna opened a photo agency called "A Dog Ate My Homework", which represents photographers Erik Asla and Deborah Anderson.[290]
Fashion
The singer's first fashion range, for Armani, became available in November 2011.[291] Rihanna's 2010 song "Skin" was used in the Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani Underwearadds.[292][293] Her first television program, Styled to Rock, premiered in the UK in August 2012 on Sky Living. In the ten-week series, Rihanna, Nicola Roberts, Lysa Cooper, andHenry Holland assist up-and-coming British designers with their clothing lines.[294] In February 2013, Rihanna presented her first women's spring fashion collection at London Fashion Week for British street fashion brand River Island, collaborating with her personal stylist Adam Selman.[295] They published two more collections for the brand, a summer edition released on May 25, 2013 and an autumn edition released on September 10, 2013.[296] The fourth and last collection for River Island, the winter edition was released on November 7, 2013.[297] Meanwhile, the US version of Styled to Rock premiered on October 25, 2013 on Bravo.[298]
In December 2013, it was announced that Rihanna is set to be the new face of the forthcoming spring/summer 2014 campaign — due to appear in magazines from January — of the French fashion house Balmain.[299] On June 2, 2014, Rihanna "will receive the Fashion Icon Award at the 2014 Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards" at the Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall.[300] In December 2014 it was announced that Rihanna would become the creative director of the fashion sportswear Puma, overseeing the brand’s women’s line which will include collaborations in apparel and footwear.[301] In March 2015 it was announced that Rihanna was chosen as the new face of Dior; this makes her the first black woman to be the face of Dior.[302] In July 2015, Rihanna announced a multi-year partnership with Stance, where she design multiple seasons of a signature women's collection of socks. The first release included two limited-edition styles in a print called "Murder Rih Wrote", with further designs to follow. [303]
Philanthropy
In 2006, she created her Believe Foundation to help terminally ill children.[304][305] In 2007, Rihanna was named as one of the Cartier Love Charity Bracelet Ambassadors, with each celebrity representing a different global charity.[306] To help raise awareness and combatHIV/AIDS, Rihanna and other public figures designed clothing for the February 2008 H&M Fashion Against AIDS line.[307][308] In 2008, Rihanna performed a series of charity concerts entitled A Girl's Night Out[309] to benefit the "Believe Foundation". The concerts were made free for the public. Money from sponsors and advertisers were to be donated to provide medical supplies, school supplies and toys to children in need.[310][311][312]
In September 2008, Rihanna contributed to the song "Just Stand Up!" with fifteen other female artists, who shared the stage to perform the song live on September 5, 2008, during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special. The proceeds from the single were given to the fundraiser.[313] The television special helped raise $100 million for cancer research.[314] In 2010, Rihanna covered Redemption Song byBob Marley for the Hope For Haiti Now campaign in January 2010.[315]
On February 12, 2012, Rihanna performed a benefit show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles to raise money for the Children's Orthopaedic Center and The Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.[316] In November 2012, Rihanna gave $100,000 to food bank donation for Hurricane Sandy,[317] the following month, Rihanna donated $1.75 million to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados.[318] In November 2013, Rihanna pledged £61,000 to UNICEF, to help the victims of the typhoon in Philippines.[319] On January 3, 2014 Rihanna was part of the MAC Viva Glam campaign, which benefits women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS.[320]
Personal life
In 2009, Rihanna said she was "effectively bankrupt", due to gross mismanagement from accountancy firm, Berdon LLP. Rihanna was given the go ahead to buy a property priced between $7 and $7.5 million. The property was later sold for a $2 million loss. Her expenses also "doubled" during this time. Rihanna was also losing money from her "Last Girl on Earth" tour but she was never warned of this by the accountants.[321] Forbes began reporting on Rihanna's earnings in 2012, calculating that she earned $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012, for her music, tour, and endorsements.[232] In 2013 Rihanna came in at number thirteen on the list with a total earning of $43 million due to endorsements such as vita coco.[322][323][324] Rihanna's total net-worth is an estimated $90 million.[325]
On February 8, 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards was cancelled.[326] Reports surfaced that then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown had beaten her. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.[327] On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats.[328] Due to a leaked photograph from the Los Angeles Police Department obtained by TMZ.com—which revealed that Rihanna had sustained visible injuries—an organization known as STOParazzi proposed "Rihanna's Law", which, if enacted, would "deter employees of law enforcement agencies from releasing photos or information that exploits crime victims."[329] Gil Kaufman of VH1 reported the "nonstop coverage of the Rihanna/Brown case has brought up a number of issues regarding the privacy of alleged victims of domestic violence, including the decision by almost all major news outlets to divulge the identity of the victim—which is not typically done in domestic-violence cases" and discussed the controversial distribution of the leaked photograph.[330] Rihanna was subpoenaed to testify during a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on June 22, 2009.[331] On June 22, 2009, Brown pled guilty to felony assault. Brown received five years probation and was ordered to stay fifty yards (46 meters) away from Rihanna, unless at public events, which then would be reduced to ten yards (nine meters).[332] In February 2011, at the request of Brown's lawyer and with Rihanna's consent, Judge Patricia Schnegg modified the restraining order to a "level one order", which allows the singers to appear at awards shows together in the future.[333][334]
From December 2009 to 2010, Rihanna dated Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Matt Kemp.[335] Canadian rapper Drake has also dated the singer.[336] In a January 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Rihanna confirmed that she had rekindled her relationship with Chris Brown,[337] though he remained under probation for the 2009 domestic violence incident.[338] The confirmation followed persistent media speculation throughout 2012 regarding the pair's reunion.[339][340] In a May 2013 interview, Brown stated that he and Rihanna had broken up again.[341]
Rihanna has stated that she believes in God and that she focuses on obeying God and reading her Bible. She is a fan of Christian minister Joyce Meyer and tweeted to her "you're awesome".[342][343]
Discography
Main article: Rihanna discography
- Music of the Sun (2005)
- A Girl like Me (2006)
- Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)
- Rated R (2009)
- Loud (2010)
- Talk That Talk (2011)
- Unapologetic (2012)
- Anti
Filmography
See also: Rihanna videography
- Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
- Battleship (2012)
- Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
- This Is the End (2013)
- Annie (2014)
- Home (2015)
- Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
Tours
Main article: List of Rihanna concert tours
- Rihanna: Live in Concert Tour (2006)
- Good Girl Gone Bad Tour (2007–2009)
- Last Girl on Earth Tour (2010–2011)
- Loud Tour (2011)
- Diamonds World Tour (2013)
- The Monster Tour (with Eminem) (2014)
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