What does it take to be the most carefree, sexiest and most out-going artist in the music industry? Look at Rihanna if you are seeking those answers. The 26-year old Barbados Native has truly changed the idea fans had of a female artist. She follows her own rules, generates music fans of all sexes and ages are constantly raving about, makes a fashion statement every time she steps out in public and makes it well-known by her attitude towards life, that she is her own unique individual who will change for no one. Through the years, Rihanna has evolved from cute teen pop princess to fully-fledged superstar and sex symbol.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in St. Michael Parish on the Caribbean island of Barbados. She is the oldest of three children, born to Monica Fenty, an accountant, and Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor. Rihanna’s up bringing was flawed by her father’s struggles with addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine and her parents’ marital issues; they divorced when she was 14 years old.
Luckily, since that time, Rihanna’s father has managed to defeat his addictions and the pair is now inseparable. “Now my dad is like the coolest person on the planet,” Rihanna says, “He doesn’t smother me. He lets me live my life and he has been like that a lot, even when I was younger. He would watch me making a mistake and he would not stop me. My dad, he lets me make it and then I learn.”
As a teen Rihanna turned to singing as an escape from her issues at home. She started a girl group with two classmates; when they were 15 years old, they landed an audition with music producer Evan Rodgers, who was visiting the island with his Barbadian wife. The gorgeous and astoundingly talented Rihanna, to the ill-fated disadvantage of her two friends, impressed Rogers. “The minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn’t exist,” he admitted.
About a year later, the 16 year old left Barbados for America where she moved in with Rogers and his wife in Connecticut and immediately began working on recording a demo album. “When I left Barbados, I didn’t look back,” Rihanna recalled, “I wanted to do what I had to do, even if it meant moving to America.”
In January 2005 Rogers set Rihanna up with an audition for Def Jam Records and its new president at the time, the legendary rapper Jay-Z. “I was in the lobby just shaking,” she recalled. Nevertheless, once Rihanna began singing she regained her tranquility. “I remember staring into everybody’s eyes in the room while I was singing, and at that point, I was fearless,” she said, “But the minute I stopped singing, I was like, “Oh my God, Jay-Z is sitting right in front of me.”
The rapper was just as wowed by Rihanna’s remarkable voice and powerful charisma as Rogers had been two years earlier, and he signed her on the spot. “We made a little Godfather joke,” Jay-Z remembered, “We said the only way she could leave was through the window.” Since then she has followed the rapper and switched from the Def Jam label to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.
Almost a decade later Rihanna has created nothing but a successful life for herself. With her top hits/being featured on a multitude of mega hits with various artists, her fragrances and clothing lines, relationship history/rumors, her constant fashion statements, etc., she has truly become one of the hardest working women in music/entertainment right now.
Rihanna has also made headlines in her personal life, although often for circumstances beyond her control. Between constant rumors, that began 8 years ago, about an affair with Jay-Z, her brief re-connection with Ex-Boyfriend Chris Brown post their domestic dispute, rumors of an on again, off again romance with rapper Drake and her oh so raunchy, wild style, the star is always causing a scene. Keep it up RiRi!
A month later, everyone is still frenzying over the sheer gown that bared all of what Rihanna has to offer at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards in June 2014. She heard quite a mouthful from all those around her; both good and bad about that not-so secretive gown. She was there to receive the CFDA’s Fashion Icon Award and told the crowd that “Fashion has always been my defense mechanism,” according to an Associated Press report. Rihanna acknowledged that there were some rules to fashion, but explained “rules are meant to be broken.”
Yes, RiRi is not shy when it comes to peek-a-boo fashions or even baring it all. At only 26 years old, Rihanna is following in the fashionable footsteps of style innovators like Josephine Baker, Madonna and Cher, and we cannot wait to see what her next bold fashion move will be!
Although Badgalriri decided that she will not be rejoining Instagram, she is still present on FaceBook and Twitter; where she recently has shared some photos inside a recording studio and has even tweeted some future song lyrics. So lucky for us, it looks like Rihanna is working on some new music and since it has been two long years since she has released an album, we could not be more excited to see what she has in store and what hit records we will be crazy about next.
Rihanna’s family, friends and fans have proven themselves loyal over the years as she battled personal issues, released a new array of music, took fashion/beauty risks (which really worked in her favor), etc., and she has reciprocated with the same love and admiration back to her loved ones. Whatever she brings to us next, we will be sure to love, because truthfully, RiRi can do no wrong.