Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun (2005), featuring the Billboard Hot 100 top three hit single "Pon de Replay", peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart. Her second album, A Girl Like Me (2006), peaked at number five in the US, and included her first Hot 100 number one single, "SOS". Her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), spawned the international hits "Umbrella", "Don't Stop the Music", "Take a Bow", and "Disturbia". The album was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella". Her fourth album, Rated R (2009), produced the top ten singles "Russian Roulette" and "Hard", plus the number one hit "Rude Boy". Her fifth, Loud (2010), spawned the number one hits "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?", and "S&M". Her sixth album, Talk That Talk (2011), included the worldwide chart topper "We Found Love" and the top five single "Where Have You Been". Rihanna's seventh album, Unapologetic (2012), became her first number one album on the Billboard 200 and generated her twelfth Hot 100 number one song "Diamonds" and the top five hit "Stay". In addition to her solo work, Rihanna has collaborated with numerous other artists, including being featured on the worldwide hits "Live Your Life" (with T.I.) and "Love the Way You Lie" (with Eminem).
Rihanna's work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including six Grammy Awards,[A] five American Music Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide,[5] which makes her one of the best-selling artists of all time.[6] She has achieved twelve number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the youngest solo artist to achieve the feat. Billboard named her the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade, ranking her seventeenth overall.[7][8] In 2012, Forbes named her as the fourth most powerful celebrity of 2012, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012. The same year, TIME named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Early life
Career
2003–04: Career beginnings
Rihanna's career began through her association with American record producers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers; she met Rogers through mutual friends in Barbados in December 2003.[19] Rogers asked Rihanna to come to his hotel room, where she performed renditions of the songs "Emotion" and "Hero".[19] This impressed Rogers, who then took Rihanna and her mother to New York to record some demo tapes.[19][20] Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and Sturken's production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions, which assigned her a lawyer and manager. Her demo tape was distributed to record labels around the world in 2004.[20] In February 2005, Rihanna auditioned for president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings Jay-Z and industry executive L.A. Reid, performing Whitney Houston's version of "For the Love of You" and the original songs "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time".[20][21] That same day, Rihanna signed a six-album record deal with Def Jam Recordings, and she later moved to New York to live with Rogers and his wife.[20][22]2005–06: Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me
A month after the release of her debut album, Rihanna began working on her second studio album.[29] Rogers, Sturken, Stargate, J. R. Rotem and label-mate singer-songwriter Ne-Yo worked on the production of the album.[30] A Girl Like Me was released in April 2006.[31] Critical response to the album was mixed; Rolling Stone commented, "Like her filler-packed debut album, this similar but superior follow-up doesn't deliver anything else as ingenious as its lead single."[32] The album was a commercial success, charting in the top ten in thirteen countries. The album reached number one in Canada and number five in the UK and US, where it sold 115,000 copies its first week.[26][33] Its lead single, "SOS", was an international success, charting in the top five in eleven countries, including Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in Australia, her first to reach this chart position.[34] "Unfaithful", the album's second single, reached the top ten in eighteen countries, including number one in Canada and Switzerland.[35] "We Ride" and "Break It Off", the latter featuring Sean Paul, were also released as singles.[36][37] Following the release of the album, Rihanna embarked on her first headlining tour, the Rihanna: Live in Concert Tour, also performing alongside Jay-Z and Ne-Yo on the Rock Tha Block Tour. In addition, she joined The Pussycat Dolls on their PCD World Tour.
2007–10: Good Girl Gone Bad and Rated R
Throughout 2008, Rihanna performed on the Glow in the Dark Tour alongside Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D.[48] Her third album's reissue, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, was released in June 2008 with three new songs: "Disturbia", "Take a Bow", and the Maroon 5 duet "If I Never See Your Face Again". All three were released as singles and charted highly, reaching peak positions worldwide.[49][50][51] In August 2008, Rihanna and a host of other female singers, including Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, and Mariah Carey, recorded the charity single "Just Stand Up!", the theme song to the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer.[52] "Live Your Life", a duet between T.I. and Rihanna, released that November, peaked in the top ten in thirteen countries worldwide, topping the Billboard Hot 100.
