Chart-topping R&B Barbados beauty Rihanna may rule the radio, but how much do you know about this Caribbean crooner? Check out these Rihanna Fun Facts to find out more about her!
Did You Know...
- Rihanna is actually her middle name, her full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.
- She was born in Saint Michael, Barbados on February 20, 1988.
- Her mother Monica Braithwaite, originally from Guyana, is a retired accountant and her dad, Ronald Fenty is a warehouse supervisor.
- She has two younger brothers, Rorrey and Rajad.
- She also has two half brothers and a half sister on her father’s side of the family.
- She began singing when she was just 7 years old!
- Rihanna was a military cadet during high school.
- She used to sell clothing with her dad at a street stall.
- While in high school she formed a singing group with two other girls.
- During her childhood her father struggled with addiction, and her parents divorced when she was 14 years old.
- Her voice is a “Mezzo-Soprano” that covers three octaves.
- She claims mega-star Madonna is a huge influence on her, as well as Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Beyonce.
- Her signature musical style reflects her Caribbean heritage, it blends reggae, dancehall with R&B.
- Rihanna was discovered by an American music producer who met her through a friend while on vacation in her home country, and performed renditions of “Emotion” by Destiny’s Child and “Hero” by Mariah Carey to showcase her talent.
- Moved to the States when she was just 16 to pursue her musical dream, she and her mother spent a year in New York recording her demo.
- She signed to Def Jam Records after Jay Z, the new head and president of Def Jam asked her to come and audition in his office
- Rihanna says she was incredibly nervous about auditioning for the Jay Z because he was such a big star!
- 'Oh God, he's right there, I can't look, I can't look, I can't look!' I remember being extremely quiet. I was very shy. I was cold the entire time. I had butterflies. I'm sitting across from Jay-Z. Like, Jay-Zee. I was star-struck.
- In her audition she performed Whitney Houston’s “For the Love of You” and her first hit “Pon De Replay”!
- Her first single “Pon De Replay” hit the Top Five in the Billboard Chart.
- Jay Z was worried at first that Pon De Replay was so big that it would be the only song she was known for (boy was he wrong!)
- She has 5 American Music Awards.
- She created the Believe Foundation in 2006 to help terminally ill children.
- She 18 Billboard Music Awards.
- In 2008 her birthday was officially named Rihanna Day in her homeland of Barbados.
- She has won 6 Grammy Awards.
- She has been a spokesmodel for high end designer brand Gucci.
- Time magazine ranked her one of the most influential people in the world.
- Her scheduled appearance at the 51st Grammy Awards didn’t take place because of a domestic violence incident with her then-boyfriend singer Chris Brown.
- She has put out 6 albums in total.
- Last January she was named the best selling digital artist in the U.S.
- Rihanna appears as Petty Officer Cora Raikes in Battleship.
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