Rihanna

obyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), better known as simply Rihanna (pronounced /riˈɑːnə/ ree-YAH-nə or /riˈænə/ ree-AN-ə), is a Barbadian R&B recording artist and songwriter.[3] Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers. She subsequently signed a contract with Def JamRecordings after auditioning for then-label head Jay-Z.[4]
In 2005, Rihanna released her debut studio album, Music of the Sun, which peaked in the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart and features the Billboard Hot 100 hit single "Pon de Replay." Less than a year later, she released her second studio album, A Girl Like Me (2006), which peaked within the top five of the Billboard albums chart, andproduced her first US number one single, "SOS", as well as the top 10 singles "Unfaithful" and "Break It Off". Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, featured five top ten hits including three US number one hit singles—"Umbrella", "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia"—and the worldwide hit "Don't Stop the Music". The album was nominated fornine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella," which features Jay-Z.[5][6] Her fourth studio album, Rated R, was released in November 2009 and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200. Its first three singles, "Russian Roulette", "Hard" and "Rude Boy" peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, while "Rude Boy" peaked at number one. Loud, Rihanna's fifth studioalbum, was released in November 2010, spawning the US and UK number one singles, "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?" and the international hit "S&M".[7][8]
Rihanna has sold more than 15 million albums[9] and 45 million singles worldwide.[10] She has achieved nine number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 since first appearing on the chart on June 11, 2005, which is the most by anyartist during that time span.[11][12] As of March 18, 2011, Rihanna has sold approximately 6 million album units and over 28 million digital singles in the US.[13][14] She has sold over 10 million records in the UK.[15] Billboard named Rihanna the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade.[16] Rihanna has also amassed over a billion views on the popular video sharing site, YouTube, becoming onlythe fourth artist to do so.[17] She has received several accolades, including the 2007 World Music Awards for World's Best-Selling Pop Female Artist and Female Entertainer of the Year, and the 2011 Brit Award for Best International Female Solo Artist.[18] She has also amassed a total of four Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, and fifteen Billboard Music Awards. She serves as one ofBarbados's honorary cultural ambassadors.[19]
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
1.1 1988–2004: Early life and career beginnings
1.2 2005–06: Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me
1.3 2007–08: Good Girl Gone Bad
1.4 2009-10: Domestic violence case and Rated R
1.5 2010–present: Loud
2 Artistry
2.1 Music and voice
2.2 Influences
2.3 Image
3 Other ventures
4 Philanthropy
5 Discography
6 See also
7References
8 External links
Biography

1988–2004: Early life and career beginnings
Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados on February 20, 1988, to Monica, an accountant, and Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor.[20] Her mother, a native of Guyana, is Afro-Guyanese, and her father is of Barbadian and Irish descent.[21] She is the eldest of three siblings; two younger brothers, Rorrey andRajad Fenty.[22] She began singing at around the age of seven.[22] Her childhood was deeply affected by her father's addiction to crack cocaine and her parents' rocky marriage, which ended when she was fourteen years old.[20] Rihanna attended Charles F. Broome Memorial School, a primary school in Barbados, and then the Combermere School, where she formed a musical trio with two of her classmates at...