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• • • • • • • Signature Robyn Rihanna Fenty (; February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in and raised in, during 2003 she recorded tapes under the direction of record producer and signed a recording contract with after auditioning for its then-president, hip hop producer and rapper. In 2005, Rihanna rose to fame with the release of her debut studio album and its follow-up (2006), which charted on the top 10 of the US and respectively produced the singles ' and '. She assumed creative control for her third studio album (2007) and adopted a public image as a while reinventing her music. Its successful lead single ' became an international breakthrough in her career, as she won her first for with Jay Z in 2008.

After releasing four consecutive studio albums, including the winner (2012), she was recognized as a. Her eighth studio album (2016) and its lead single ' reached number one on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100.

Many of her songs rank among the world's of all time, including the singles 'Umbrella', ', ', ', ', ', ', and ' in which she is the lead artist, and her collaborations ' (with ), ' and ' (both with ). Rihanna is one of the of all time. Rihanna is the youngest and fastest solo artist to earn on the, as well as a current total of 31 Top 10 Hits on the same chart. She was named the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade and the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade by, as well as the number-one artist in the history of their. Among numerous, Rihanna has won eight, twelve, twelve and the inaugural at the. Widely recognized for frequently reinventing her style, she received the Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the in 2014. Ranked Rihanna the fourth most powerful celebrity of 2012, and was named one of 's '100 Most Influential People in the World' later that year.

Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Early life Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in. Her mother, Monica (Braithwaite), is a retired accountant of background, and her father, Ronald Fenty, is a warehouse supervisor of and 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 and sold clothes with her father in a stall on the street. Rihanna's childhood was deeply affected by her father's addiction to and, which contributed to her parents' strained marriage. Need For Speed Shift Download Highly Compressed there.

As a child, she went through a lot of for the excruciating headaches she suffered: '[The doctors] even thought it was a tumor, because it was that intense.' By the time she was fourteen, Rihanna's parents had divorced and her health began to improve. Rihanna grew up listening to music and began singing at around the age of seven.

She attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and, where she studied alongside future England cricketer and future West Indies cricketer. Rihanna was an army cadet in a sub-military programme; the singer-songwriter was her drill sergeant.

Although she initially wanted to graduate from high school, she chose to pursue a musical career instead. Career 2003–2005: Beginnings and debut In 2003, Rihanna formed a musical trio with two of her classmates. She was discovered in her home country of by American record producer. Without a name or any material, the 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' hotel room, where she performed renditions of 's ' and 's '. Impressed, Rogers scheduled a second meeting with her mother present, and then invited her to his hometown in the to record some tapes which could be sent to record labels.

She recorded the demo over the next year intermittently, due to only being able to record during school holidays. 'Pon de Replay' and 'The Last Time' were two tracks recorded for the demo tape, which were eventually included on her debut album Music of the Sun. That same year, Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and 's production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions.

Rihanna's demo was shipped out to, where Jay Brown, an executive at the, was one of the first to hear the demo. Brown played the demo tape for, who had recently been appointed as president and (CEO) of Def Jam. When Jay Z first heard the track ', he felt the song was too big for her. Despite being skeptical, he invited Rihanna to audition for the label.

In early 2005, Rihanna auditioned for Def Jam in, where Jay Z introduced her to music mogul. At the audition, she sang 's cover of ' (1987), as well as the demo tracks 'Pon de Replay' and 'The Last Time'. Jay Z was absolutely certain about signing her after she performed her future hit single 'Pon de Replay'. His boss L.A. Reid was also impressed with her audition, telling Jay Z not to let Rihanna leave the building until the contract was signed. Reid left it to Jay Z and his team to close the deal which resulted in a six-album record deal with Def Jam.

She waited in Jay Z's office till three in the morning to get lawyers to draft up a contract because he wanted to prevent her from signing with another label. Rihanna cancelled other meetings with record labels and relocated from Barbados to the United States to live with Rogers and his wife. After signing with Def Jam, Jay Z and his team did the for Rihanna's debut album and spent the next three months recording and completing her debut album. She worked with different producers to complete her debut studio album, primarily Rogers and his production partner.

