Rihanna has always been seen as the ultimate walking mood board. Her effortless ability to pull off any style is cemented in pop culture, and now she’s adding a new look to her vault: The Tiny Weeny Afro (TWA). We first saw the reveal after a fan posted a photo of Rihanna sporting a bleached cut that instantly broke the internet.
Just when we thought we knew all of Rihanna’s style secrets, the Fenty CEO surprised us yet again. She debuted her TWA during her Fenty Hair event in Los Angeles, and her coils popped through each photo and video, leaving us in awe. It’s clear that Rihanna has added a new look to everyone’s inspiration board, and we can’t get enough. “I would say the most iconic hair era for me [is] definitely short black pixie,” Rihanna tells ESSENCE.
The “Diamonds” singer announced her new business venture, Fenty Hair, on June 4, 2024, by debuting a sleek pixie cut on Instagram that stirred up the comments and the timeline. “You know how much switching my hair up matters to me,” she captioned on Instagram. “I’ve had almost every texture, color, length, from weaves to braids to natural- so I am launching a flexible line of products for not only every hair want, but every single product is designed to strengthen and repair all types of hair, which is what we truly need! It’s time to play and get stronger by the style.”
Read ‘The Organic Treatments And Hair Care Sworn By A Caribbean Hair Stylist’
By debuting this new style, we can see her hair transformation in real time. “We have been waiting to do this for such a long time,” she says. “To see the reception and the excitement before people even meet the products, that’s what we want.”
The line officially launched on June 13, 2024, and includes various products, from curl-defining cream to protectant stylers. To perfect her new TWA look, she used the curl-defining cream and edge control that lets us see the definition and moisture of her curls. “Hair has been a huge part of the storytelling and I just use me as an example,” she tells ESSENCE.
Rihanna’s no stranger to experimenting with her look, from the infamous pixie to her bright red era. This new hair chapter shows us the ultimate throughline: the hair’s health. “I needed [the products] to repair and strengthen hair no matter what because I don’t need to go bald just trying to be cute,” she says.
Read ‘GU Jams: What We Learned From Normani’s ‘Dopamine’ Debut’
About the Author: Kenyatta Victoria is the lead writer for Essence GU, working on all things pop culture, politics, entertainment and business. Throughout her time at GU, she’s garnered devoted readers and specializes in the Zillennial point of view.