Rihanna

Rihanna in 2021

### Labels

Roc Nation • Republic Records • Capitol Records • Interscope Records • Atlantic Records

### Associated acts

Troye Sivan • Katy Perry • The Weeknd • P!nk • Christina Aguilera

**Robyn Rihanna Fenty** (born February 20, 1988), known professionally as **Rihanna**, is a Barbadian singer, songwriter actress, writer, businesswoman, fashion designer, and label executive. Discovered in 2005 by American producer Evan Rogers, Rihanna moved to the United States to begin focusing on a career in the music industry. She rose to fame after the release of her debut single "#sideEFFECTS" featuring Kendrick Lamar and debut album *Unknown Pleasures*, both of which would go on to become the first number one single and album on the Billboard Hot Singles Chart and Top Albums Chart respectively. Rihanna would go on to switch between labels before starting her own with Roc Nation in 2022. Rihanna would continue to switch and blend genres throughout between 2017 and 2020, releasing *Wasteland* (2017), *Showtime* (2018), *Digital Disturbance* (2018), *On the Other Side* (2019) and *Wisteria* (2019). The albums spawned a string of successful and chart-topping singles, including "Vodka Cranberry", "Please Don't Fall", "Glitch", "I Need You Here", "Strawberry Kisses", "Ain't No Rush" and "Passionfruit".

Rihanna would take several steps to push her artistic legacy during 2020 and 2021. In 2020 Rihanna would create, produce, and star in the hit Netflix series *ASCENSION* which was released in three seasons throughout 2021. The show and Rihanna's performance would go on to receive widespread critical acclaim, with Rihanna earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. That year, Rihanna would release the top three best performing albums of the year with *ASCENSION*, *INDUCIA* and *ANNIHILATE*, each album correlating with a season of the show. Rihanna would also step into the beauty and fashion world with her Fenty brand. *Time* named her one of the Top 100 most influential people in the world in 2018 and 2021. *Forbes* ranked her among the top ten highest-paid celebrities in 2018 and 2021. As of 2021, she is the wealthiest female musician, with an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion. Aside from music and acting, Rihanna is known for her involvement in humanitarian causes, entrepreneurial ventures, and the fashion industry. She is the founder of the nonprofit organization Clara Lionel Foundation, cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, and fashion house Fenty under LVMH; she is the first black woman to head a luxury brand for LVMH. She was appointed as an ambassador of education, tourism, and investment by the Government of Barbados in 2018 and was declared a National Hero of Barbados on the first day of the country's parliamentary republic in 2021, entitling her to the style of "The Right Excellent" for life.

Rihanna is the best charting artist of all time, accumulating over 13,000 chart points so far in her career. Rihanna is also one of the industry's best-selling music artists. As of April 2023, she has 13 Billboard Hot Singles Chart number-ones and 10 Billboard Top Albums Chart number-ones. She is tied with Katy Perry for most #1 albums of all time. Her ever-changing musical style and ability to quickly release and successfully promote new music has been an influence on artists throughout the industry for the past decade. Rihanna has won 15 Billboard Music Awards (out of 61 nominations); including being officially honored with the You Can Sit With Us Legacy Award.

## Life and Career

### Early Life

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. She is the daughter of accountant Monica (née Braithwaite) and warehouse supervisor Ronald Fenty. Her mother is an Afro-Guyanese, while her father is a Barbadian of African and Irish descent. 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. She grew up in a three-bedroom bungalow in Bridgetown and sold clothes with her father in a stall on the street. Her childhood was deeply affected by her father's alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction, which contributed to her parents' strained marriage. Rihanna's father used to physically abuse her mother, and Rihanna would try to get in between them to break up fights.

As a child, Rihanna had many CT scans for the excruciating headaches she suffered, recalling, "The doctors even thought it was a tumor, because of the size of my forehead." By the time she was 14, her parents had divorced, and her health began to improve. She grew up listening to reggae and artpop music. She attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and Combermere School, where she studied alongside future international cricketers Chris Jordan and Carlos Brathwaite. Rihanna was an army cadet in a sub-military programme, where the later Jamaican singer-songwriter Jesy Nelson was her drill sergeant. Although she initially wanted to graduate from high school, she chose to pursue a musical career instead.

In 2003, Rihanna formed a musical trio with two of her classmates. She was discovered in her home country of Barbados by American record producer Evan Rogers. Without a name or any material, the girl group managed to land an audition with Rogers who commented, "The minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist." Rihanna went to Rogers's hotel room, where she performed renditions of Cher's "Believe" and Kate Bush's "Babooshka". Impressed, Rogers scheduled a second meeting with Rihanna's mother present and then invited Rihanna to his hometown in the United States to record some demo tapes that could be sent to record labels. Recordings were intermittent, taking about a year, because she was only able to record during school holidays. That same year, Rihanna was signed to Rogers's and Carl Sturken's production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions. A demo was recorded in late 2005 however nothing came of it. Rihanna would continue to work in production behind the scenes for almost a decade. She would go on to have production credits on hit songs like Christina Milian's "SOS", Mary J. Blige's "Umbrella", and Ester Dean's "S&M".