In July 2009, Rihanna collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West on "Run This Town", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, number one in the UK, and reached the top ten in ten other countries.[55] Her fourth studio album, Rated R, was released in November 2009.[56] Critical response was favorable; Rolling Stone stated that Rihanna "transformed her sound and made one of the best pop records of the year".[57] The album's lead single, "Russian Roulette", was a commercial success, reaching number one in Norway and Switzerland and making the top ten in sixteen other countries.[58] This was followed by the release of "Hard" with Young Jeezy and "Rude Boy". The latter was the biggest worldwide success from the album, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and reaching top ten positions in twenty-two other countries.[59][60] Two other singles were released from the album: "Rockstar 101" with Slash and "Te Amo".[61][62] Rated R: Remixed was released in the spring of 2010 and featured ten tracks remixed by Chew Fu.[63] To promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her second worldwide tour, the Last Girl on Earth Tour.[64] At the 52nd Grammy Awards, "Run This Town" won Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.[65]
2010–11: Loud and Talk That Talk
In summer 2010, Rihanna collaborated with rapper Eminem on "Love the Way You Lie", which was a major worldwide success, reaching number one in over twenty countries.[66] The song was Rihanna's seventh US number one of her career, making her the female artist with the fifth-most number ones in the chart's history.[67] Reaching number two, the song became the biggest-selling song of 2010 in the UK, and the first of Rihanna's singles to sell over one million copies in the country.[68][69] She also lent her vocals to "All of the Lights", a single from Kanye West's album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, alongside John Legend, The-Dream, Elly Jackson, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Kid Cudi, and Elton John.[70] In October 2010, Rihanna switched managers, joining Jay-Z's Roc Nation Management.[71]
In February 2011, "Only Girl (In the World)" won the award for Best Dance Recording at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[82] In June 2011, Rihanna embarked on the Loud Tour, which sold out ten nights at the The O2 Arena in London, the most sold out shows for a female artist in the venue's history.[83][84] The tour was the seventh highest grossing tour worldwide of 2011.[85] The final three shows in London in December 2011 were filmed for Rihanna's second live video album, entitled Loud Tour Live at the O2, which was released on December 18, 2012.[86][87] In October 2011, Nicki Minaj released the collaboration "Fly", featuring Rihanna. The song peaked within the top twenty in the US and UK.[88][89]
Rihanna's sixth album, Talk That Talk, was released in November 2011.[90] The lead single, "We Found Love", topped charts in twenty-five countries worldwide, peaking in the top ten in thirty countries and breaking many records worldwide.[91] It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, becoming Rihanna's longest-running number one single and the longest-running number one of 2011.[92][93] "You Da One" and the titular track featuring Jay-Z were released as the second and third singles from the album to moderate success, the former reaching the top twenty in the UK and US.[94][95] "Where Have You Been", the fifth single, successfully charted worldwide, reaching number five in the US and six in the UK.[96][97] "Cockiness (Love It)" was released as the album's sixth and final single in a remixed form featuring rapper ASAP Rocky.[98]
2012–present: Unapologetic
Rihanna's seventh studio album, Unapologetic, was released in November 2012.[105] In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of 238,000, marking Rihanna's first number one album in the country. In addition, it was the best-selling debut week of her career, besting her fifth studio album Loud (2010).[106] The album was Rihanna's third consecutive number one album in the United Kingdom and fifth in Switzerland.[107][108] The lead single from the album, "Diamonds", reached number one in more than twenty countries worldwide, including on the US Billboard Hot 100.[109] The album's second single, "Stay", featuring Mikky Ekko, reached the top five in over twenty countries, including number three on the Billboard Hot 100.[110] "Pour It Up" was released as the second US single and third overall, reaching number 19 on the Hot 100. An official remix featuring American rappers Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Juicy J, and T.I. was later distributed.[111] "Right Now" featuring David Guetta serves as the fourth official single from the album. As promotion prior to the album's release, Rihanna embarked on the 777 Tour, a mini tour of seven shows in seven countries in seven days.[112] A documentary DVD of the tour was later released.
