39
RIHANNA
IS THE YOUNGEST SOLO ARTIST
TO HAVE 13 NUMBER 1 SINGLES ON THE
BILLBOARD HOT 100.
i
“Whatever outlet I can find
that I love and can be creative
in, I hone in on it —whether it’s
designing, music or animation”
her trophy case. Beyond
that, two years ago she
was named to
Time
magazine’s list of 100
Most Influential People.
Fellow artists recognize
Rihanna’s talent and star
power — her recent single
“FourFiveSeconds”, a
collaboration with Paul
McCartney and Kanye
West, shot to number 1
in the US and elsewhere.
Anticipation is high for her
eighth studio album, which
is due out later this year.
Named in March as the
new face of French fashion
house Dior — joining the
likes of Jennifer Lawrence,
Marion Cotillard and
Charlize Theron — Rihanna
had good reason to be in
high spirits when she sat
down with us for a chat.
How does it feel to
be the first black
spokesperson for Dior?
Dior is class, timelessness,
beauty and elegance. So, to
be acknowledged by them,
I feel very special. Not just
as a woman of color. I think
that’s brilliant, as well.
What was it like to shoot
at the Palace of Versailles
for the Dior campaign?
It was incredible — so much
history there. Just to be there
lying on the couch, looking
at the beautiful paintings on
the ceiling. It was so surreal.
I had to tell everybody in the
room, “We’re lying down in
the house right now — do
you know that?” (Laughs) It
was awesome.
Did you ever imagine
that you would attain this
much success around the
world?
I believed it so much that
it happened. It was so far
from even being possible. In
hindsight, I realize that was a
really big dream for a little girl
from a really small island.
When I was younger, in
Barbados, I watched videos
and read magazines about
singers. I obsessed over and
listened to Mariah Carey,
Celine Dion, Whitney
Houston and Destiny’s Child.
Those were the big voices
I listened to, among other
things like reggae and hip-
hop. I wanted to sing and be
heard all over the world.
How much of Barbados is
still in you?
Everything — school,
home, culture — there’s that
foundation built over 16 years
before I moved to America.
I’ve always stayed close to
my family, friends and people
from home. It’s a part of me. I
always go back home.
What do you miss about
Barbados?
Flying fish. That’s the one
thing I have to get from home.
That and pepper sauce, Bajan
seasoning, fish cakes, little
snacks like chips and chocolate.
I’m always having my friends
bring tons of those when they
come over.
To what do you credit your
success?
When I moved to America, I
was very ambitious. I still am.
Whatever outlet I can find that
I love and can be creative in,
I hone in on it — whether it’s
designing, music or animation.
As the years went on, my
ambition was also joined
by rebellion.
And who was it that
inspired all this ambition?
I was very blessed to be born
into my family. My mother and
grandmother are both very
strong women. I was lucky to
have them in my life. I’m really
inspired by strong women. I
think women are way stronger
than they know. We’ve come
this far. There’s so much farther
we can go. It’s all about giving,
caring and loving each other.
What’s the biggest
misconception about you?
There’s a very big
misconception about what I
do when I’m at home. I just
watch TV and lie on the couch.
I’m so boring. But outside,
I’m spontaneous. I love to do
things — go out, see things,
travel. The world has so much
to offer that there’s never
enough time.
Rihanna performs at The Inaugural
Diamond Ball which she co-presented
with The Clara Lionel Foundation
