Rihanna

Rihanna (pronounced /riːˈɑːnə/; born Robyn Rihanna Fenty; February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, model and fashion designer. She is the second artist, and first female, from Barbados to have received a Grammy Award^[1][2][3] (the first being Jimmy Senya Haynes).^[4] Rihanna is currently signed to the Def Jam Recordings label.^[5] She has attained five Billboard Hot 100 number ones thus far ("SOS", "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", "Disturbia" and "Live Your Life") and is the female solo artist with the most number ones in this decade.^[6] She has sold over 11 million albums worldwide.

Rihanna came to fame in 2005 with the release of her debut album Music of the Sun, which featured her breakthrough single "Pon de Replay". Less than a year later, Rihanna released A Girl Like Me and gave her first number one single, "SOS". In 2007, Rihanna released her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. The album has yielded six hit singles including three worldwide number one singles including "Umbrella", "Don't Stop the Music" and "Take a Bow". Since the release of her debut album, Rihanna has amassed eleven top 40 hit singles in the U.S.^[7]

Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados to 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, at the age of 15, Rihanna received her big break when one of her friends introduced her to record producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. Rogers, along with his partner, Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record material in the U.S. which was sent to various recording companies. One copy of Rihanna's work was sent to Jay-Z, who eventually signed her to Def Jam Recordings.

Rihanna cites Brandy, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Bob Marley and her Caribbean background as major musical influences.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

Rihanna has teamed up with H&M and other celebrities like Timbaland and Good Charlotte for "Fashion against AIDS". The collection is designed to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS. It was released at H&M in early February 2008.^[24] She went on the Glow in the Dark Tour with Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D.^[25]

There are conflicting reports about her next album. MTV.com reported that Rihanna has now gone into the studio to start recording her fourth album,^[26] but on the Ryan Seacrest show Rihanna said "I am not in the studio yet, Not yet no, We're not gonna have an album out this year, probably the top of next year in 2009."^{[citation needed]} In the near future, Rihanna is scheduled to work with Ryan Tedder who named her as 'The Next Britney'.^[27] Rihanna will be a godmother of the eight season of Star Academy France.^[28]