In February 2013 at the 55th Grammy Awards, Rihanna won her sixth Grammy Award, in the category Best Short Form Music Video for "We Found Love" (2011).[113] Also that month, the Official Charts Company announced that Rihanna had sold 3,868,000 records in the past year in the UK alone, ranking at number one in the list of 2013 BRIT Awards artist nominees.[107] Rihanna's fifth headlining concert tour, the "Diamonds World Tour", began in March 2013 in support of Unapologetic.[114] On June 3, 2013, American hip hop artist Wale released a remixed version of his single "Bad" featuring Rihanna.[115]
Artistry
Music and voice
 |
"Pon de Replay"
is infused with a reggae style using a mixture of dance-pop and
R&B. Lyrically, the song is about Rihanna asking the DJ to play her
favorite song repeatedly.
|
| Problems playing these files? See media help. | |
With Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), she took a different direction from the dancehall influence of her previous efforts with uptempo songs.[131] "[At] this stage I feel like I want to do a lot of uptempo [songs] ... but still be soulful at the same time", she said.[39] She worked with new producers on the album, including Timbaland, Sean Garrett, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, who produced the international hit "Umbrella", a major breakthrough.[132] Rihanna again entered a new musical and lyrical direction with Rated R, departing from her previous up-tempo and dance-pop style with elements of hip hop, rock, dubstep, and dancehall.[133] Recorded after the assault by her then-boyfriend, Chris Brown, the album had a much darker tone and was filled with various emotions she experienced throughout 2009.[133] She continued to reinvent her music and sound with Loud (2010). She wanted to have more fun with her music and image while experimenting with new material. "With Loud, I got a bit more rebellious and did whatever I wanted to do. I reinvented my image and took creative control", she said.[134] Unlike Rated R, Loud reflects the sassy, fun, flirty, and energetic attitude she had while recording the album.[135] The album is a mixture of ballads, party anthems, and empowering love songs with elements of up-tempo and pop genres, ranging from dance-pop to R&B.[136] Described as "a sexy, sexual record", Talk That Talk (2011) was similar to Rated R, as both contain hip hop, R&B, dancehall, and dubstep genres.[137] Loud and Talk That Talk also saw her return to her dancehall roots, evident in the tracks like "Man Down" and "Watch n' Learn".[138]
Influences
 |
 |
|
|
Madonna (left) and Bob Marley (right) are two of Rihanna's biggest influences.
|
||
Rihanna's music contains strong influences of Caribbean music, including reggae and dancehall.[155] The video for "Rude Boy" was inspired by her Caribbean roots.[155] She stated that while growing up in Barbados she listened to reggae music, and when she came to the United States she was exposed to many different types of music.[156] Rihanna is heavily influenced by the Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley. She stated, "[h]e's one of my favorite artists of all time [...] he really paved the way for every other artist out of the Caribbean".[157] She built a shrine in her Los Angeles home dedicated to Marley.[158] Rihanna has covered Marley's "Is This Love" and Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Redemption Song".[159]
Videos and stage
In 2011, Rihanna released three controversial music videos about sadomasochism, rape, and domestic violence. The video for "S&M" was banned in eleven countries for its sexual content.[164] "Man Down", which features Rihanna shooting a man in a train station, was criticized by the Parents Television Council.[165] "We Found Love", which shows Rihanna and her love interest in a drug-filled unhealthy relationship,[163] sparked criticism from the Rape Crisis Centre for its inappropriate message.[166] Charne Graham of the Houston Press stated, "Why should Rihanna's music videos get everyone riled up when others' equally sexual and controversial videos are in rotation?" He added, "she just like to make music videos that give us something to talk about".[167] Rihanna is the first woman to pass two billion cumulative views on the music video website VEVO.[168]