With several songs to pick as a lead single, 'Pon de Replay' was chosen because it seemed liked the best song suited for a summer release. In May 2005, her debut single, 'Pon de Replay', was released which charted successfully worldwide, peaking in the top five in fifteen countries, including at number two on the US chart and the. Dell Battery Calibration Software Download.

The song became a big club hit in the United States, peaking at number-one on the Billboard. Was released in August 2005. It debuted at number ten on the and received a gold certification from the (RIAA), denoting shipments of over 500,000 units. The album sold over two million copies worldwide. 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. Aside from her work in music, Rihanna made her acting debut in a role in the straight-to-DVD film, released in August 2006. 2006–2008: Breakthrough and new image.

Rihanna performing at the, December 2006 A month after the release of her debut album, Rihanna began working on her second. Was released in April 2006. Felt that 'the burning ' and haunted strings of some of the album's tracks made ' A Girl like Me [.] likable.'

The album was a commercial success, charting in the top ten in thirteen countries. The album reached number one in and number five in the and the, where it sold 115,000 copies in its first week. The album became Rihanna's first to be certified by the, after selling over 1,000,000 units. Its, ', was an international success, charting in the top five in eleven countries.

The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in, her first to reach this chart position. ', the album's second, reached the top ten in eighteen countries, including number one in Canada and. Two more singles were released from the album: ' and '.

In early 2007, Rihanna appeared on the single ' with band and fellow singer-songwriter. The song appeared on J-Status' debut album The Beginning, released in several countries only. Around that time, Rihanna had already begun work on her third studio album,. With the help of producers, and she embraced a new musical direction through uptempo tracks. Released in May 2007, the album charted at number two in Australia and the US and topped the charts in multiple countries, including, Canada, and the UK.

The album received the most positive critical reviews of her first three albums. The lead single, ', topped the charts in thirteen countries and remained at number one in the UK for ten consecutive weeks, the longest-running number-one single there since 's single ' spent fifteen weeks at the top in 1994.

It was Rihanna's first single to be named one of the, with sales of over 8 million copies. The songs ', ' (featuring ) and ' were also released as singles, with the latter becoming an international hit. In support of the album, Rihanna began the in September 2007, with 80 shows across the US, Canada and. Rihanna was nominated for several for Good Girl Gone Bad, winning for 'Umbrella' alongside Jay Z, her first.

Rihanna performing at the, 2008 On June 9, 2008, Rihanna released, her first. The and release featured Rihanna's concert at the in, United Kingdom, held on December 6, 2007 as part of the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour.

Most of the concert's set list originates from Good Girl Gone Bad; however, Rihanna also performed songs from her previous albums Music of the Sun and A Girl like Me. The release also contained a special documentary that presented Rihanna discussing her experiences during the tour. By late 2008, Rihanna still remained on the charts with the release of the fifth single from Good Girl Gone Bad, ', and was named 'Diva of the Year' by for her 'newfound staying power'. 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. The album has sold nine million units worldwide. During the late 2000s, Rihanna experimented further with, and, officially shifting her musical style and image away from the Barbados island girl.

Throughout 2008, Rihanna performed on the alongside, and. Her third studio album's,, was released in June 2008 with three new songs: ', ' and the duet ', plus a version of 'Hate That I Love You' featuring pop singer. All four were released as singles and charted highly, reaching peak positions worldwide.

In August 2008, Rihanna and a host of other female singers recorded the charity single ', the theme song to the anti- campaign. ', a between and Rihanna, was released that November and topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rihanna's fifth number-one single on the chart. Rihanna's first,, was released in January 2009 and contained remixes of tracks from Good Girl Gone Bad and its re-release Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded. 2009–2011: Collaborations and annual releases On February 8, 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the was cancelled.

Reports surfaced that then-boyfriend, singer, had physically assaulted her. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and for making criminal threats. A leaked photograph from the police department obtained by revealed that Rihanna had sustained visible injuries.

