Rihanna Younger Years and Early Life
Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. She grew up in a modest bungalow in Bridgetown and attended Combermere School, where she formed a group with friends and performed at school events. Her parents were Monica Braithwaite, an accountant, and Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor. Barbados is a small island nation in the Caribbean with a population of around 280,000 people, and its music scene blends reggae, soca, and pop influences. By her early teens, she was writing songs and recording demos, which led to her discovery by American producer Evan Rogers. Rogers invited her to the United States to record demo tapes, and those sessions became the foundation of her first record deal. Biography
Before signing with a major label, Rihanna faced a difficult family situation. Her father struggled with addiction and gambling, and her parents divorced when she was 14. She moved into a small apartment in Barbados and balanced school with music sessions. In 2003, she met Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, who produced early tracks and helped her attract label attention. She auditioned for Jay-Z, then president of Def Jam Recordings, and impressed him with her vocal range and stage presence. Def Jam is one of the largest hip hop and R&B labels in the United States, with a roster that includes artists like Kanye West and Lil Wayne. Jay-Z signed her to the label in 2005, and she released her debut album the same year. Forbes
First Music Breakthrough and Early Hits
Debut Album and First Singles
Rihanna released her debut album Music of the Sun in August 2005. The album peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Billboard is the official trade publication for the music industry and tracks album and song performance worldwide. The lead single "Pon de Replay" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a global club hit. The album blended Caribbean dancehall rhythms with pop production, and it sold over 600,000 copies in the U.S. alone. Billboard
Her second album A Girl like Me followed in April 2006 and debuted at number five on the Billboard 200. The single "SOS" became her first number one on the Billboard Hot 100, staying at the top for three consecutive weeks. The album was certified Platinum in the United States and sold more than one million copies. A Girl like Me also reached number one in Canada and the top five in the United Kingdom. Def Jam promoted the album with heavy radio play and television appearances, and Rihanna toured as an opening act for other artists to build her audience. Rihanna Official Site
Early Business Moves and Brand Foundations
First Business Ventures
While still in her early twenties, Rihanna began building a business portfolio outside of music. She launched her first fragrance, Reb'l Fleur, in 2011 through a partnership with perfume company Coty Inc. Coty is a global beauty company headquartered in New York City with brands including CoverGirl and OPI. The fragrance was one of the first celebrity fragrances to debut at number one on the U.S