Denis Armstrong of Canadian Online Explorer commented on her performance at the Ottawa Bluesfest, saying "her show was a Disney-esque choreographed fantasy of non-stop hip-swiveling, sassy attitude and personal endearments and a string of funky, sugar-free hits."[118] Her performance of "Disturbia" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards was ranked tenth best on the MTV Video Music Awards, according to a Billboard poll.[169] Her revealing leather costumes during her Good Girl Gone Bad Tour were highly criticized by Malaysia's conservative Islamic party, who recommended that her concert tour should be banned.[170] Whilst commenting on her third album's accompanying tour, The Times compared Rihanna's stage wardrobe styling to that of Janet Jackson and called her "a vision of Ann Summers couture in thigh-high boots and a few scraps of black PVC."[171] In the October 2011 issue of British Vogue, Rihanna said her performance outfits and appearances are all an act; "[t]hat’s not me. That’s a part I play. You know, like it’s a piece of art, with all these toys and textures to play with".[172]
Public image
Rihanna is known for reinventing her style and image with every album, changing her personal appearance with several different hairstyles.[183][184] She said she likes to takes risks with fashion and looks "for the most interesting silhouette or something that's a little off."[185] Country singer Miranda Lambert admires Rihanna's fashion and style. "I don’t necessarily get inspired by the whole no-bra thing, but I love that you never know what she’s going to wear. It always keeps you guessing, which makes her sassy and interesting."[186] Jess Cartner-Morley of The Guardian wrote that "Rihanna's wardrobe is the most talked-about, influential and dissected in pop right now" and that whatever she wears "is immediately reproduced on the high street, because it sells".[187] Her appearance has landed her on Maxim's Hot 100 list and on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World" the last seven years, with her highest position being at number six on Maxim and at number two on FHM.[188][189] In June 2007, Gillette named her the Venus Breeze's Celebrity Legs of a Goddess.[190] People magazine recognized her as one of the 10 Best Dressed Stars of 2008 and Glamour magazine ranked her at number 17 on the 50 Most Glamorous Women of 2009.[191][192] In October 2011, Esquire declared Rihanna as the Sexiest Woman Alive for 2011.[193] Commenting on the cultural expectation for pop stars to be role models, she said "[being a role model] became more of my job than I wanted it to be. But no, I just want to make music. That's it".[172] In a May 2013 interview with MTV, The Vagina Monologues writer and feminist Eve Ensler praised the singer, saying, "I'm a huge Rihanna fan, I think she has a kind of agency over her sexuality and she's open about her sexuality, she has enormous grace and she's immensely talented." She added, "I think what she's an example of is if you look at the fully realised Rihanna and her full, beautiful sexual self and you see how often we've been told not to be that: to shut it down, to mute it, to pull it back, to hide it, to cover it up, to tone it down, not to be so, you know."[194]
She has a collection of small tattoos: a music note on her ankle, a pisces sign behind her right ear, a Sanskrit prayer on her hip, a star in her left ear, the word "Love" on her left middle finger, the phrase "Freedom in Messiah" in Arabic on her ribcage, a trail of stars going down the back of her neck, a skull with a pink hair bow on the back of her foot, the word "Shhh..." on her right index finger, the date 4.11.1986 in roman numerals on top of her left shoulder, a henna-style dragon claw on her hand, a handgun on her ribcage, the motto "never a failure, always a lesson" near her right shoulder, a rebelle fleur on her neck, the words "Thug Life" on her knuckles, a small cross on her collar bone, an Egyptian falcon shaped like a gun on her right foot, and a goddess isis above her stomach.[195]
Legacy and influence
Rihanna has sold over 100 million records worldwide,[5] making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.[6] In the United States, Rihanna has sold over 9.8 million albums,[53] while Nielsen SoundScan ranked her as the best-selling digital artist in the country, breaking a Guinness World Record for digital single sales of over 58 million as of 2012.[207][208][209] She has released six Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified platinum and multi-platinum albums in the United States.[210] Her collaboration with Eminem, "Love the Way You Lie", together with "Umbrella", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds", are some of the best-selling singles of all time worldwide. The singer has accumulated twelve number one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart,[211] tied with Madonna and The Supremes for fourth place, as the artists with the fifth-most number ones in the chart's history.[211] She has been named the top Pop Songs chart artist of the past twenty years by Billboard; she ranks first with most entries (36), most top tens (23), and most number ones (10).[212] As of June 2012, Rihanna has sold over 14 million singles and six million albums in the United Kingdom.[213] She is the tenth best-selling[214] and the second best-selling female singles artist in the country, only behind Madonna.[215]
