ProfileBirth Name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Birth Date: February 20, 1988
Birth Place: St. Michael, Barbados, West Indies
Biography
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known as simply RIHANNA, is the first female singer from Barbados to have received a Grammy Award and is currently signed to the Def Jam Recordings record label. She established herself big-time in summer 2005 with her debut smash hit, "Pon de Replay," and continued to demonstrate her smash hit potential in subsequent years.
Born on February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna attended the prestigious Combermere School, where she was a founding member of a musical trio and won the Miss Combermere Pageant. She received her big break aged 15, when a friend introduced her to Evan Rogers, a music producer who was on vacation on the island. Since Rogers had spent years producing pop artists -- including superstars like *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, and Rod Stewart -- he offered Rihanna the opportunity to record some music after he recognized her talent and potential. She was subsequently signed to Def Jam records at age 16.
Acclaimed rapper Shawn "Jay Z" Carter, who is the CEO of Def Jam, was so impressed by the mature sounds of the talented singer that he offered her a recording contract on the spot. Released in August of 2005, Rihanna's first album, 'Music of the Sun,' made its way to number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. The lead single "Pon de Replay" caught fire almost immediately, climbing all the way to number two on The Billboard Hot 100. The album itself received platinum certification for selling over 2 million units worldwide and Rihanna promoted the album by touring as Gwen Stefani's opening act.
Less than eight months after the release of her debut album, Rihanna launched a second album, 'A Girl Like Me,' in 2006. The sophomore effort was a greater success. Her first number one single, "SOS," was used in an endorsement deal she signed with Nike. The second single, a heartfelt ballad called "Unfaithful," became her third top ten hit. That same year Rihanna won the Teen Choice Award for Female Breakout Artist.
Rihanna's third album, 'Good Girl Gone Bad' (2007), continued her success, spawning hit tracks like the slow-stepping "Umbrella" (with rapper Jay-Z) and the club-happy hymn "Don't Stop the Music." When the album was re-released in 2008 as 'Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded,' it also featured the No. 1 singles "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia."
Rihanna's personal life made headlines in February 2009 after she was allegedly assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown in their car after a pre-Grammy Awards party. Brown later pleaded guilty to a charge of felony assault in exchange for a sentence of five years of probation. He was also ordered to stay 50 yards away from Rihanna at all times, unless they are at public events, in which case the restraining order dictates a 10-yard distance.
In November 2009 Rihanna released he fourth studio album, 'Rated R.' The album, featuring the hit single "Russian Roulette," debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of one million copies. In 2010, she received two Grammys for her collaboration on Jay-Z's single "Run This Town."
Rihanna made her acting debut in a cameo role in Bring It On: All or Nothing, which was released on August 8, 2006. She also appeared on an episode of TV series All My Children and drama Las Vegas.
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