Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Rihanna

Birth name : Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Born : February 20, 1988 (1988-02-20) (age 20)
Origin :Saint Michael, Barbados
Genre(s) : Pop, R&B, dance, reggae
Occupation(s) : Singer, songwriter, model, fashion designer
Years active : 2005–present
Label(s) : Def Jam Recordings
Website :
www.rihannanow.com
Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), known as Rihanna (pronounced /riːˈɑːnə/), is a Barbadian singer, model and fashion designer. She also serves as the cultural ambassador for the island of Barbados. She is the first Barbadian artist to officially win a Grammy Award Rihanna is currently signed to the Def Jam Recordings label. She has attained five Billboard Hot 100 number ones thus far ("Umbrella", "SOS", "Take a Bow","Disturbia" and Live Your Life), four as a solo artist and one as featured artist, and is currently tied with Beyonce as the female solo artist with the most number ones in this decade.
Rihanna broke into the industry in 2005 with the release of her debut album Music of the Sun, which features her hit single "Pon de Replay". Less than a year later, Rihanna released A Girl Like Me and earned her first number-one single, "SOS". In 2007, Rihanna released her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. The album has yielded seven hit singles, including three worldwide number one singles: "Umbrella", "Don't Stop the Music", "Take a Bow". Since the release of her debut album, Rihanna has amassed twelve top 40 hit singles in the U.S.
Life and early career
Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados to parents Ronald Fenty and Monica Fenty. She has two younger brothers, Rorrey and Rajad Fenty.
Rihanna went to Charles F. Broome Memorial School, a primary school in Barbados, and then on to the Combermere School, where she formed a musical trio with two of her classmates. In 2004, she won the Miss Combermere Beauty Pageant and performed in the Colours of Combermere School Show.
In 2003, after forming a girl group with two classmates at the age of 15, Rihanna along with her two bandmates, received their big break when her friends introduced her to record producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. The group auditioned for producer Evan Rogers and said that the minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist. She eventually moved to Connecticut to live with Rogers and his wife. Rogers, along with his partner, Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record material in the U.S. which was sent to various recording companies. Rihanna's demo made its way to Def Jam who invited her to audition for rapper turned Def Jam president Jay-Z, who eventually signed her to Def Jam Recordings.
Rihanna cites
Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Brandy, Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Bob Marley, Fefe Dobson and her Caribbean background as major musical influences.
Music career
Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun, was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States, yielding two singles, the first being "Pon de Replay" which was released on August 22, 2005. This single became a huge success upon its release peaking at number 2 in the US on Billboard Hot 100 charts. It also became a global hit where it peaked within the top 10 across 15 countries as well as achieving top 20 chartings on 20 charts around the world. The single written by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers was described by Rolling Stone magazine as a "poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz."
Rihanna second album, A Girl Like Me, was released in April 2006; less than eight months after the release of her first album. The lead single, "SOS", was used in an endorsement deal with Nike. The song became Rihanna's first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also debuted at number one on the Hot Digital Songs chart. "SOS" peaked at number one in Australia and number two in the UK. The second single, entitled "Unfaithful", was written by R&B singer Ne-Yo. The song became her third top ten hit in the U.S. and in the UK. The third single, "We Ride", was not as successful as her previous releases, failing to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, however, it became her fifth UK top 20 single, where it peaked at number 17 on that chart and peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. Rihanna's fourth single from the album, "Break It Off" featuring Sean Paul, had already climbed to number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 based solely on airplay. It was released as a digital download on February 19, 2007, which made the song jump from number fifty-two to number ten and then eventually peak at number nine. A Girl like Me's sales were significantly stronger, selling over 1 million in the U.S.
Rihanna went into the studio in early 2007 with Ne-Yo, Stargate, and Timbaland among others to record her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad. The album was released on June 5, 2007, features Jay-Z and Ne-Yo. Rihanna worked with Timbaland on three songs in the album: "Lemme Get That", "Rehab" and the Japanese bonus track "Haunted".
Justin Timberlake co-wrote and provides background vocals on "Rehab".
The album so far has yielded eight hit singles, including the world-wide number one hit "Umbrella", featuring Jay-Z. In addition to reaching number one in various countries, "Umbrella" was the number one single in the UK for 10 consecutive weeks, making it the longest running UK number one single since Wet Wet Wet's single "Love Is All Around", back in 1994, and the longest running number one by a female artist since Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", which also topped the chart for 10 weeks in 1992. By the end of the year, "Umbrella" was ranked second on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart in the United States.
Her other singles, "Shut Up and Drive" and "Don't Stop The Music" were able to mirror the success of "Umbrella", with "Don't Stop the Music" reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rihanna's seventh top ten single and her fourth top five hit, while peaking at number one in various countries. The fourth single (third single in the US and UK) "Hate That I Love You", featuring Ne-Yo, was able to peak at number seven in the U.S.
2008-present
On November 23, 2008 Rihanna was nominated for two American Music Award (Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist). Rihanna won in in both categories making it her third AMA. Rihanna also performed "Rehab" on stage at the AMA.
Rihanna was also selected as the spokesmodel for Gucci’s first UNICEF ad campaign. She will appear in the fashion house’s Tattoo Heart campaign, premiering in December. Rihanna will be photographed in series of special edition print ads with UNICEF items, twenty-five percent of sales will benefit the children’s charity.
In New York, Rihanna was then enlisted by Gucci's Frida Giannini along with Madonna to light the UNICEF Christmas snowflake. Rihanna, dressed head to toe in Gucci, is now the face of the fourth annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF, which aims to raise funds for children in Africa through the sale of its Tattoo Heart collection of bags.
On December 24, 2008 Rihanna stated that she would be back in the recording studio in early 2009 to resume working on her fourth studio album. She expects the album to be released in 2009.
Source
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