Rihanna facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids The Right Excellent Rihanna NH
Rihanna in 2024
Born	Robyn Rihanna Fenty (1988-02-20) February 20, 1988 (age 37) Saint Michael, Barbados
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress businesswoman
Years active	2003–present
Organisation	Clara Lionel Foundation Savage X Fenty Fenty Beauty
Works	Albums singles songs recorded performances videography
Partner(s)	ASAP Rocky (2020–present)
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop dance
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Roc Nation Def Jam SRP Westbury Road



Barbadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Incumbent
Assumed office September 20, 2018
Prime Minister	Mia Mottley
Preceded by	Position established



Signature

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (ree-AN-ə; born February 20, 1988) is a famous singer, businesswoman, and actress from Barbados. She is now based in the United States. Guinness World Records has called her the best-selling female artist of the 21st century. She is also one of the best-selling music artists of all time, selling around 250 million records worldwide.

Rihanna is known for having the most digital singles certified diamond in the U.S. She is the only female artist to achieve this seven times. She has also had 14 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2024, Rihanna was the third wealthiest musician in the world.

She signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2005. Her first two albums, Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006), made her widely known. Both albums were inspired by Caribbean music and reached the top ten on the US Billboard 200 chart. Her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), featured dance-pop music. This album helped her become a major pop star. Its first single, "Umbrella", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and won her first Grammy Award.

Rihanna continued to mix pop, dance, and R&B in her later albums. These included Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and Unapologetic (2012). Unapologetic became her first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. These albums produced many number-one hits like "Rude Boy", "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?", "S&M", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds".

Her eighth album, Anti (2016), showed her taking more creative control after leaving Def Jam to join Roc Nation. This album became her second US number one album and included the hit song "Work". Throughout her career, Rihanna has worked with many famous artists.

Besides music, Rihanna is known for her charity work, business success, and influence in fashion. She started the Clara Lionel Foundation, the cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, and the fashion brand Fenty with LVMH. She was the first black woman to lead a luxury brand for LVMH. Rihanna has also acted in movies such as Battleship (2012), Home (2015), Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017), and Ocean's 8 (2018). In 2018, the Government of Barbados made her an ambassador. In 2021, she was named a National Hero of Barbados.

Early Life and Beginnings

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. Her mother, Monica, was an accountant, and her father, Ronald Fenty, was a warehouse supervisor. Her mother is Afro-Guyanese, and her father is Barbadian with African, Irish, English, and Scottish roots.

Rihanna has two younger brothers, Rorrey and Rajad. She also has two half-sisters and a half-brother from her father's previous relationships. She grew up in a small home in Bridgetown and helped her father sell clothes on the street.

As a child, Rihanna had severe headaches and underwent many medical scans. Doctors even thought she might have a tumor because the pain was so intense. When she was 14, her parents divorced, and her health started to get better. She grew up listening to reggae music. She went to Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and Combermere School. There, she studied with future international cricketers Chris Jordan and Carlos Brathwaite. At age 11, Rihanna was an army cadet in a youth program. The singer-songwriter Shontelle was her drill sergeant. Even though she wanted to finish high school, she decided to follow her dream of a music career instead.

Rihanna's Music Journey

Rihanna performing during the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour in Brisbane, 2008

In 2003, Rihanna formed a music group with two friends in Barbados. They didn't have a name or any songs. They auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers. Rogers was very impressed with Rihanna, saying, "The minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist." He then invited Rihanna to the United States to record demo tapes for record labels.

She recorded songs during school holidays, which took about a year. Two songs, "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time", were recorded for the demo tape. These songs later appeared on her first album. That same year, Rihanna signed with Rogers's and Carl Sturken's production company.

In May 2005, her first single, "Pon de Replay", was released under her stage name "Rihanna". It was a big hit worldwide, reaching the top five in fifteen countries. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart. The song became a club favorite in the United States.

Music of the Sun was released in August 2005. It reached number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was certified gold, meaning it sold over 500,000 copies. The album sold more than 2 million copies globally. A second song, "If It's Lovin' that You Want", was not as successful.

A month after her first album, Rihanna started working on her second album. A Girl like Me came out in April 2006. Rolling Stone magazine liked the "burning rock guitar" and "haunted strings" on some songs. The album was a commercial success, reaching the top 10 in 13 countries. It hit number one in Canada and number five in the United Kingdom and the United States. It sold 115,000 copies in its first week in the US. This album was Rihanna's first to be certified Platinum. This means it sold over 1 million copies.

