Portrait · U.S. Embassy Bridgetown / Public domain

Rihanna

Singer, songwriter, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist

Born 1988

Rihanna is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose Caribbean-rooted debut grew into one of the defining pop careers of the 21st century. After Pon de Replay introduced her in 2005, SOS, Umbrella, Disturbia, Rude Boy, Only Girl (In the World), We Found Love, Diamonds and Work traced an unusually agile path through dancehall, R&B, dance-pop and electronic music. Her eighth album, ANTI, pushed that catalogue toward a looser, more intimate sound and produced Work, Needed Me and Love on the Brain. Beyond recording, she has acted in Battleship, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Ocean's 8, headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, and earned her first Academy Award nomination for Lift Me Up. Rihanna founded Clara Lionel Foundation and built Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, Fenty Hair and Fenty Fragrance around an inclusive beauty brief; she also co-founded Savage X Fenty. Barbados appointed her Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in 2018 and named her its 11th National Hero in 2021. In 2025 she voiced and produced Smurfs, released Friend of Mine, marked 20 years since Music of the Sun, and welcomed a daughter with her partner A$AP Rocky. Her 2026 public work included new Fenty launches and the Edison Achievement Award while she continued to describe music as an active creative priority rather than announce an unsupported album date.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

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Connected people

ConnectionA$AP RockyPartner, co-parent and creative collaborator across fashion and Fenty projects.

ConnectionJay-ZEarly Def Jam advocate and collaborator on Umbrella, Talk That Talk and Run This Town.

ConnectionCalvin HarrisProducer and co-performer on We Found Love and This Is What You Came For.

Official records · wins and honours

Awards & Honours

Selected recognition linked to the awarding organisation or primary record.

2026
Edison AwardsIndustry honor
Edison Achievement Award
Rihanna
Official record
2021
Government of BarbadosIndustry honor
National Hero of Barbados
Rihanna
Official record
2018
Recording AcademyCompetitive win
Best Rap/Sung Performance
Loyalty
Official record
2017
Harvard FoundationIndustry honor
Humanitarian of the Year
Rihanna
Official record
2014
Recording AcademyCompetitive win
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Unapologetic
Official record
2013
Recording AcademyCompetitive win
Best Short Form Music Video
We Found Love
Official record
2011
Recording AcademyCompetitive win
Best Dance Recording
Only Girl (In the World)
Official record
2010
Recording AcademyCompetitive win
Best Rap Song
Run This Town
Official record
2008
Recording AcademyCompetitive win
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Umbrella
Official record

Edison Achievement Award

National Hero of Barbados

Best Rap/Sung Performance

Humanitarian of the Year

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Best Short Form Music Video

Best Dance Recording

Best Rap Song

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration