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Not to be confused with Rhianna or Rayhana.
Rihanna

Rihanna (Template:PronEng)[1] (born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 18 1988) is a Barbadian soul and R&B singer.[2]

Early life

Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados, as the oldest child to Ronald Fenty, her Barbadian father[3] (of Irish and African ancestry) [citation needed] and Monica Fenty, her mother who is of Guyanese descent.[4][5] She has two younger brothers named Rorrey and Rajad. Rihanna went to Charles F. Broome Memorial School, a primary school in Barbados, and then on to one of Barbados' Grammar (older secondary) schools, the Combermere School, where she formed a musical trio with two of her classmates. In 2004, she won the Miss Combermere Beauty Pageant and performed in the Colours of Combermere School Show, singing Mariah Carey's "Hero". At the age of 15, Rihanna received her big break when one of her friends introduced her to music producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. Rogers, along with his partner, Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record material in the U.S. which was sent to various recording companies. One copy of Rihanna's work was sent to Jay-Z, who eventually signed her to Def Jam Records. Rihanna cites Alicia Keys, Beyoncé Knowles and her Caribbean background as major musical influences.[6] Rihanna also stated in an interview that her friend and former Island Def Jam record label artist Fefe Dobson was someone that she admired and looked up to, having a fellow artist writing, singing, and performing the music she truly loves.[7][8][9] She currently lives in San Diego, California.[10][11][12][13]

Career

Music of the Sun

Main article: Music of the Sun

Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun, was released August 30, 2005 from which, further singles were released, the first being "Pon de Replay" which was released on October 11, 2005 and reached position #2 in both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the UK Singles Chart due to considerable airplay and gained several #1 positions in various niche charts.[14][15] The single itself was written by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers alongside Rihanna herself and described by Rolling Stone magazine as a "poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz."[16] However, despite Pon de Replay's commercial chart success, the album itself was rated 2½ out of 5 stars by Rolling Stone magazine and described as lacking the replay value, ingenuity and rhythm of the single with "generic vocal hiccups and frills" of US R&B inflecting upon her "caribbean charm".[17] Since its release, the album reached the top 10 in both US and Canadian charts, gaining gold certification from the RIAA from selling 500,000 units and subsequent platinum certifications for selling 2 million units in various other countries. To further promote the album, Rihanna toured as an opening act for American pop singer Gwen Stefani.

The second single, "If It's Lovin' That You Want", was considerably less successful than its predecessor, peaking at position #36 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 and position #11 in the UK. A third single, "Let Me", was released only in Japan, where it was a big hit, reaching #8 on the charts.

When asked about the nature of the album by AskMen magazine about the album itself, Rihanna noted that it was released quickly after she was discovered in her home as a means of portraying her image as a girl from a small area who had moved to a large country in line with her debut, and that her second album was released somewhat shortly thereafter to illustrate that in her time in the country she had grown up quickly enough to release another album.[18]

A Girl like Me

Main article: A Girl like Me

In 2006, Rihanna participated in several endorsement deals, including for Nike and J.C. Penney. She released her second album, A Girl Like Me, in April 2006; less than eight months after the release of her first album. The album debuted at number five in the U.S. and number four in the UK. The lead single, "SOS", was used in her endorsement deal with Nike. The song became Rihanna's first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also debuted at number one on the Hot Digital Songs chart. "SOS" peaked at number one in Australia and number two in the UK. The second single, entitled "Unfaithful", was written by R&B singer Ne-Yo, and addresses the feelings of guilt that the protagonist of the song faces as she cheats on her boyfriend. The song became her third top ten hit in the U.S. and in the UK. The third single, "We Ride", wasn't as successful as her previous releases, failing to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, however, it became her fifth UK top 20 single, where it peaked at number 17 on that chart and peaked number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. Rihanna's fourth single from the album, "Break It Off" featuring Sean Paul, had already climbed to number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 based solely on airplay. It was released as a digital download on February 19, 2007, which made the song jump from number fifty-two to number ten and then eventually peak at number nine.

In total Rihanna has had 11 different number-ones on the Billboard charts and has had major success on the Hot Dance Club Play chart with four number-ones ("Pon De Replay", "SOS", "Unfaithful", and "We Ride"). When Rihanna received an endorsement deal from Clinique, she recorded a song written by Ne-Yo entitled "Just Be Happy" as part of the deal to promote their Happy fragrance. Rihanna also recently recorded a song called "Winning Women" with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger for P&G’s female deodorant Secret.

Rihanna made her acting debut in a cameo role in Bring It On: All or Nothing, which was released on August 8, 2006; she also appeared on an episode of American soap opera All My Children and drama Las Vegas.

Good Girl Gone Bad

Main article: Good Girl Gone Bad

Rihanna went into the studio in early 2007 with Ne-Yo, Stargate, and Timbaland among others to record her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad. The album was released on June 5, 2007. It features Jay-Z and Ne-Yo as featured artists.

The first single, "Umbrella", featuring Jay-Z, was released on March 29, 2007, reaching number one in various countries, including the U.S. "Umbrella" was the #1 single in the UK for 10 consecutive weeks. It was the longest running #1 single since "Wet Wet Wet's¹" single "Love Is All Around", back in 1994, and the longest running #1 by a female artist since Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", which also topped the chart for 10 weeks in 1992. It was produced by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash. Umbrella was set at #2 at the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart, behind Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable".[19] However, Umbrella is the most successful song of 2007, getting 8,160,000 points on the United World Chart.[20] Time magazine named "Umbrella" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it at #3. Explains writer Josh Tyrangiel, "Rihanna has a special talent for vocal innuendo. She toys with the word umbrella — or, as Rihanna would put it, um-ba-rella, ella, ella — as if she's taking it for a ride on a water bed. The sexiest song of 2007."[21][22] The second single, "Shut Up and Drive", was sent to radio stations on June 5, and peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her club airplay third single, "Don't Stop The Music" was premiered on BET's 106 & Park on July 20, 2007 and was released only in Canada. The song is also going to be released in the UK and has already peaked at number 4 from downloads alone. However, the single was also released in parts of Europe, where it was a huge success. The song peaked at #1 in countries like Germany, France, The Netherlands and Austria. The song has so far reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming her seventh top ten single and #2 on the United World Chart.

The fourth single, "Hate That I Love You" featuring Ne-Yo, was released on August 21, and so far has peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Rihanna her sixth top ten hit.

The fifth single was to be "Breakin' Dishes" according to Billboard and has so far peaked on #4 on the Hot Dance Club Play.[23] However due to the high surge in airplay and digital sales of "Don't Stop the Music", which had never been released in the US, it has replaced Breakin' Dishes as the next single.

Rihanna worked with Timbaland on three songs in the album. Justin Timberlake co-wrote and provides background vocals on "Rehab" and "Sell Me Candy".[24] Seven weeks after the album was released, it had gone platinum in the United States and 3x Platinum on the United World Albums Chart.

Also in 2007, Rihanna won World's Best-Selling Pop Female Artist & Entertainer of the Year at the 2007 World Music Awards. On November 18, 2007, she won Favorite Female Artist - Soul/R&B at the 2007 American Music Awards. "Shut Up and Drive" won best R&B song at the 2008 People's Choice Award. "Don't Stop the Music" won best international song at the 2008 NRJ Music Awards in France. she also won four awards at the 2008 BMAs Barbados Music Awards including Pop/R&B Artist of the Year, Best Pop/R&B Single - Don't Stop the Music, Best Female Music Video - Shut Up And Drive ,Song of the Year - Umbrella, Album of the Year - Good Girl Gone Bad Female Entertainer of the Year and People's Choice Entertainer of the year

Starting September 12, 2007, Rihanna toured Canada and the United States in support of the album with several shows and then crossed to Europe. It is called the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour, which will be released on DVD in early 2008 and feature the show performed at the Manchester Evening News Arena on 6th December 2007.

Rihanna received four Grammy Awards nominations: Record of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (for "Umbrella"), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (for "Hate That I Love You") as well as Best Dance Recording (for "Don't Stop the Music"), while her album received an extra two Grammys: Song of the Year Best R&B Song.

Fourth album

It has been revealed by MTV.com that Rihanna has now gone into the studio to start recording her fourth album [1] MTV.com said Rihanna, meanwhile, is in the studio working on the follow-up to her breakthrough album, last year's Good Girl Gone Bad. The album has no title or release date at the moment, but is rumored to be released for December 2008.

Future projects

Rihanna has teamed up with H&M and other celebrities like Timbaland and Good Charlotte for "Fashion against AIDS". The collection is designed to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS. It will be available at H&M in early February 2008.[25] She will be going on the "Glow In The Dark Tour" with Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D. She is also in the studio working on a follow up to Good Girl Gone Bad.[26]

Radio work

Rihanna will be doing cover work for 100.7 Heart FM in Birmingham. She will be covering the overnight show and the evening show in March 2008.

Personal life

On October 11, 2007, Rihanna was spotted with Josh Hartnett at the NYC club Pink Elephant making out after her concert at the Nokia Theater in Times Square earlier. They arrived separately but left together.[27] When Josh was asked about this he said it was personal.[28] In a TV interview at the 2007 World Music Awards, and in the January 2008 edition of Allure magazine, Rihanna stated the she was not dating anyone.

Accomplishments

On July 7, 2007, Rihanna performed at the Japanese leg of Live Earth in Tokyo.

Rihanna was named 2007 Venus Breeze 'Celebrity Legs of a Goddess' by Gillette and insured her legs for $1,000,000. Unfortunately, she injured her feet sometime after she insured her legs. Gillette paid for her care.

On September 1, issue of The Times of India newspaper, Rihanna was listed as one of the four richest teens in Hollywood.

On September 9, 2007, Rihanna won the Monster Single of the Year at the MTV Music Video Awards for "Umbrella". She also won the Video of the Year for "Umbrella". These two awards made her the big winner of the show alongside Justin Timberlake.