Its first single, "SOS", was a global hit. It reached the top five in 11 countries. The song hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in Australia. This was her first song to reach that position. "Unfaithful", the second single, reached the top 10 in 18 countries. It was number one in Canada and Switzerland. Two more singles, "We Ride" and "Break It Off", were also released from the album.

Rihanna performing during the Loud Tour in 2011

Rihanna's third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), included dance-pop elements. The number-one song "Umbrella" won Rihanna her first Grammy Award. This song made her a global superstar. In the late 2000s, Rihanna explored more pop, dubstep, and rock music. This changed her musical style and image from her earlier Caribbean sound. In 2008, Rihanna performed on the Glow in the Dark Tour with Kanye West.

She continued to mix pop, dance, and R&B genres. This was seen on her albums Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and Unapologetic (2012). Unapologetic became her first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. These albums produced many hit singles. These included "Rude Boy", "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?", "S&M", "We Found Love", "Where Have You Been" and "Diamonds".

In January 2010, Rihanna released a charity cover of "Redemption Song". This was for the Hope for Haiti Now campaign. She also recorded "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" with Jay-Z, Bono, and The Edge. This was to help with the 2010 Haiti earthquake relief.

In summer 2010, Rihanna worked with rapper Eminem on "Love the Way You Lie". This song was a huge worldwide success, reaching number one in over 20 countries. It became the biggest-selling song of 2010 in the UK. It was also Rihanna's first single to sell over a million copies in the UK. In October 2010, Rihanna changed managers and joined Jay-Z's Roc Nation Management.

Rihanna performing during the Diamonds World Tour in 2013

Her eighth album, Anti (2016), showed her new creative freedom after leaving Def Jam. It became her second US number one album. It featured the chart-topping single "Work". Throughout her music career, Rihanna has worked with many artists. These include Drake, Britney Spears, Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Paul McCartney, and Shakira.

In February 2013, Rihanna won her sixth Grammy Award. This was for "We Found Love" (2011) in the Best Short Form Music Video category. Her fifth major concert tour, the Diamonds World Tour, began in March 2013. It supported her album Unapologetic. Rihanna also appeared in the comedy film This Is the End in June 2013. In October 2013, Eminem released his song "The Monster" featuring Rihanna.

In October 2022, Rihanna released "Lift Me Up". This was the first single from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie soundtrack.

Rihanna has sold over 250 million records worldwide. This makes her one of the best-selling female music artists of all time. She has had 14 number-one songs and 31 top-ten songs in the US. She also has 30 top-ten songs in the UK. Her many awards include nine Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and six Guinness World Records. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2018. As of 2022, she is the wealthiest female musician, with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.

Beyond music, Rihanna is known for her charity work, businesses, and fashion influence. She founded the Clara Lionel Foundation, the cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, and the fashion brand Fenty with LVMH. She was the first black woman to lead a luxury brand for LVMH. Rihanna has also acted in major roles in movies. In 2018, the Government of Barbados appointed her as an ambassador for education, tourism, and investment. In 2021, she was declared a National Hero of Barbados. This means she can use the title "The Right Excellent" for life. Rihanna headlined the halftime show for Super Bowl LVII in February 2023.

Rihanna's Artistic Style

Music and Voice

Rihanna has a vocal range from B₂ to C♯₆. She took vocal lessons while recording her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). She said she learned how to breathe and use musical terms like "staccato." Critics praised her singing on her album Loud (2010).

Growing up in Barbados, she mainly listened to reggae, hip hop, and soca music. When she first came to the US, she discovered different types of music, including rock. She said she "fell in love with it." Her early music was inspired by her Caribbean roots. She described her early sound as a mix of "reggae, hip-hop and R&B, with a little something different thrown in." Her first album, Music of the Sun, showed strong influences of her Caribbean heritage. After her second album, she slowly moved away from her dancehall and reggae roots.

Rihanna's music career has been about trying new musical ideas. She wanted to "make music that could be heard in parts of the world that I'd never been to." She started using many different music styles. These included pop, R&B, reggae, dubstep, hip hop, and EDM. Slant Magazine noted that Rihanna "finally figured out that she's a dance artist." Her album Good Girl Gone Bad marked a change in her career. While the first part of the album had 1980s pop influences, the second part returned to standard R&B.