A few months after the incident, Rihanna was featured on the single ' by Jay-Z, which also featured and was released as the second single from Jay-Z's eleventh studio album. In early 2009, Rihanna began working on her fourth studio album,. Rated R was released in November 2009. The album had magazine stating that Rihanna 'transformed her sound and made one of the best pop records of the year'. Rated R featured a darker and more foreboding tone than Rihanna's previous albums.

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. The album was supported by six singles, including ', 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. In January 2010, Rihanna released her charity of ' for the campaign. She also recorded the song ' together with Jay-Z, and for the same campaign to alleviate the. In summer 2010, Rihanna collaborated with rapper on ', which was a major worldwide success, reaching number one in over twenty countries.

The song was Rihanna's seventh US number-one of her career, making her the female artist with the fifth-most number-one songs in the chart's history. Reaching number two, the song became the, and the first of Rihanna's singles to sell over one million copies in the country. In October 2010, Rihanna switched managers, joining Jay-Z's Management. In late 2010, she was featured on three collaborations that were released as singles: Kanye West's ', from the album (2010), 's ', from her debut studio album (2010) and 's ', from the album (2010). Rihanna performing at the during her, June 2011, Rihanna's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010. Its lead single, ', reached number one in fifteen countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The album's second single, ', featuring rapper, also reached number one in the US and the UK.

' was sent to US urban radio on December 7, 2010, as the album's third single in the United States. The song featured vocals by Nicki Minaj. The fourth single, ', reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 following the release of its official remix featuring, becoming Rihanna's tenth number one single on the chart. Rihanna set a record as the solo artist with the fastest accumulation of ten chart toppers in the Hot 100's history. At the, 'Only Girl (In the World)' won the award for.

' and ' were released as singles in May 2011 with moderate success. ', which interpolates 's 2002 single ', was released as the seventh and final single from the album, reaching the top twenty in the UK and the top ten in the US. To promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her in June 2011, which sold out ten nights at in, the most sold-out shows for a female artist in the venue's history., Rihanna's second live long-form video was filmed during the last three of these shows in London and was released on December 13, 2012. The tour was the seventh highest grossing tour worldwide of 2011.

Rihanna's sixth album,, was released in November 2011. The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with sales of 198,000 copies and number one in the UK, selling 163,000 copies. The album's lead single, ', topped charts in twenty-seven countries, peaked in the top ten in thirty countries and broke many chart records worldwide. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, becoming Rihanna's longest-running number-one single on the chart and the longest-running number-one single of 2011 in the US. The song was later named the 24th biggest hit of all time on the Billboard Hot 100. ' and the album's, featuring Jay-Z, were released as the second and third singles, to moderate success. ', the fifth single, successfully charted worldwide, reaching number five in the US and number six in the UK.

' was released as the album's sixth and final single in a remixed form featuring rapper. 2012–2014: Battleship and Unapologetic. Rihanna at the premiere in April 2012 In early 2012, two collaborations featuring Rihanna were released: 's ', from their album, and Drake's ', from his. In February 2012, Rihanna won her third Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the for her Kanye West collaboration 'All of the Lights', and was voted the Best International Female Solo Artist at the for the second consecutive year.

March 2012 saw the simultaneous releases of two collaborations between Rihanna and Chris Brown: remixes of her song ' and his '. The recordings received mainly negative responses due to the pair's history of domestic violence. In September 2012, ' won the, making Rihanna the first woman to receive the accolade more than once. Rihanna starred as Petty Officer (GM2) Cora Raikes in her first theatrical feature film, which was released on May 18, 2012.

Loosely based on the, both the film and Rihanna's performance received mixed-to-negative reviews; said she was 'just fine in the rather generic role'. On August 19, 2012, Rihanna appeared in the first episode of the second season of 's American prime time television show.

The episode scored the second-highest ratings in the history of the. Her first television program,, premiered in the UK in August 2012 on. In the ten-week series, Rihanna,, Lysa Cooper, and assist up-and-coming British designers with their clothing lines. Meanwhile, the premiered on October 25, 2013 on.

Rihanna in Canada, performing on her (2013) Rihanna's seventh studio album,, was released in November 2012. In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first-week sales of 238,000 copies, marking Rihanna's first number-one album in the country.