She was ranked #9 on Maxim Hot 100 list of 2007.

Discography

Main article: Rihanna discography

Number-one singles

The following singles reached number one in the U.S., United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Germany, or France. For a full singles discography, see Rihanna discography.
Year Single Peak positions[29][30][31][32]
U.S. UK EUR CAN AUS GER NZ FRA WOR
2005 "Pon De Replay" 2 2 2 7 6 6 1 18 3
2006 "SOS" 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 12 1
"Unfaithful" 6 2 1 1 2 2 3 7 4
2007 "Umbrella" (Feat. Jay-Z) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1
"Don't Stop the Music" 5 4 1 2 7 1 3 1 2
Total of number-one singles 2 1 4 2 2 2 1 1 2

Tours

  • 2006: The Pussycat Dolls With Rihanna
  • 2006: The Black Eyed Peas With Rihanna
  • 2007-2008: Good Girl Gone Bad Tour
  • 2008: The Glow In The Dark Tour Featuring Rihanna

Awards

Main article: List of Rihanna awards

References

  1. ^ See inogolo:pronunciation of Rihanna.
  2. ^ AskMen Editors, et al., (2006)., "Rihanna was born in Barbados on February 20, 1988."
  3. ^ Interview with Rihanna. Honoluluadvertiser.com. September 15 2006.
  4. ^ Rihanna: Brightest Star, allhiphop.com. September 2005
  5. ^ Interview with Rihanna. Morafire.com. Jan/Feb 2007.
  6. ^ http://top40.about.com/od/artistsls/p/rihannap.htm
  7. ^ http://ahotmess.wordpress.com/2007/05/26/rihanna-performs-in-germany/
  8. ^ Rihanna: A Dream Come True
  9. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1982597/bio
  10. ^ Def Jam Records, et al. (2007). "Rihanna |Rihanna | Rihanna - Biography" Retrieved on 24 July, 2007 from http://www.rihannanow.com/ L.A. Design Studio, Def Jam Records
  11. ^ Def Jam Records, et al. (2007)., "If nothing else, it has been an eye[-]opening year for Barbados-born pop songstress [,] Rihanna.
  12. ^ AskMen Editors, et al., (2006). "AskMen.com - Rihanna Interview" Retrieved on 24 July, 2007 from http://uk.askmen.com/toys/interview_200/206_rihanna_interview.html IGN Entertainment: United States
  13. ^ http://www.ringsurf.com/online/55-rihanna.html
  14. ^ Billboard.com editors, et al. (2007). "Billboard.com - Artist Chart History : Rihanna" Retrieved on July 31, 2007 from http://www.billboard.com/bbcom... Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
  15. ^ Billboard.com editors, et al. (2007), states that Rihanna achieved chart position #1 in both the "Hot Digital Songs" and "Dance Radio Airplay" charts, with the remix "Pon de Replay (Norty Cotto Remix)" gaining chart position #1 in the "Hot Dance Music/Club Play" charts.
  16. ^ Walters, Barry (September 8 2005). Music of the Sun Review. Rolling Stone. Accessed August 18 2007.
  17. ^ [Walters, Barry. (2005)., -- "the rest of Music of the Sun lacks the single's immediacy and rhythmic ingenuity. Photogenic Rihanna suggests a young Mariah Carey minus the birdcalls, and the generic vocal hiccups and frills clearly learned from American R&B often overwhelm her Caribbean charm."]
  18. ^ AskMen editors, et al. (2005), -- "I was just a little girl coming from Barbados into a big city and a big country, and doing all this promotion and it never stopped, I had to learn to fix a lot of stuff myself, but I feel like I've grown five years in just a year ... Music of the Sun was more like my introduction to the world: "Hey, I'm the girl from the Caribbean." This second album, this is a big step up from the first one."
  19. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/yearend/2007/charts/hot100.html
  20. ^ http://www.mediatraffic.de/year-end-tracks.htm
  21. ^ Tyrangiel, Josh; "The Best Top 10 Lists of the Year"; "The 10 Best Songs"; Time magazine; December 24, 2007; Page 39.
  22. ^ Time magazine's Top 10 Songs of 2007 at time.com
  23. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003679153
  24. ^ Rihanna Loses Good Girl Image, Thanks to Jay-Z, Justin, Timbaland, Ne-Yo
  25. ^ http://www.popcrunch.com/good-charlotte-rihanna-h-celebrities-team-with-hm-for-fashion-against-aids-clothing-line/
  26. ^ Kanye West's Glow In The Dark Tour Will Feature Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D.
  27. ^ http://www.usmagazine.com/josh_and_rihanna
  28. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/10/18/hartnett-on-rihanna-uh-um-uh/
  29. ^ "Rihanna: Billboard Singles". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
  30. ^ "UK Top 40 Hit Database". EveryHit.com. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
  31. ^ "Australian Singles Chart". AustralianCharts.com. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
  32. ^ "United World Chart". MediaTraffic.de. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
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