In her fifth album Loud, Rihanna focused on a fun and energetic feeling. The album has a mix of slow songs, party songs, and empowering love songs. Talk That Talk was similar to Rated R. Both albums included hip hop, R&B, dancehall, and dubstep. Loud and Talk That Talk saw her return to her dancehall roots with songs like "Man Down." She also explored house music with tracks like "We Found Love." Her songs are also inspired by using parts of other artists' music.

Musical Influences

Rihanna has said Madonna (pictured) is her idol and biggest influence.

Rihanna has said that Madonna is her idol and biggest influence. She wanted to be the "black Madonna." She admired Madonna's ability to change her style and music successfully over time. She also noted that Madonna "remained a real force in entertainment in the whole world."

Another big influence on Rihanna's music was Mariah Carey. Rihanna performed Carey's song "Hero" at her high school talent show. She said Carey's song "Vision of Love" "was the song that made [her] want to do music."

When she was young, she often saw Bob Marley on TV because he was famous in the Caribbean. She said, "He's one of my favourite artists of all time – he really paved the way for every other artist out of the Caribbean." She has a special place in her home dedicated to Bob Marley. She has also covered his songs "Is This Love" and "Redemption Song" during her concerts.

As a child, she would sing Whitney Houston songs into her hairbrush so much that her neighbors called her "Robyn Redbreast." She also said that one of the first songs she loved was Houston's "I Will Always Love You." She found it "really inspiring" and said it "made me develop a passion for music."

Rihanna was also influenced by Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, Tupac, Beyoncé, and Destiny's Child. Other musical influences include Celine Dion, Grace Jones, Lil' Kim, Alicia Keys, Prince, and Brandy. Rihanna takes inspiration from the different types of music she found when she came to America. She said rock music was one of the first genres she loved. She also mentioned Brandy's album Afrodisiac (2004) as a main inspiration for her album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). In her early career, her music had strong influences of Caribbean music, including reggae and dancehall.

Rihanna's Impact and Legacy

Rihanna at the 2017 Met Gala in Manhattan, showing off haute couture fashion.

Rihanna is seen by many as a pop and fashion icon. This has been especially true since her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). Nick Levine of Digital Spy called Good Girl Gone Bad "the closest thing to a Thriller that 2007/08 is likely to produce." Rolling Stone considers her song "Umbrella" and her album Anti to be among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Her song "We Found Love" was ranked by Billboard as one of the biggest US Billboard Hot 100 hits ever. Her song "Work" is credited with bringing the dancehall music style to mainstream American music.

Music critic Jayson Greene of Pitchfork called Rihanna the most influential singer of the past decade. He wrote that "Rihanna Voice has become an industry-wide idea." He also said that her voice has a "glassy cool and subterranean heat."

In August 2018, Billboard ranked Rihanna as the tenth biggest Hot 100 artist of all time. She was also ranked the fifth biggest female act of all time. Billboard also named Rihanna the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade. In 2014, Time magazine ranked Rihanna second in history for pop stardom. This was based on her chart performance and importance.

Rihanna is very popular on social media and streaming platforms. In 2012, Forbes ranked her number one on their list of Social Networking Superstars. In 2013, UK channel 4Music named Rihanna the most influential pop star in the United Kingdom. Rihanna's work has inspired many other artists.

Rihanna has an honorary title as Ambassador for Culture and Youth in Barbados. On February 22, 2008, the former Prime Minister of Barbados launched "Rihanna Day" in her honor. It's not a public holiday, but Barbadians celebrate it every year. In February 2017, Harvard University named Rihanna their "Humanitarian of the Year." At Rihanna's "Diamond Ball" charity event, former U.S. president Barack Obama praised her work. He said she "become a powerful force in the fight to give people dignity."

On September 20, 2018, the government of Barbados appointed Rihanna as an Ambassador. Her special duties include promoting "education, tourism and investment for the island." As of 2021, Rihanna is the world's wealthiest female musician. She was also on Forbes' Top 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2019. In 2020, she was third on the Sunday Times Rich List for Britain's richest musicians.

At the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, Rihanna received the President's Award. Derrick Johnson, the activist, said Rihanna has had a "groundbreaking career as an artist and musician." He also said she has been a "stellar public servant." He added that she shows "character, grace, and devotion to justice."