The album was Rihanna's third consecutive number-one album in the United Kingdom and fifth in Switzerland. The lead single from the album, ', reached number one in more than twenty countries worldwide, including on the US' Billboard Hot 100, where it became Rihanna's twelfth number one on the chart. The album's second single, ', featuring, reached the top five in over twenty countries, including number three on the Billboard Hot 100. As promotion prior to the album's release, Rihanna embarked on the, a mini tour of seven shows in seven countries in seven days.

On May 6, 2013, aired a documentary about the tour, with a being released the following day as Rihanna's third live long-form video release. In February 2013 at the, Rihanna won her sixth Grammy Award, in the category for ' (2011). Also that month, the in the UK announced that Rihanna had sold 3,868,000 records in the past year in the country, ranking at number one in the list of artist nominees.

Rihanna's fifth headlining, the, began in March 2013 in support of Unapologetic. Rihanna then appeared in the and comedy film, which was released in June 2013. That same month, American artist released a of his single ' featuring Rihanna. In October 2013, Eminem released his Rihanna-assisted single, ', as the fourth release from his eighth studio album (2013).

With the song entering the UK Singles Chart at number one, Rihanna joined and as just one of three acts to have scored a number-one single each year over seven consecutive years in the chart's history. The song also peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, which marked Rihanna's thirteenth chart topper, tying her at the time with for the fourth most number ones in the chart's history. Rihanna then appeared on 's single, ', which was released in January 2014.

Following the release of Unapologetic and its accompanying tour, Rihanna aimed to take a hiatus from recording music, stating: 'I wanted to have a year to just do whatever I want artistically, creatively.' In January 2014, Rihanna began working on her eighth studio album. In May 2014, Rihanna left Def Jam Recordings to sign fully with Roc Nation, the record label that had managed her career since October 2010. 2015–present: Anti, film projects and upcoming ninth studio album A year after Rihanna began working on her eight studio album, the single ' was released, which featured Rihanna paired up with Kanye West and. Two further singles followed its release: ' and '; neither made the final track listing for Rihanna's eighth studio album. In March 2015, Rihanna released a based around the, which she starred in, alongside, and. ' was released as the first single from the album.

In late 2015, Rihanna inked a $25 million contract with that would see her promoting line of products whilst Samsung would sponsor the release of her eighth studio album and its supporting tour. The was announced in November 2015 and began in March 2016, with supporting in, and and supporting at selected European dates. On January 28, 2016, Rihanna released her eighth studio album,, exclusively through. The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming Rihanna's second number one and eighth top ten album on the chart.

The album was supported by the release of four singles, including the lead single ', featuring Drake, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Further Platinum-certified singles ' and ' both peaked inside the top ten of the US Hot 100.

In 2016, Rihanna was featured on several singles. The first collaboration single was Kanye West's ', where Rihanna provided uncredited guest vocals. She was then officially featured on Calvin Harris' ',' which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.

2 on the UK Singles Chart. Rihanna was also featured on Drake's ' and on 's '. On June 27, 2016, Rihanna released ', the lead single from the movie soundtrack. On August 28, 2016, Rihanna was honored with the at the after performing various medleys of her hit songs.

Rihanna's first release for 2017 was her featured part in 's ', the lead single from the rapper's sixth studio album,. Summer 2017 saw the release of Rihanna's collaborations with record producer, ', which also featured, and 's single, '.

The former was a worldwide success and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Rihanna played the recurring role of in the fifth and final season of. The show received universal acclaim from critics.

Rihanna also had a major role in the film, an adaptation of the comic book series. Also starring and, the film was released by on July 21, 2017 in the U.S. In August 2016, Rihanna joined the all-female cast in directed.

Will release the film on June 8, 2018. Rihanna officially revealed that she had begun work on her ninth studio album, just months after releasing.

In August 2017, submitted his material; however, Rihanna told him the music reminded her of a 'Reggee song at an airport' and was not going to use it for the album. On October 19, 2017 revealed that he was currently working with Rihanna on her 'absolutely insane' album. Artistry Music and voice 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.' And I'm like, 'OK, I don't know what that is.' ' Her vocal performance on Loud (2010) received positive reviews from music critics. James Skinner from praised Rihanna's vocals on the song ' 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'. Andy Gill from feels that 'California King Bed' features her best vocal performance. In a review of Unapologetic, magazine wrote, 'Diamonds finds Rihanna doing one of her throatiest, most impassioned vocals to date, on this inspirational pop ballad.'

Jon Caramanica of 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'. '[My music is] just imagination, being creative; that's what my music is composed with. Being creative and thinking of situations, whether situations I went through or situations I've observed people going through.

I can't tell you where I'll see myself in five years, but I can tell you I will work my best to be the most successful artist that I can be in five years. [I want to be] Remembered as Rihanna. Remembered as being the artist from the Caribbean who came here and made it internationally. Just remembered as me, 'cause I'm true to my music, and I just want people to realize that and appreciate me for that' —Rihanna during her first interview with MTV News Growing up in Barbados, she wasn't exposed to a lot of music, mainly,, and.

When she moved to the United States, she became exposed to a lot of 'rock being one of them, and I fell in love with it. [Now] I love rock music.' At the time of her debut, she recorded songs that were inspired by her and described her early sound as 'a fusion of reggae, hip-hop and R&B, with a little something different thrown in'.

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). Music of the Sun demonstrates the influence of Rihanna's musical heritage of the Caribbean. Kelefa Sanneh of complimented its combination of dancehall and reggae, 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'.

Her debut single, ' features a dancehall-pop mixture that infuses a reggae style, while ' talks about a girl seducing a guy to be her boyfriend. Aiming for artistic growth, A Girl like Me expresses personal experiences that typical 18-year-old girls go through with ballads that were described as elegant and mature. After her second album, she slowly dismissed her and roots. Rihanna's music has incorporated a wide range of genres including,,,,, and. With its provocative subject matter and lyrics, her musical career has been an experiment with new musical ideas and stated that she wants 'to make music that could be heard in parts of the world that I'd never been to'. During a review for Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), to write that Rihanna 'finally figured out that she's a dance artist and the majority of the album is comprised of dance-pop [songs like]' 'Push Up on Me' and '.

It represents a departure from the Caribbean sound of her previous albums, and is described as a turning point in her career. While the first half of the record shares a lot of 1980s pop influences with songs like 'Don't Stop the Music' and ', the second half retreats into standard R&B. Recorded after the assault by her then-boyfriend,, Rated R (2009) had a much darker tone and was filled with various emotions she experienced throughout 2009. In Loud (2010), Rihanna reflects on the fun and energetic vibe she had while recording the album.

The album is a mixture of ballads, party anthems, and empowering love songs. Talk That Talk (2011) was similar to Rated R, as both contain hip hop, R&B, dancehall, and dubstep genres. Loud and Talk That Talk saw her explore sexuality in her work (' and ') and return to her dancehall roots ('Man Down' and '). She also branched out into house music with tracks like 'We Found Love', 'Only Girl (In the World)' and '.' Her songs are also inspired through record from other artists.

Influences Rihanna has named as her idol and biggest influence. She said that she wanted to be the 'black Madonna' and praised the singer for being able to constantly reinvent herself successfully throughout her career. '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.' Another major influence on Rihanna's music and career has been, whose song ' she performed when Rihanna was still a teenager at her high school.

She revealed that Carey's song ' 'was the song that made [her] want to do music.' She grew up watching videos of reggae legend on television because that's what they would play in the Caribbean. She stated, 'He's one of my favourite artists of all time – he really paved the way for every other artist out of the Caribbean'.

She built a in her home dedicated to the reggae legend and has covered Marley's ' and ' ' during her concert tours. During her childhood, she would go around singing songs and ' into her hairbrush so much that her neighbors started calling her 'Robyn Redbreast'. She also stated that one of the first songs she remembers falling in love with was Houston's version of ' and that it 'was really inspiring, and it made me develop a passion for music, so really, she's partly responsible for me being here in this industry.' Rihanna was also influenced by,,, and. Other musical influences and idols include,,,,,, and. Rihanna takes influence from the different types of music she discovered when she came to America and revealed that rock music was one of the first genres she fell in love with.

