Rihanna, also known as Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born in Saint Michael, Barbados on February 20, 1988. She was raised in Bridgetown, Barbados. She is the daughter of accountant Monica and warehouse supervisor Ronald Fenty. She lived in a three-bedroom bungalow in Bridgetown and sold clothes with her father in a stall.
Her parents are both from the Caribbean, her mother is an Afro-Guyanese and her father is a Barbadian. Rihanna has two brothers, Rorrey and Rajad Fenty, and two half-sisters and a half-brother from her father's side. Each of them was born to different mothers from previous relationships.
Her childhood was deeply affected by her father's alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction, which contributed to the strain in her parents' marriage. Rihanna's father used to abuse her mother physically, and she would try to get in between them to break up the fight.
How did Rihanna become famous?
Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers, who invited her to record demo tapes in the United States. After signing with Def Jam in 2005, she quickly gained recognition with the release of her first two studio albums, Music of the Sun in 2005 and A Girl Like Me in 2006. Both of these albums were influenced by Caribbean music and peaked within the top ten.
In 2007, Rihanna's third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, included elements of dance-pop and made her a sex symbol in the music business. Rihanna won her first Grammy Award with the song “Umbrella,” which became a worldwide hit. Her next studio albums, Rated R in 2009, Loud in 2010, Talk That Talk in 2011, and Unapologetic in 2012, were mixed pop, dance, and R&B genres, the latter of which became her first Billboard 200 number one.
Numerous chart-topping singles were released on the albums, including “Rude Boy”, “Only Girl (In the World)”, “What's My Name?”, “S&M”, “We Found Love”, “Where Have You Been”, and “Diamonds”. Following her exit from Def Jam, her eighth album, Anti, showcased a new creative control. “Work” became her second US number one album and the single went to the top of the charts. Over the course of her musical career, Rihanna has collaborated with many artists, such as Drake, Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Ne-Yo, and Shakira.
Rihanna has sold over 250 million records worldwide, making her the second-best-selling female music artist of all time. She has had 14 number-one singles and 31 top-ten singles in the US and 30 top-ten singles in the UK. Her accomplishments include nine Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards including the Icon Award, 12 Billboard Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, and the NAACP's President's Award.
Time Magazine ranked her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2018. She was ranked among the top ten highest-paid celebrities by Forbes in 2014. She is estimated to have a net worth of $1.4 billion by 2022, making her the wealthiest female musician.
Aside from her music career, Rihanna is known for her involvement in humanitarian causes, her fashion business, and her entrepreneurial ventures. She is the first black woman to head a luxury brand for LVMH, having founded the nonprofit organization Clara Lionel Foundation, cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, and fashion house Fenty under LVMH.
Rihanna has also taken on acting roles, appearing in major roles in Battleship in 2012, Home in 2015, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in 2017, and Oceans 8 in 2018. She was made a National Hero of Barbados on the first day of the country's parliamentary republic in 2021, and was given the title of “The Right Excellent” for life.
FAQs about Rihanna
Q. How old is Rihanna?
A. Rihanna was born on February 20, 1988. She is currently 34 years old.
Q. How tall is Rihanna?
A. Rihanna is approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall.
Q. How much is Rihanna net worth?
A. According to Forbes, A. Rihanna’s net worth as of 2023 is $1.7 billion.
Q. Who is Rihanna currently dating?
A. Rihanna is currently dating rapper ASAP Rocky.
Q. What is Rihanna’s child’s name?
A. Rihanna has not publicly disclosed her child’s name.
Q. Where is Rihanna from?
A. Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados.
