Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known as Rihanna is a renowned Barbadian singer, songwriter, actress and fashion designer. She is regarded among the best-selling music artists of all time. With more than 250 million records sold globally, Rihanna is considered a force to reckon with in the Pop, R&B, hip-hop, reggae music world. Her most notable songs “Umbrella”, “Diamonds”, “Disturbia”, “Love the Way You Lie”, and “Only Girl (In the World)”, are considered among the world’s best-selling singles.
Apart from establishing her name in the music industry, Rihanna is also noted for her feats in the fashion industry, as the founder of popular cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, fashion house Fenty and the nonprofit organization Clara Lionel Foundation. As an actress, she has featured in movies such as Battleship (2012), 2017 film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and 2018 film Ocean’s 8.
Early Life & Relationships
She was born to warehouse supervisor Ronald Fenty and accountant Monica Braithwaite. She was raised alongside her two brothers Rajad and Rorrey Fenty, a step-brother, and two step-sisters from her father’s previous relationships.
She started dating singer Chris Brown in 2017, but broke it off in 2009. She later dated rapper Drake on-and-off between 2009 and 2016. She became romantically involved with Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel from 2017 to 2020.
Rihanna’s Achievements
Rihanna has sold more than 10 million albums in the United States and has received more than 100 million Gold and Platinum song certifications, according to the RIAA.
Billboard has named her the top Mainstream 40 chart artist with the most top ten songs and number one songs.
On the Billboard Hot 100 charts, 14 of her singles have reached number 1; she has seven number one singles on Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and sixteen number one singles on the Rhythmic chart as of this writing.
By 2014, she had sold more than 6 million albums and 18 million singles in the UK, making her only second to Madonna as the best-selling female singles artist, and The Beatles for selling the most million-singles in the country.
Rolling Stone has ranked her eighth album Anti and her single Umbrella among the “500 Greatest Albums of all time” and the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
In 2012 and 2014, Forbes ranked the singer among its list of top ten highest-paid celebrities.
She was honored with the Fashion Icon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in June 2014.
During the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, Derrick Johnson handed her the President’s Award.
She has released a range of financially successful fragrances including Reb’l Fleur, Rebelle, Nude, Rogue and Rogue Men.
Her self-owned record label, Westbury Road Entertainment was established in 2005.
As of 2019, she was on record as the wealthiest female musician with a net worth estimated at $600 million.
She was named by Time Magazine in 2012 and 2018 as part of the 100 Most Influential people in the world.
As of the time of this writing, Rihanna has received nine Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, six Guinness World Records and 13 American Music Awards.
The Government of Barbados appointed her as an ambassador of tourism, education and investment in 2018.
Fenty Beauty launched under LVMH’s Kendo Brand in 2017, and was named as one of “The 25 Best Inventions of 2017”.
Interesting Facts about Rihanna
As a child, she sold clothes together with her father in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Her father had a cocaine and alcohol addiction. He was also physically abusive towards the singer’s mother. Their marriage eventually ended when Rihanna was 14.
She was classmates with international cricketers Carlos Brathwaite and Chris Jordan in Combermere School.
She has cited Madonna as her greatest music idol and influence. She has also mentioned the likes of Bob Marley, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Brandy and Prince as her musical influences.
In 2012, she became the first female to be featured on GQ magazine’s Men of the Year issue.
In 2019 she filed a lawsuit against her father for using the ‘Fenty’ name commercially. According to the suit, her Fenty Beauty brand was commercially damaged due to misrepresentation of his company, Fenty Entertainment as affiliated to hers.
American producer, Evan Rogers was the one who discovered her and invited her to the US to record her first demo tapes.
Top Rihanna Songs
- “Love the Way You Lie”
- “Don’t Stop the Music”
- “Te Amo”
- “The Monster”
- “Never Ending”
- “Believe It”
- “Bi*ch Better Have My Money”
- “Birthday Cake”
- “Work”
- “Take Care”
- “Man Down”
- “Desperado”
- “Kiss It Better”
- “Needed Me”
- “Stay”
- “Numb”
- “Love on the Brain”
- “Rude Boy”
- “Wild Thoughts
- “Umbrella”