She commented, 'as I grow older, I want to know more about music. I want to discover more types of music'. She cited Brandy's fourth studio album, (2004), as her main inspiration for her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007).

In her early career, her music contained strong influences of, including and. The music video of the song 'Rude Boy' featured images inspired by her Caribbean roots. Videos and stage Rihanna has worked with music video director on more than a dozen, the first being ' (2006).

'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. 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'. Jon Bream of the commented '[i]n the tradition of Madonna and Janet Jackson, Rihanna has become the 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.' George Epaminondas of considers Rihanna's music videos to be 'cinematic' due to her 'blend of lush island rhythms and swinging pop and. Mischievous sensuality.'

Tamar Anitai from listed 'Disturbia' at number five on the 'Buzzworthy's Top 5 Most Paranoid Music Videos' and said that 'Paranoia never looked so supernaturally sexy!' Rihanna performing at the Kollen Music Festival, June 2012 Many of her music videos were shot as short films exploring issues such as love triangles, abuse, and substance abuse romance, including 'We Found Love' and 'Man Down'. Her music video for 'Umbrella' shows Rihanna's transition into adulthood and her newly adopted image. The 'dark, creepy' scenes of 'Disturbia' have been compared to.

The video for 'Russian Roulette' features Rihanna in a padded room playing a game of with her partner. A scene of Rihanna being approached by a speeding car at night was compared to the altercation with Chris Brown. The Caribbean-inspired music video for 'Rude Boy' was compared to rapper 's video ' by many critics for its colorful aesthetic similarities. In 2011, she released three controversial music videos about sadomasochism, rape, and domestic violence.

'Man Down', which features Rihanna shooting a man in a train station, was criticized by the. 'We Found Love', which shows Rihanna and her love interest in a drug-filled unhealthy relationship, sparked criticism from the Rape Crisis Centre for its inappropriate message. But Charne Graham of the defended the singer, asking, 'Why should Rihanna's music videos get everyone riled up when others' equally sexual and controversial videos are in rotation? [.] she just like[s] to make music videos that give us something to talk about.' She is the first woman to pass two billion cumulative views on the music video website. As of December 2016, she has accumulated over 10 billion views on the site.

Her VEVO channel is currently the fifth. Denis Armstrong of commented on her performance at the, 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.' Her performance of 'Disturbia' at the was ranked tenth best on the, according to a Billboard poll. 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. Whilst commenting on her third album's accompanying tour, compared Rihanna's stage wardrobe styling to that of Janet Jackson and called her 'a vision of couture in thigh-high boots and a few scraps of black PVC.' In the October 2011 issue of, 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'. Public image. Rihanna during her in Belfast, September 2011 Rihanna is recognized by the media as a pop and fashion icon, most notably since her third studio album (2007). Nick Levine of described Good Girl Gone Bad as 'the closest thing to a that 2007/08 is likely to produce'. Her single 'Umbrella', famous for its 'ella ella' hook, is considered by to be one of the. Her 2011 single ' was ranked by as the 24th biggest US Billboard Hot 100 hit of all time.

Her eighth studio album (2016) and its lead single ' has been credited by Billboard for bringing the genre to the forefront of mainstream American music. Music critic Jayson Greene of described Rihanna as the most influential singer of the past decade, writing: Rihanna Voice has become an industry-wide idea, a creative property like the Korg synth or LinnDrum [] We crave the thrill that you can only get when a dozen or so good ideas manifest themselves in a single voice.

For the past 10 years, that voice has more or less been Rihanna’s. Now that she’s gleefully shredding it apart, she’ll probably generate a whole new comet trail of Rihannabes. Inevitably, none of them will carry the charge, the glassy cool and subterranean heat, of the real thing. Magazine included Rihanna on its issue in 2012. Writes 'She's one of the coolest, hottest, most talented, most liked, most listened to, most followed, most impressive artists at work today, but she does it in her own stride. She works hard, very hard.

She gives to her fans, friends and foundation not just herself but her energy and spirit.' On June 2, 2014, Rihanna was presented with Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from (CFDA), a special prize reserved for 'an individual whose style has made a significant impact on popular culture on an international stage'. In August 2013, Rihanna is placed at number 13 on 's 'Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists' list, being its highest ranking newcomer.

Billboard also ranked Rihanna the top artist of the 2010s decade. In 2014, magazine's pop stardom ranking metric ranked Rihanna second in history, based on all-time chart performance and contemporary significance.

Rihanna's work has directly influenced a number of contemporary artists such as,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and. Nigerian singer and British-Irish boy band have also released songs named after her, titled ' and ', respectively. 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. In 2013, Rihanna was also named the most influential pop star in the United Kingdom by UK channel. Rihanna has an honorary title of Ambassador for Culture and Youth in Barbados. On February 22, 2008, former Barbados Prime Minister,, launched the national 'Rihanna Day' in their country. Although it is not a, Barbadians celebrate it every year in honor of Rihanna.

Additionally on November 30, 2017, Westbury New Road in St. Michael, Barbados, the road where Rihanna was raised, was renamed 'Rihanna Drive' to honor Rihanna's success in the music industry. ” – Rihanna's reasoning for creating 'Fenty Beauty' In November 2015, Rihanna and Benoit Demouy launched a beauty and stylist agency named. The business based in Los Angeles was set up in order to assist artists in booking commercials, editorial shoots, ad campaigns, and red-carpet appearances. Rihanna stated, '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. In addition to Fr8me, Rihanna opened a photo agency called 'A Dog Ate My Homework', which represents photographers Erik Asla and Deborah Anderson. In 2017, Rihanna launched cosmetic company Fenty Beauty under LVMH's Kendo Brands. The partnership was worth $10 million and would see Rihanna release various beauty products. The first instalment of Fenty Beauty was released on September 8, 2017 in stores and online, where it was made available in over 150 countries. It included an array of products including foundations, highlighters, bronzers, blush compacts, lip glosses, and blotting sheets and was praised for its diverse range for all skin colours.

Listed Fenty Beauty as one 'The 25 Best Inventions of 2017', praising it's diverse range. Fashion Early in her career, Rihanna made clear her interest in fashion and desire to work in the clothing design industry. In November 2011, Rihanna announced her first fashion venture with. In February 2013, Rihanna presented her first women's spring fashion collection at for British street fashion brand, collaborating with her personal stylist Adam Selman. 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. The fourth and last collection for River Island, the winter edition was released on November 7, 2013.

Rihanna went on to collaborate with numerous fashion house's including Dior, and. In March 2015, it was announced that Rihanna had been chosen as the new face of; this makes her the first black woman to be the face of Dior.

In December 2014, it was confirmed that Rihanna would become the creative director of the fashion sportswear, overseeing the brand's women's line which will include collaborations in apparel and footwear. In the fall of 2015, Rihanna released her first trainer with Puma, and the sneaker sold out online with three hours of its pre-sale launch. Over the next two years, Rihanna released various other footwear in different colorways and styles, which were all met positively by both critics and buyers. 2016 saw Rihanna debut her first clothing line in collaboration with Puma at New York Fashion Week; the collection was met with rave reviews from fashion critics.

In the spring of that year, Rihanna debuted her second collection at Paris Fashion Week and was met with critical acclaim. Vogue magazine praised the collection and Rihanna, stating 'Sometimes when a famous person tries his or her hand at another discipline, the results can be uneven. And yet there are those special cases when making the switch leads to a good surprise.

Judging by the collection she showed today, we can add Rihanna to that list.' In Autumn 2017, Rihanna x Puma returned to New York, for the debut of their autumn collection, like previous lines the collection was met with positive reviews. Stated 'Fenty x Puma has kept one step ahead, so to speak, thanks in part to shoe designs that think outside the box—‪Rihanna is the first woman to have won Footwear News's coveted Shoe of the Year award, after all.'