Rihanna's Business Ventures

Rihanna has also built a successful business empire. Her first perfume, Reb'l Fleur, was released in January 2011. It was a financial success. She later released other perfumes, including Rebelle in 2012 and Nude in 2012. Her fourth perfume, Rogue, came out in 2013.

In March 2015, Rihanna became a co-owner of the music streaming service Tidal. This service focuses on high-quality audio and music videos. Many other famous artists also co-own Tidal. In 2016, it was announced that Rihanna would release her music through her own label, Westbury Road Entertainment. This label was founded in 2005 and is named after her home in Barbados.

In November 2015, Rihanna launched a beauty and stylist agency called Fr8me. This business helps artists book commercials, photo shoots, and red-carpet appearances. Rihanna said, "Hair, makeup, and styling play an important role in creativity." She also opened a photo agency called "A Dog Ate My Homework."

Fenty Brands

Fenty was a fashion brand created by Rihanna under the luxury fashion group LVMH. It launched in May 2019. Rihanna was the first woman to create an original brand for LVMH. She was also the first woman of color to lead an LVMH brand. The brand included clothing, accessories, and shoes. It was the first new line LVMH had launched since 1987. Rihanna said she had a "unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits." Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rihanna and LVMH decided to pause the Fenty fashion house in February 2021. They chose to focus on her Savage X Fenty lingerie line instead.

Rihanna uses her last name, Fenty, for her businesses that are not related to her music. This helps keep her music and business careers separate.

Fenty Beauty

Rihanna in a promotional video for Fenty Beauty in 2018

In 2017, Rihanna launched her very popular cosmetics company, Fenty Beauty. It is part of LVMH's Kendo Brands. Rihanna owns 50 percent of Fenty Beauty. The company released its first products on September 8, 2017. They were available in over 150 countries. The products included many different shades of foundations, highlighters, and blush. The brand was praised for offering a wide range of shades for all skin colors. Time magazine named Fenty Beauty one of "The 25 Best Inventions of 2017." This was because of its diverse product range. Other cosmetic brands started to offer more shades after Fenty Beauty's success. This was called the "Fenty Effect."

Fenty Skin

In July 2020, Rihanna launched a skin care brand called Fenty Skin.

Fenty Hair

In June 2024, Rihanna launched a hair care brand called Fenty Hair. The products are made for all hair types, textures, and routines.

Other Projects

Rihanna at her Fenty X Puma fashion show in February 2016

Rihanna has also worked in other businesses and industries. In October 2005, she signed a deal with Secret Body Spray. In 2010, she appeared in commercials for Optus and Kodak. In October 2010, she released a photo book with pictures from her tour. In 2011, Rihanna was the face of Nivea and Vita Coco.

Her first TV show, Styled to Rock, started in the UK in August 2012. In this show, Rihanna helped new British designers with their clothing lines. The US version of Styled to Rock premiered in October 2013. In 2013, Rihanna worked with MAC Cosmetics to create her own makeup lines called "RiRi hearts MAC." In July 2013, Budweiser announced Rihanna was part of their "Made For Music" campaign.

Early in her career, Rihanna showed interest in fashion design. She said, "Fashion has always been my defense mechanism." In November 2011, Rihanna announced her first fashion project with Armani. In February 2013, she showed her first women's fashion collection at London Fashion Week for the British brand River Island. She worked with her stylist Adam Selman on this. They released three more collections for the brand. Rihanna then worked with other fashion houses, including Dior and Manolo Blahnik.

In March 2015, Rihanna became the new face of Dior. She was the first black woman to be the face of the brand.

In 2014, Rihanna became the creative director for the sportswear brand Puma. She oversaw the brand's women's line, including clothing and shoes. The next year, Rihanna released her first sneaker with Puma. It sold out online within three hours. Over the next two years, she released many other shoes that were very popular. In 2016, Rihanna showed her first clothing line with Puma at New York Fashion Week. Fashion critics loved the collection.

Acting Career

Rihanna at the Cannes Film Festival, May 2017

Rihanna first acted in a small role in the movie Bring It On: All or Nothing in August 2006. She starred as Petty Officer Cora Raikes in her first major film, Battleship, released in May 2012. The movie was based on the game of the same name. Critics had mixed feelings about the film and Rihanna's acting.

In 2015, Rihanna voiced the character Tip in the animated movie Home. She starred alongside Jim Parsons and Jennifer Lopez.

Rihanna played the role of Marion Crane in the TV series Bates Motel. The show received great reviews from critics. Rihanna also had a major role in the film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017). She was part of the all-female cast in the heist film Ocean's 8 (2018). This movie was a big success, earning $300 million worldwide.

In August 2018, it was reported that Rihanna was filming a secret project in Cuba called Guava Island with Donald Glover. The movie was released in April 2019. Rihanna will voice Smurfette in the 2025 Smurfs movie. It is set to be released in July 2025.

Charity Work

In 2006, Rihanna created her Believe Foundation to help children who are very sick. In 2007, she became an ambassador for the Cartier Love Charity Bracelet. Each celebrity ambassador supported a different charity. To help fight HIV/AIDS, Rihanna designed clothes for the H&M Fashion Against AIDS line in 2008.

In 2008, Rihanna performed charity concerts called A Girl's Night Out to benefit the Believe Foundation. These concerts were free for the public. Money from sponsors was donated to provide medical supplies, school supplies, and toys to children in need. In September 2008, Rihanna sang on the song "Just Stand Up!" with fifteen other female artists. They performed it live for the "Stand Up to Cancer" TV special. The money from the song went to cancer research.

Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) in 2012. She named it after her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. The foundation supports programs like the Clara Braithwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine in Barbados. It also supports education programs. The CLF holds an annual Diamond Ball charity event. The first event in 2014 raised over $2 million, and the second raised over $3 million.

In February 2012, Rihanna performed a benefit show to raise money for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In November 2012, Rihanna donated $100,000 to a food bank after Hurricane Sandy. In January 2014, Rihanna was part of the MAC Viva Glam campaign. This campaign helps women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS.

In March 2020, Rihanna donated $5 million for COVID-19 relief. She also donated personal protective equipment to New York and offered $700,000 worth of ventilators to Barbados. In April 2020, Rihanna donated another $2.1 million. This matched a donation from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The total of $4.2 million helped people and children suffering from domestic violence during lockdowns.

Personal Life

Rihanna in 2012

Rihanna owns a penthouse in Lower Manhattan. She also bought a house in West London in June 2018 to be closer to her work with her FENTY fashion label. In December 2018, Rihanna put her Hollywood Hills mansion up for sale after a break-in.

In 2017, Rihanna started dating Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel. They broke up in January 2020.

On May 19, 2021, American rapper ASAP Rocky confirmed that he and Rihanna were in a relationship. On January 31, 2022, it was announced that they were expecting their first child. On May 19, 2022, Rihanna gave birth to a son. On May 10, 2023, they revealed their son's name as RZA Athelaston Mayers. He was named after Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA. On February 12, 2023, during the Super Bowl LVII halftime show performance, Rihanna revealed she was pregnant with her second child. She was the first person to headline a Super Bowl halftime show while pregnant. On August 1, 2023, they welcomed their second son, named Riot Rose Mayers.

Awards and Achievements

As of September 2018, Rihanna has sold over 250 million records worldwide. This makes her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She has received many awards and honors. These include 9 Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, 13 American Music Awards, and 8 People's Choice Awards. Rihanna received the "Icon Award" at the 2013 American Music Awards. She also received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. She holds six Guinness World Records.

In the United States, Rihanna has sold over 10 million albums. She is also the best-selling digital artist in the country. She set a Guinness World Record for digital single sales of over 58 million by 2012. On July 1, 2015, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that Rihanna had over 100 million Gold and Platinum song certifications. This made her the first and only artist to reach this milestone. In the United Kingdom, she has sold over 7 million albums. This makes her the third best-selling female artist there this century.

Rihanna has had 14 number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This is the third most number-one songs in the chart's history. Billboard named her the top Mainstream Top 40 chart artist of the past twenty years. She has the most entries (36), most top tens (23), and most number-one songs (10) on that chart. As of March 2014, Rihanna had sold over 18 million singles and 6 million albums in the United Kingdom. She is the tenth best-selling and the second best-selling female singles artist in the UK, only behind Madonna. She is also second only to the Beatles for the most million-selling singles in the UK of all time. Her songs "Love the Way You Lie" (with Eminem), "Umbrella", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds" are among the best-selling singles of all time.