Rihanna

Not to be confused with Rhianna or Rayhana.

Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), known as Rihanna (pronounced /riːˈɑːnə/), is a Barbadian singer, model and fashion designer. She also serves as the cultural ambassador for the island of Barbados. She is the first Barbadian artist to offical win a Grammy Award (producer Jimmy Senya Haynes born in barbados produced and arranged Babylon The Bandit for the band Steel Pulse but never credit as a member of the band on the winner and nomtion list). Rihanna is currently signed to the Def Jam Recordings label. She has attained five Billboard Hot 100 number ones thus far and is currently tied with fellow singer Beyoncé Knowles as the female solo artist with the most number ones in this decade.

Rihanna broke into the industry in 2005 with the release of her debut album Music of the Sun, which features her hit single "Pon de Replay". Less than a year later, Rihanna released A Girl Like Me and gave her first number-one single, "SOS". In 2007, Rihanna released her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. The album has yielded six hit singles including three worldwide number one singles including "Umbrella", "Don't Stop the Music", and "Take a Bow". Since the release of her debut album, Rihanna has amassed twelve top 40 hit singles in the U.S.

Life and early career

Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados to parents Ronald Fenty and Monica Fenty. She has two younger brothers, Rorrey and Rajad Fenty.

Rihanna went to Charles F. Broome Memorial School, a primary school in Barbados, and then on to 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.

In 2003, after forming a girl group with two classmates at the age of 15, Rihanna along with her two bandmates, received their big break when her friends introduced her to record producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. The group auditioned for producer Evan Rogers and said that the minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist. She eventually moved to Connecticut to live with Rogers and his wife. Rogers, along with his partner, Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record material in the U.S. which was sent to various recording companies. Rihanna's demo made its way to Def Jam who invited her to audition for rapper turned Def Jam president Jay-Z, who eventually signed her to Def Jam Recordings.

Rihanna cites Brandy, Gwen Stefani Madonna, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé Knowles, Mariah Carey, Bob Marley, Fefe Dobson and her Caribbean background as major musical influences.

Music career

Music of the Sun (2005-2006)

See also: Music of the Sun

Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun, was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States, yielding two singles, the first being "Pon de Replay" which was released on August 22, 2005. This single became a huge success upon its release peaking at number 2 in the US on Billboard Hot 100 charts. It also became a global hit where it peaked within the top 10 across 15 countries as well as achieving top 20 chartings on 20 charts around the world. The single written by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers was described by Rolling Stone magazine as a "poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz." However, despite "Pon de Replay"'s commercial chart success, the album itself was rated 2.5 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". 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. The second single "If It's Lovin' That You Want" was less successful than "Pon de Replay", but it became a hit nonetheless by managing to achieve a top 40 charting in the USA reaching a high of number 36. In Australia, Ireland and New Zealand the single proved to be well-received reaching the top 10 in those countries. Overall the single became a top 40 hit on 11 charts around the globe. Despite the album not having huge promotion and only releasing two singles Music of the Sun managed to sell over 500,000 copies in the United States and 2 million worldwide.

A Girl like Me (2006-2007)

See also: A Girl like Me (Rihanna album)

Rihanna second album, A Girl Like Me, was released in April 2006; less than eight months after the release of her first album. The lead single, "SOS", was used in an 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. The song became her third top ten hit in the U.S. and in the UK. The third single, "We Ride", was not 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 at 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. A Girl like Me's sales were significantly stronger, selling over 1 million in the U.S.

In total, Rihanna has had eleven number-ones on the Billboard charts and has had major success on the Hot Dance Club Play chart with eight number-ones. 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 recorded a song called "Winning Women" with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger for P&G’s female deodorant Secret.

During this time Rihanna also made her acting debut in a cameo role in Bring It On: All or Nothing, which was released on August 8, 2006.

Good Girl Gone Bad (2007-2008)

See also: Good Girl Gone Bad

Rihanna performing at Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour

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, features Jay-Z and Ne-Yo. Rihanna worked with Timbaland on three songs in the album---"Lemme Get That", "Rehab" and the Japanese bonus track "Haunted". Justin Timberlake co-wrote and provides background vocals on "Rehab".

The album so far has yielded eight hit singles, including the world-wide number one hit "Umbrella", featuring Jay-Z. In addition to reaching number one in various countries, "Umbrella" was the number one single in the UK for 10 consecutive weeks, making it the longest running UK number one single since Wet Wet Wet's single "Love Is All Around", back in 1994, and the longest running number one by a female artist since Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", which also topped the chart for 10 weeks in 1992. By the end of the year, "Umbrella" was ranked second on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart in the United States.

