A young girl who left a small island to pursue a dream that didn’t just change her life, but defined a generation, inspired and transformed the trajectory of pop stars and producers by changing the game and dominating an era. Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a household name, the phenomenon of this music legend and ultimate popstar captivated America 20 years ago. Originating from Barbados, she emerged as a formidable presence in the music industry, leading her devoted fanbase, known as the Navy, to become a defining force in the industry. Through her music, we have witnessed Rihanna’s profound influence as she shaped the cultural landscape of a nation.
Within her albums, we find ourselves asking: Did Rihanna shape the phases of girlhood? As a country, we have become captivated by her journey, eagerly following every detail through her album releases. Her vulnerability has resonated with the quintessential girlhood experience, allowing us to immerse ourselves in our love for dancing, embrace the possibilities of the future, embark on romantic adventures, deal with heartbreaks, challenge societal norms, and celebrate our authenticity and sexuality; to indulging in bottomless drinks resulting in sleepless nights from the endless parties and adventures; to fully embracing our womanhood or individuality.
Imagine having a famous celebrity interview where you express your desire to be remembered with the words, “I want to be remembered like Rihanna— remembered as an artist from the Caribbean who came here and made it internationally.” Rihanna herself has said, before knowing that she would be recognized as one of the biggest artists of all time, globally. Rihanna’s incredible talent is a true masterpiece, captivating audiences across the nation and establishing her as the greatest star of the 21st century. She has accomplished what many artists only dream of: becoming the best-selling digital artist and one of the best-selling artists of all time.
To highlight her impressive achievements, she holds the record for the most number-one hits of the century by any artist, is recognized as the highest certified female artist of all time, and has the most diamond singles among female artists. Additionally, she is the best-selling black female artist of all time, the fastest and youngest artist in history to achieve 10 number-one hits, and holds the longest charting album record by a black female artist. Not to mention her influence on the fashion industry as a global icon, she has established herself as a talented actress, starring in seven movies.
Her influential ethereal aura cannot be replicated or duplicated, and for sure cannot be imitated. Rihanna also made history as the first artist to reach 2 billion streams on Apple Music and has surpassed 100 billion streams across various streaming platforms. From her albums of shaping the girlhood experience, she has won 9 Grammy Awards, 13 American Music including the Global Icon Award, 12 Billboard Music Awards, Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and much more. Rihanna has shown the world that she is the world’s wildest dream come true. Together, let’s explore how each Rihanna album has significantly marked history as we witness the impact of the first self-made female musician billionaire.
Rihanna’s debut album, Music of The Sun, reached the top 10 in Canada and the US. It was propelled by the smash hit “Pon De Replay,” which secured a position in the top 5 in several countries, including the UK, the US, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. This album delves into young love and the vibrant summer atmosphere of partying with our peers. This led her to becoming the nation’s enchanting dance floor princess.
Rihanna’s second album, A Girl Like Me, reached the top five on the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Chart. This album is the seventh most-streamed female album released in 2006 and spent 45 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The opening track, ‘SOS’, showcases her duality as both a dance floor queen and a lovestruck teenager who fears losing herself in love yet pursues it without regrets. Her ballad ‘Unfaithful’ captured the nation’s attention by exploring her own romantic infidelity, challenging the traditional role of a heartbreak victim in a love story gone wrong.
Her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, reached number 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the charts in the UK and Canada. The album featured the international hit “Umbrella,” which peaked at number 1 on the US Hot 100 and in 19 other countries. This song won her first Grammy Award and helped her transform into the global superstar she was destined to be. With ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ , ‘Disturbia’, ‘Take a Bow’, ‘Shut Up and Drive’, ‘Rehab’, ‘ Hate That I Love You’, and ‘Breakin Dishes’, Rihanna demonstrated that she was not your average superstar. This album changed the music industry with its timeless classics, showcasing a genre-agnosticism that was decades ahead of the pop landscape with a new wave of Rock ‘N’ Roll. Hinting at the dawn of a new era- she embraces the thrill of partying, rebellion, and the dangers of love.
Her infamous fourth album was described as a weird rebirth by Rihanna as she stunned fans with hits like ‘Rude Boy’, ‘Te Amo’ ‘Russian Roulette’, ‘and Hard’. Channelling Janet Jackson’s era of Control, the “bad gal” persona has fully emerged in Rihanna with this album as she reveals the raw emotions of faith, freedom, revenge, and the development of a rock-hard exterior. The album is certified 2x Platinum in both the US and the UK, signaling to the world that Rihanna’s reign is far from over. As she redefined her artistic identity and reclaimed her narrative, she offered us a glimpse into her rebel era while still embracing her flirtatious personality. She boldly dismissed critics’ opinions without a second thought as she dominated the fashion and music industry establishing herself as a generational talent.
Rihanna makes a striking return to her fans with her album Loud, showcasing a bright and vibrant sound that embodies liberation as she played with the 2010s EDM revival once again. She establishes herself as the only girl in the world who the nation couldn’t take its eyes off. Rihanna proudly embraces her Bajan roots in songs like ‘What’s My Name’ and ‘Man Down’. In the album opener S&M, she explores the vulnerability of discovering her sexual pleasures, while her seductive vocals on ‘Skin’ exude confidence. Throughout the album, she maintains her reputation as the music industry’s most fun party girl. With anthems like ‘Cheers (Drink to That)’ and ‘Raining Men’, she demonstrates her love for a good party and her appeal being undeniably irresistible to a variety of suitors. While still keeping her dreamy eye pursuit for love alive with ‘California King Bed’, she continued to play with genres gracefully.
The hopeless romantic era of Rihanna was displayed throughout this album and transformed the music scene. With hits like ‘You Da One’, the second single from the album peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. It charted for 20 weeks and was certified 2x Platinum in the US. From ‘Birthday Cake’, ‘Roc Me Out’, and ‘Cockiness (Love It)’, she reminded fans that she was still the infamous bad gal that the world yearned for. ‘However, songs like ‘We Found Love’ and ‘Where Have You Been’ proved to the world that she was a fearless star who thrives by pivoting between genres.
As a fashion icon and global sensation, this album lives up to its title—unapologetic. Surpassing 5 billion streams on Spotify, her seventh album explores the complexities of navigating media scrutiny and public perception. True to her Pisces nature, she shines bright like a diamond, delivering several hits. The album features melancholic ballads that reveal her raw emotion in songs like ‘Stay’ and ‘What Now’, where she searches for answers in her life and reflects on the self-awareness gained from her celebrity status. From the strip club anthems ‘Pour It Up’ the fashion-forward aura of ‘Phresh Out The Runway’, she showcases her sex appeal paired with edgy charm. Showing the world how she has prevailed despite any obstacle thrown her way.
While Rihanna released countless hits, including singles like ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’, FourFiveSeconds, and ‘American Oxygen’, the world was left in awe and eager to hear more music. Fans were left wondering: when will another album grace our ears? With the release of her eighth album, ANTI, became her second number one album on the Billboard 200, following Unapologetic, thanks to the instant hit ‘Work,’ which topped the Hot 100 chart. As she brought R&B back to the forefront of her sound, ANTI emerged as the most streamed female album of 2016. With hits like ‘Kiss It Better‘, ‘Higher’, ‘Needed Me’, ‘Sex with Me’, ‘Love on the Brain’ and ‘Yeah, I Said It’, this album set its own standard, shattered expectations, and echoed themes of relationships and freedom, reflecting her embrace of womanhood.
Rihanna has made significant strides as an artist and is widely regarded as the biggest hitmaker of our generation. Beyond her musical talent, she is a successful entrepreneur with her brands, including Fenty Beauty, Fenty Hair, Fenty Skin, Fenty Fragrance, and her Savage X Fenty brands. These ventures have contributed to her status as the wealthiest female musician.
No one can win against Rihanna- Her music is unparalleled, and her fashion sense remains the most influential of our generation.
Additionally, the superstar is a philanthropist through her Clara Lionel Foundation, a humanitarian organization that supports community-driven solutions to strengthen resilience in the face of climate challenges in both the Caribbean, East Africa, and the United States. In recognition of her philanthropic efforts, she was declared a national hero by Barbados in 2021 and was appointed as an ambassador for the country to promote education, investment, and tourism.
So, I will ask one more time: Has Rihanna embodied the essence of girlhood through her music? The answer is yes. Rihanna has not only shaped every facet of girlhood through her music but has also become a motivational embodiment of resilience and empowerment. As she celebrates her 20th anniversary in music, she invites the Navy gang and fellow fans to indulge in special merchandise, which includes vinyl records of her albums and various collectible souvenirs. We will be sure to get every vinyl copy of her musical masterpieces!
Will there be an album or tour in the future for this superstar? Time will only tell, but we are eager to see her continue her legacy on and off the stage.