### 2013-2014: Breakthrough with *Unknown Pleasures* and *ANTHEMS*

In 2012, Rihanna recorded a second demo featuring solo versions of "#sideEFFECTS" and "Love Bullets", which was shipped out to Atlantic Recordings. After which they successfully agreed on a one-album contract.

She worked with different producers to complete her debut studio album, primarily Rogers and his production partner Carl Sturken. With several songs to pick as a lead single, "#sideEFFECTS" was chosen because it seemed like the best song suited for a summer release. In spring of 2013, her debut single was released under her mononym "Rihanna" with a new featured verse by Kendrick Lamar. It charted successfully worldwide, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Singles

*Unknown Pleasures* was released June 23, 2013. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Albums chart and received a silver certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). A second single, "Lights Out", was not as successful as its predecessor, but reached the top 3 on the Billboard Hot Singles chart as well. "Ice" was planned as a third single from the album but was cancelled in preference of Rihanna's upcoming album. Rihanna would promote the album with a co-leading tour with superstar P!nk, titled the Personal Pleasures Tour. The tour would earn Rihanna her first Billboard Music Award for Best Tour.

A month after the release of her debut album, Rihanna began working on her second studio album, *ANTHEMS*. Rihanna went to Interscope Records following the end of her contract with Atlantic and managed to sign a another one-album contract. Her second studio album was released in January 2014. The album was a commercial success, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Albums chart. The album became Rihanna's second to be certified silver by the RIAA. The album spawned two singles, "#PARTY4EVA" and "Sensual", which featured Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake respectively. Both songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Singles chart. Rihanna promoted the album with her first solo tour, Your ANTHEMS tour.

### 2014-2016: Perfume Controversy

Following the conclusion of her first solo tour, Rihanna began the promotion for her third album, *Wild At Heart*. She re-signed with Interscope Records for another one-album contract. The lead single, titled "Death of Us" was launched with Rihanna's first and to date only perfume line, which shared the same name. The perfume was a massive disaster Rihanna, as it was contaminated during creation, and the final product that was sold to retailers contained a chemical agent that caused hallucinations and fainting. Several people across the globe were hospitalized, including at the time Interscope executive Lady Gaga, and even a few were killed as a result. The scandal greatly affected Rihanna's public image.

As a result, Rihanna's third album, which was stalling at a No. 4 peak quickly fell off the charts. All promotional activities, including a schedules tour titled "The Death of Us Experience" were subsequently cancelled. Rihanna was subsequently dropped from Interscope Records, but she would soon be signed by Capitol Records. Rihanna would spent much of 2015 away from public attention, except when Capitol Records executive Katy Perry reached out to help rehabilitate Rihanna's public image. Rihanna was one of several featured artists on Katy Perry's 2015 hit single "Rebelle Femme", which would go on to become the best performing single at the time. Rihanna would also noticeably collaborate on two singles, "When the Film Fades" and "Voodoo" with Katy Perry's then boyfriend Adam Levine. As well, Rihanna would release a few well received singles such as "Sanguilicious" and her fourth album *Rock With You* in 2016, however the album was not promoted and was a commercial failure.

### 2017-2018: *Wasteland*, *Showtime* and *Digital Disturbance*

The music industry would drastically shift throughout 2016 while Rihanna stayed away from the public eye. Rihanna would return from a year long hiatus with her comeback single "Take the Crown" during April 2017, which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot Singles chart. Her fifth studio album *Wasteland* was released shortly afterwards. An alternative R&B record, the album was a vast departure from Rihanna's usual style of dance and pop and was praised for its darker tone and concept. The album had three additional top ten singles, with "The Road", "It'll All Be Over" and "Late Night". "Over" became a critical standout of the album and Rihanna revealed in an interview in 2021 that it was one of her favorite singles from her discography. Rihanna would follow up the album with an extended play called *Want a Light?*, which served as a prequel to the story told throughout the album. The EP spawned three hit singles, "Sushi" featuring Troye Sivan, "Doo Wop (That Thing)", and "Vodka Cranberry" featuring Christina Aguilera. The latter of which would go on to be Rihanna's biggest hit as a lead artist until 2021.

That year, at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, Rihanna would win the award for Album of the Season.

## Awards and Achievements

*Main article: Rihanna/Awards*
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### Studio Albums

* *Unknown Pleasures* (2013)
* *ANTHEMS* (2014)
* *Wild at Heart* (2014)
* *Rock With You* (2016)
* *Wasteland* (2017)
* *Showtime* (2018)
* *Digital Disturbance* (2018)
* *On the Other Side* (2019)
* *Wisteria* (2019)
* *ASCENSION* (2021)
* *INDUCIA* (2021)
* *ANNIHILATE* (2021)

### Extended Plays

* *Want a Light?* (2017)
* *The Strawberry Kisses EP* (2019)
* *Bummer Summer* (2019)

### Collaboration Albums

* *I Got You Babe* *(with Karen Smith)* (2019)
* *Earth, Water & Fire* *(with The Weeknd & Troye Sivan)* (2021)
* *Earth, Water, Fire & Air* *(with The Weeknd, P!nk & Troye Sivan)* (2023)

## Filmography

### Television

* *ASCENSION* (2021)
* *Celebrity Big Brother: Pop Industry (Season 1)* (2022)

## Tours

### Headlining tours

* Your ANTHEM Tour (2014)
* Welcome to the Wasteland Tour (2017)
* The Digital Experience Tour (2018-2019)
* The Wisteria World Tour (2019)
* The Truce Tour (2021)

### Co-headlining tours

* Personal Pleasure Tour (with P!nk) (2013)
* Personal Pleasure: The Reunion (with P!nk) (2019)
* A Travellin' Show (with Karen Smith) (2019)

### Livestream Concerts

* Ascend to the Throne: One Night Virtual Tour (2021)

## Galleries

### Artwork Gallery

**Albums**

Unknown PleasuresAnthemsWild at HeartRock With YouWastelandWant a LightWant a Light (Deluxe)ShowtimeShowtime (Deluxe)Digital DisturbanceDigital Disturbance (Deluxe)The Strawberry Kisses [EP]On the Other SideOn the Other Side (Deluxe)Bummer SummerBummer Summer: The HeatI Got You BabeI Got You Babe (Deluxe)WisteriaWisteria: After DarkEarth, Water & FireEarth, Water & Fire (Fire Edition)ASCENSIONASCENSION (Ascended Edition)INDUCIAINDUCIA: To Nefertiti We DanceANNIHILATEANNIHILATIONA Snake in the GardenREDEMPTIONFentyEarth, Water, Fire & AirEarth, Water, Fire & Air (Vinyl Boxset)The Pleasure Principle: Ten Years of PleasureGive the Devil Her DueGive the Devil Her Due: The Greatest HitsDigital's Dead and So Are My Feelings for YouLive From ROCFestMy Greatest Sins: Live from Teatro di San Carlo
**Singles**

#sideEFFECTSLights OutIce#PARTY4EVASensualDeath of UsNeon LightsLose ControlIn the NightSanguiliciousShhh...Take the CrownThe RoadIt'll All Be OverSpliffLate NightLate Night (Earth Remix)SushiVodka CranberryDoo Wop (That Thing)ShowtimePlease Don't FallPlease Don't Fall (Wine Rihmix)In and Out of LoveTo Be Honest (Drunk)Fire to Die ForFire to Die For (Acoustic Mix)SlowlyGlitchGlitch (Alternate 3D Cover)Glitch (Remix)I Need You HereI Need You Here (Alternate 3D Cover)I Need You Here (Remix)Call Me MachineI Bet You'd MisfireKing GhidorahKing Ghidorah (Alternate 3D Cover)Strawberry KissesStrawberry Kisses (Remix)Ain't No RushAin't No Rush (Acoustic Mix)Easy on MePermitameLong Time No SeeRide ItBelieveBelieve (Club Paradise Mix)Half-BreedAfter AllPassionfruitPassionfruit (Remix)Cherry WhiteCorpseCorpse (Remix)SEVENTH HEAVENSEVENTH HEAVEN (Orchestral)Here Today, Gone TomorrowBurn the CrownTake the Crown [2021 Remaster]The Road [2021 Remaster]Late Night [2021 Remaster]It'll All Be Over [2021 Remaster]TouristTourist (Goodbye, She Quietly Says)WirtanenPicked FlowersPicked Flowers (Always Die Remix)Beast?King of HeartsAll Eyes on YouAll Eyes on You (Optical Illusion Remix)600Babe I'm Gonna Leave YouThe Autumn EffectThese Goes a TennerAlamedaHurts Me to Hurt YouHurts Me to Hurt You (Remix)NonbelieverAll the Saints and SinnersThis Is Where Upon the Stars EndThis Is Where Upon the Stars End (and Where Upon the Frost Begins)BabooshkaFor When I SufferSpring of LifeSpring of Life (Dance for Joy Remix)Before the SunriseLove BulletsLove Bullets (Gaga's Version)Our Last View of the SunsetOur Last View of the Sunset: I Won't Be the First of the AngelsGod Becomes HerJokes end but you’re still here.Crown of ThornsCrown of Thorns: Martyr Without a CauseFleur-de-lisDeathspiralDeathspiral, Live from Teatro di San CarloFiresongGive the Devil Her Due