Her other singles, "Shut Up and Drive" and "Don't Stop The Music" were able to mirror the success of "Umbrella", with "Don't Stop the Music" reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rihanna's seventh top ten single and her fourth top five hit, while peaking at number one in various countries. The fourth single (third single in the US and UK) "Hate That I Love You", featuring Ne-Yo, was able to peak at number seven in the U.S.

Starting September 12, 2007, Rihanna toured Canada and the United States in support of the album with several shows and then crossed to Europe. The tour was called called the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour, and was released on DVD on June 17, 2008, featuring the show performed at the Manchester Evening News Arena on December 6, 2007.

With the re-issue of her third album, titled Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, which was released on June 17, 2008, Rihanna released the singles "Take a Bow" — which became a worldwide number-one hit —, the duet with Maroon 5, "If I Never See Your Face Again," and "Disturbia", the latter of which also peaked at the number-one spot on the Hot 100 chart, giving the artist her fourth number-one singles and her ninth top ten hit in the U.S. The song "Rehab," which features Justin Timberlake, was later sent radio stations on October 7, 2008 and has so far peaked at 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Good Girl Gone Bad has so far sold 6.2 million copies worldwide and has gone 2x Platinum in the US, 4x Platinum in the UK and Canada, 5x Platinum in Russia, and 6x Platinum in Ireland; including Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded.

Rihanna was confirmed to appear as a guest act for the Royal Variety Performance 2008, which was staged at the London Palladium on Thursday 11th December.

On December 11 2008, she was confirmed to be one of the guest performers on The X Factor final on December 13 2008, however she pulled out at the last minute and Beyonce Knowles was called in as her replacement.

2008-present

File:Rhianna Shopping in Paris.jpg

Rihanna shopping in Paris

On November 23, 2008 Rihanna was nominated for two American Music Award (Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist). Rihanna won in in both categories making it her third AMA. Rihanna also performed "Rehab" on stage at the AMA.

Rihanna was also selected as the spokesmodel for Gucci’s first UNICEF ad campaign. She will appear in the fashion house’s Tattoo Heart campaign, premiering in December. Rihanna will be photographed in series of special edition print ads with UNICEF items, twenty-five percent of sales will benefit the children’s charity.

In New York, Rihanna was then enlisted by Gucci's Frida Giannini along with Madonna to light the UNICEF Christmas snowflake. Rihanna, dressed head to toe in Gucci, is now the face of the fourth annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF, which aims to raise funds for children in Africa through the sale of its Tattoo Heart collection of bags.

Notable success and accomplishments

Rihanna has five Billboard Hot 100 number ones hits both as a lead artist thus far ("SOS", "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", and "Disturbia"), as well as T.I.'s "Live Your Life", on which she is featured. This places her at a tie with fellow Pop/R&B singer Beyoncé as the female solo artist with the most number ones this decade. The Good Girl Gone Bad album has three Billboard Hot 100 number one singles. She has so far sold approximately 11 million albums worldwide.

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 was released at H&M in early February 2008. She went on the Glow in the Dark Tour with Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D.

There are conflicting reports about her next album. MTV.com reported that Rihanna has now gone into the studio to start recording her fourth album. In the near future, Rihanna is scheduled to work with Ryan Tedder who named her as 'The Next Britney'. Rihanna will be a godmother of the eight season of Star Academy France.

On 24th December 2008 in the United Kingdom during an interview with RWD Rihanna confirmed that she would be back in the recording studio in early 2009 working on her fourth studio album. She confirmed that it would definitely be released in 2009.

Charity work

Rihanna created her Believe Foundation in 2006 to help terminally ill children. Rihanna has performed a number of concerts to raise funds for both charities and the Foundation. She is also a 2008 Cartier LOVECHARITY Bracelet Ambassador, performed at Madonna’s Raising Malawi fundraiser, and was lauded for her efforts to help a woman find a bone marrow donor.

In September 2008, Rihanna joined other female Pop, Rock, R&B & Country singers such as Carrie Underwood, Ciara, Beyoncé, Leona Lewis, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Fergie for the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer and its theme song, "Just Stand Up!". The single is now available via iTunes.

Discography

Main article: Rihanna discography

• 2005: Music of the Sun
• 2006: A Girl like Me
• 2007: Good Girl Gone Bad

Filmography

• 2006: Bring It On: All or Nothing - Herself

Awards

Main article: List of Rihanna awards

External links

• Official website
• Template:MySpace
• Rihanna at AllMusic
• Template:Last.fm
• Rihanna discography at Discogs
• Rihanna discography at MusicBrainz
• Rihanna at IMDb
• Rihanna's Believe Foundation

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