Rihanna has directly influenced artists such as Justin Bieber,[216] Ellie Goulding,[217] Demi Lovato,[218] and Willow Smith.[219] Rihanna has an honorary title of Ambassador for Culture and Youth in Barbados.[220] Additionally, Rihanna has become a dominating figure in social media and internet streaming. She is the most popular person on the social network Facebook,[221] has the fourth most followers on Twitter, and is the most-viewed and subscribed recording artist on YouTube.[222] On March 7, 2013, Spotify announced that Rihanna is the most streamed artist worldwide.[223]
Other ventures
Rihanna has ventured into other businesses and industries. In October 2005, Rihanna struck an endorsement deal (her first of many) with Secret Body Spray.[224] In 2006, she created her Believe Foundation to help terminally ill children.[225][226] Rihanna made her acting debut in a cameo role in the straight-to-DVD film Bring It On: All or Nothing, released in August 2006.[227] To help raise awareness and combat HIV/AIDS, Rihanna and other public figures designed clothing for the February 2008 H&M Fashion Against AIDS line.[228][229] In October 2010, the singer released an eponymous book.[230] Rihanna's first fragrance, "Reb'l Fleur", was released on January 2011.[231] The singer's first fashion range, for Armani, became available in November 2011.[232] Rihanna starred as Petty Officer (GM2) Cora Raikes in her first theatrical feature film Battleship, which was released on May 18, 2012.[233] Loosely based on the game of the same name, the film and Rihanna's performance both received mixed-to-negative reviews; The New York Times said she was "just fine in the rather generic role".[234] She received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress[235] and, on a more positive note, a Teen Choice Award.[236] She appeared in Katy Perry: Part of Me, a 3D documentary-concert film about singer Katy Perry.
Personal life
On February 8, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the 51st Grammy Awards was cancelled.[248] Reports later surfaced regarding an altercation with then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, who was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.[249] On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats.[250] Due to a leaked photograph from the Los Angeles Police Department obtained by TMZ.com—which revealed that Rihanna had sustained visible injuries—an organization known as STOParazzi proposed "Rihanna's Law," which, if enacted, would "deter employees of law enforcement agencies from releasing photos or information that exploits crime victims."[251] Gil Kaufman of VH1 reported the "nonstop coverage of the Rihanna/Brown case has brought up a number of issues regarding the privacy of alleged victims of domestic violence, including the decision by almost all major news outlets to divulge the identity of the victim—which is not typically done in domestic-violence cases" and discussed the controversial distribution of the leaked photograph.[252] Rihanna was subpoenaed to testify during a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on June 22, 2009.[253] On June 22, 2009, Brown pled guilty to felony assault. Brown received five years probation and was ordered to stay fifty yards (48 meters) away from Rihanna, unless at public events, which then would be reduced to ten yards (nine meters).[254] In February 2011, at the request of Brown's lawyer and with Rihanna's consent, Judge Patricia Schnegg modified with the restraining order to a "level one order," which allows the singers to appear at awards shows together in the future.[255][256] From December 2010 to 2011, Rihanna dated Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Matt Kemp.[257] Canadian rapper Drake has also admitted to dating the singer.[258]In a January 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Rihanna confirmed that she had rekindled her relationship with Chris Brown,[259] though he remained under probation for the 2009 domestic violence incident.[260] The confirmation followed persistent media speculation throughout 2012 regarding the pair's reunion.[261][262] In a May 2013 interview, Brown stated that he and Rihanna had broken up again.[263]
Discography
Main articles: Rihanna discography and List of songs recorded by Rihanna
- Music of the Sun (2005)
- A Girl like Me (2006)
- Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) & Reloaded (2008)
- Rated R (2009)
- Loud (2010)
- Talk That Talk (2011)
- Unapologetic (2012)
Articles
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire