The superstar started off her career as a singer, but in just under two decades, Rihanna has managed to become America's youngest self-made billionaire with a huge net worth.
Rihanna is one of the most influential names in the entertainment industry today. She is considered a world music icon and has received many great awards in artistic activities. Rihanna's not only a musician whose hits have dominated global charts, but she's also one of the most accomplished entertainers in terms of making money.
From rocky childhood
Rihanna was born on February 20, 1988, in the city of Saint Michael, Barbados. Growing up in a poor family with her parents and five siblings, the singer's life was not very smooth right from her childhood days. According to Celebrity Net Worth, her father's alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction made her the only breadwinner of her family. From a little girl who did not even reach adulthood, Rihanna had to bear the worry of food and money.
Having a passion for music since childhood, Rihanna and two friends formed a small band at school, inspired by the lineup of the most popular girl group at that time, Destiny's Child.
Rihanna's life took a whole new turn after the group was introduced to music producer Evan Rogers, who is known for his successful compositions for stars like Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, and Nick Jonas (the Jonas Brothers).
To a glittering career
With the backing of Def Jam and Jay-Z, the man behind the names of top vocalists like Beyoncé, Ne-Yo, and Kanye West, Rihanna released her first music album called Music Of The Sun in 2005, and then A Girl like Me in 2006. Both reached the top 10 on the US Billboard 200, with prominent singles such as Pon de Replay, SOS, and Unfaithful. Pon De Replay is considered the song that paved the way for Rihanna's illustrious music career.
At the end of May 2007, the Barbados singer continued to release the third music album in her career called Good Girl Gone Bad. Unlike the previous feminine style, Rihanna has completely changed her image in this comeback and transformed into a genuine bad girl. The single Umbrella, which features Jay Z, sold over 8 million copies worldwide and won her a Grammy Award in 2008.
Her subsequent album releases include Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), Unapologetic (2012), and Anti (2016). Other notable singles she has collaborated on include Love the Way You Lie (2010) with Eminem, Princess of China (2012) with Coldplay, and This Is What You Came For (2016) with Calvin Harris.
Over the course of her career, Rihanna has sold 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks, according to her record label, Roc Nation. She has also received numerous accolades, including 9 Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and 13 American Music Awards.
She has also acted in a number of films, such as Battleship, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and Surviving the Last Day.
Rihanna's huge net worth
According to reports, the Diamonds star has a net worth of $1.7 billion, which makes her the richest female musician in the world.
Since the album Anti was released in 2016, the female singer has not released any music products. Her main source of wealth in this period comes from her various business endeavors and endorsements.
Most of her money comes from cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty and a 30% stake in the domestic product line Savage x Fenty, reports Forbes.
In 2017, Rihanna launched her cosmetics company Fenty Beauty, which she co-owns with French luxury conglomerate LVMH. The brand generates more than $550 million in revenue in 2020.
Meanwhile, fashion brand Savage x Fenty was valued at $1 billion in February 2021. That helped the singer set a record as the nation's first US dollar billionaire in Barbados. In November 2021, the pop star was honored to receive the title of National Hero from the President of Barbados for her dedication to the homeland.
Other brands she has worked with include Secret Body Spray, MAC Cosmetics, Budweiser, Armani, Dior, Cover Girl, Gucci, Clinique, and River Island.
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