Rihanna is a popular singer and actress from the Caribbean island of Barbados. In 2011, she became the youngest solo artist to have recorded 10 number-one singles.
Credit: © Shutterstock

February is Black History Month, an annual observance of the achievements and culture of Black Americans. This month, Behind the Headlines will feature Black pioneers in a variety of areas.

The Super Bowl LVII halftime show will feature popular singer, actress, and fashion designer Rihanna. The multiple Grammy Award-winner is from the Caribbean island of Barbados. She is known for her sexy videos and wild costumes. In 2011, Rihanna became the youngest solo artist to have recorded 10 number-one singles.

Rihanna’s return to the stage is long awaited by her fans. She last performed at the 2018 Grammy Awards alongside DJ Khaled, with their hit song “Wild Thoughts.” Her latest concert tour in 2016 featured her eighth studio album, Anti. Since then, she has launched three successful businesses, starred in movies, and started a fashion show for her brand Savage X Fenty. In 2021, Forbes declared Rihanna a billionaire. She became the richest female musician in the world.

Rihanna started the luxury fashion label Fenty in 2019.
Credit: © Fred Duval, Shutterstock

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on Feb. 20, 1988, in St. Michael, Barbados. She began singing as a child. At age 16, Rihanna moved to the United States to pursue a music career. In 2005, she was signed to a recording contract. Her first album, Music of the Sun, was released that same year. It became an international hit. The album featured the hit single “Pon de Replay.”

Rihanna has recorded several other hit albums. Her other notable hit songs include “SOS” (2006); “Umbrella” and “Don’t Stop the Music” (both 2007); “Take a Bow” and “Disturbia” (both 2008); “Russian Roulette,” “Hard,” and “Rude Boy” (all 2009); and “We Found Love” (2011). She also sang on the hit song “Monster” (2014) by Eminem.

In 2012, Rihanna made her motion-picture acting debut in the science-fiction film Battleship. She also provided her voice for the character of Tip, a teenage girl, in the animated feature Home (2015). Rihanna was one of the star actors in the cast of Oceans 8 (2018). She also co-starred with American actor Donald Glover in Guava Island (2019). 

Rihanna is known as a trendsetter, especially in street fashion. In 2014, she became the creative director of women’s fashion for the athletic wear company Puma. She designed Fenty X Puma fashion lines from 2016 to 2018. Rihanna released the makeup brand Fenty Beauty in 2017, with a range of many different skin tones. The brand initially offered 40 shades of foundation, far more than any mainstream brand at the time. Foundation is a makeup product that can be applied to the whole face to provide even tone and texture. The brand has since expanded to 50 shades with an accompanying 50 concealer shades. Concealer is a makeup product used to hide blemishes and brighten the skin.

In 2018, Rihanna started Savage X Fenty, an affordable, size- and gender-inclusive lingerie company. The company also debuted a fashion show, the Savage X Fenty Show, in 2018. In 2019, Rihanna became the first woman and person of color to head a luxury brand with the high-end luxury designer LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). Rihanna created the luxury fashion line Fenty at LVMH.