Rihanna has become a fashion icon. On June 2, 2014, Rihanna received the Fashion Icon Award at the 2014 Fashion Awards at the Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. Regarding this, she said, 'Fashion has always been my defense mechanism'. Mexican singer told that Rihanna is one of her style icons. Main article: In 2006, she created her Believe Foundation to help terminally ill children. In 2007, Rihanna was named as one of the Ambassadors, with each celebrity representing a different global charity.

To help raise awareness and combat, Rihanna and other public figures designed clothing for the February 2008 Fashion Against AIDS line. In 2008, Rihanna performed a series of charity concerts entitled 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. In September 2008, Rihanna contributed to the song ' with fifteen other female artists, who shared the stage to perform the song live on September 5, 2008, during the ' television special. The proceeds from the single were given to the fundraiser. The television special helped raise $100 million for cancer research. Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) in 2012, in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite.

Current programs include the Clara Braithwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine at the in Barbados, and education programs. The CLF hosts an annual Diamond Ball charity fundraiser event. The inaugural event in 2014 raised over $2 million, and the second raised over $3 million. On February 12, 2012, Rihanna performed a benefit show at the House of Blues to raise money for the Children's Orthopaedic Center and the Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program. In November 2012, Rihanna gave $100,000 to food bank donation for Hurricane Sandy, On January 3, 2014 Rihanna was part of the campaign, which benefits women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS.

In February 2017, Rihanna was named 's 'Humanitarian of the Year' by the. During Rihanna's third annual 'Diamond Ball', the ex president of the United States; praised Rihanna's work stating 'You've become a powerful force in the fight to give people dignity.' Personal life On February 8, 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the was canceled. Reports surfaced that then-boyfriend, singer had physically assaulted her. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats. Due to a leaked photograph from the police department obtained by —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.'

Gil Kaufman of 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. Rihanna was subpoenaed to testify during a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on June 22, 2009. On June 22, 2009, Brown pleaded 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). 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. From December 2009 to 2010, Rihanna dated baseball player. Canadian rapper has also dated the singer. In a January 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Rihanna confirmed that she had rekindled her relationship with Chris Brown, though he remained under probation for the 2009 domestic violence incident. The confirmation followed persistent media speculation throughout 2012 regarding the pair's reunion.

In a May 2013 interview, Brown stated that he and Rihanna had broken up again. In 2015, Rihanna briefly dated, a rapper from. Rihanna has stated that she believes in and that she focuses on obeying God and reading her. She is a fan of minister. In 2015, Rihanna told that her faith in God has helped her throughout her career. During her performance at the March Madness Music Festival, Rihanna expressed her disagreement with that allows companies and individuals to use their religious beliefs as protection, in case of being accused of.

Rihanna along with numerous other high-profile celebrities featured in an online video entitled '23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America'. The video was released in partnership with the We Are Here Movement and called for action against police brutality. In January 2017, Rihanna participated in the, which took place in New York and protests the day after. Following the announcement of 's banning citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States, Rihanna expressed disgust for the order and condemned the US President's act. According to the, Rihanna filed a lawsuit against Peter Gunis and the firm Berdon LLP for $35 million in 2012 but for more than $10 million in 2014.

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. In 2013, Rihanna came in at number 13 on the list with a total earning of $43 million due to endorsements such as vita coco. In 2015 Rihanna earned $26 million, which resulted in her net worth rising to $160 million by 2016. In July 2016, Forbes magazine placed Rihanna at number 13 on their list of highest paid celebrities, earning $75 million between 2015 and 2016. Rihanna currently lives in, and owns a there that is worth $14 million.

Rihanna does things her own way. From the pop-R&B singles of her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun, to the give-no-fucks anthems of 2016’s Anti, she’s an artist who defies expectations. In her career, she’s built meticulous control over her voice and image: After rising to fame as a Roc-a-Fella signee, she used her third album, 2007’s Good Girl Gone Bad, to flip the staid dancehall-meets-pop sound of her first LPs and introduce the world to a sexier, darker sound.

It immediately paid off in her sultry, hip-hop-infused global hit “Umbrella” with mentor JAY-Z. And with each new record she’s released, the Barbadian star has grown more assertive, assured, and undeniable.