Rihanna biography, net worth, age, boyfriend, baby, height and weight 2025

Rihanna Biography

The story of vibrant and exotic Rihanna began in the Caribbean islands. Her unique voice and distinctive style, which seamlessly blends R&B, pop, and reggae, is instantly recognizable to everyone today. And her total number of songs that topped America's official charts even managed to challenge pop diva Madonna. Today, Rihanna isn't just a famous singer – she's also an actress and designer.

Childhood and Family

Rihanna, better known in her youth as Robyn (full name: Rihanna Robyn Fenty), was born where many dream of being – on hot Barbados with its azure coastline and laid-back reggae rhythms.

Her childhood was spent in an ordinary neighborhood that she described as "not the richest, but not the poorest either." Her father, Ronald Fenty, was a warehouse worker, while her mother, Monica Braithwaite, worked as an accountant. From them, she inherited Afro-Barbadian, Afro-Guyanese, and Irish roots. The girl has two younger brothers: Rorrey and Rajad, plus two brothers and two sisters born from her father's previous relationships (all from different mothers).

Young Rihanna with her parents and younger brother

Rihanna's father was a man with a complicated character. The flighty, aggressive, drinking man often beat his wife. The singer remembered how once, trying to break up her parents, she made a "rose" out of a bottle and stood between them – only then did her pleas for them to calm down work. Later, Ronald became seriously addicted to crack [a cheap and extremely harmful form of cocaine – note zoomboola.com]. This was the last straw – Monica filed for divorce.

My mom is one of the strongest women I know. Actually, no – probably the strongest.

Though you can't say her childhood memories of her father are entirely negative. Ronald was the one who taught her to swim and ride a bike.

After the divorce, 9-year-old Rihanna took on the responsibility of raising 3-year-old brother Rajad. "He was my best friend, he thought I was his mom!" the star recalled.

Rihanna found an escape from family problems in music and dance. Her passion for creativity and the stage was evident from early years, shown through her participation in plays, beauty contests, and musical concerts. She adored reggae ("You can't live in Barbados and not love reggae," Rihanna laughs), Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion.

From age 9, Rihanna grew up with her mother and younger brother

As for school, in elementary school Rihanna was a real bookworm who did nothing but read. But over the years, her interest in studying faded, replaced by music. She formed her own group, inviting two friends to join her in a singing competition with Mariah Carey's song "Hero."

Rihanna – Hero

The Start of Her Musical Career

At 15, Rihanna caught her first real break. Mutual friends arranged an audition for her with producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing on the coast. Evan's production career was already pretty successful – he'd worked with pop stars like Christina Aguilera.

Robyn's talent and voice impressed the producer, and he didn't hesitate to suggest she try her luck in the US. The future singer's parents, who were living separately at the time, didn't stand in the way of her ambitions, so without finishing school, Robyn left Barbados.

As Rihanna would later say, her ambition was off the charts back then. With Evan's help, Rihanna's demo recordings from the audition were sent out to various record companies, including one owned by the well-known up-and-coming rapper Jay Z. The day they met, he spotted serious potential in her – and he wasn't wrong. Starting work under his guidance, Rihanna remained his protégé for years to come.

Robyn's career kicked off in 2005 with "Pon de Replay," which introduced the world to an unknown singer bursting with authentic Caribbean flavor and Afro-Hawaiian roots. The infectious single shot to the top of the charts, most notably the American Billboard Hot 100.

Rihanna - Pon de Replay

When the song reached Rihanna's hometown, rumors started spreading about a sexual relationship with Jay-Z – which was completely false and really hurt the young artist. She shared her pain with Jay-Z, and the more experienced colleague just laughed it off, telling her: "You can't control what people say, but you can't let their words influence your decisions." Rihanna took those words to heart and from then on just laughed off other people's speculation.

That same year saw the birth of Rihanna's first album, "Music of the Sun," which successfully sold half a million copies. Robyn wasn't rushing into concerts yet, but she often opened for established stars to promote herself while writing music for future hits.

The next album didn't keep fans waiting long. "A Girl Like Me" (2006) hit the top 5 in sales in both the US and UK. The track "SOS" dominated radio stations, topping airplay charts everywhere. It was later used in Nike sportswear commercials.

Career Peak

Alongside her music career, the singer began appearing in films in 2006. Rihanna's debut movie was the comedy "Bring It On: All or Nothing," where she played a cameo role. Designer Manolo Blahnik has publicly praised Rihanna's artistic talents on multiple occasions, which he believes can only belong to a true movie star.

In 2007, the singer released the album "Good Girl Gone Bad," which became career-defining for her. It gained popularity not only in the States but also in the CIS, Japan, and Brazil. The main hit "Umbrella" had the whole world singing along, bringing her first well-deserved Grammy and "breakthrough of the year" status.

This was the first song where Rihanna fully showcased her vocal abilities. The hit of the year was performed as a duet with Jay-Z and written with Justin Timberlake, who later became a backing vocalist on "Rehab."

Rihanna - Umbrella ft. Jay Z

Along with the explosive album came a complete image transformation – bold, edgy, and perfectly matching its title. Rihanna fearlessly experimented with short haircuts and revealing stage outfits. At that time, she felt she no longer wanted to dance to the record labels' tune and was ready for new achievements. The 21-year-old singer cut her hair short and dyed it black.

In 2009, Rihanna changed her image to a more aggressive one

After Rihanna's difficult breakup with Chris Brown in 2009 (read more in the "Personal Life" section), she released the album "Rated R" with "Russian Roulette" topping all the charts. Fans immediately noticed the darkness and aggression in the album's songs, which bore the imprint of the star's emotional pain.

A year later came the upbeat, dance-heavy "Loud," with the main hit "Only Girl." In it, the world witnessed a completely new Ri – authentic, self-sufficient, bold, and not forcing herself into any particular image.

In 2010, the singer earned another Grammy, and a year after her sixth album "Talk That Talk," she gained the status of Britain's best-selling female artist.

In 2012, "Diamonds" from her new album "Unapologetic" hit the radio waves and became an absolute chart-topper worldwide, followed a year later by "The Monster," her duet with Eminem that pulled off the same feat. That same year, she brought her star power to the sci-fi film Battleship alongside Liam Neeson in one of the lead roles.

Rihanna - Diamonds

Rihanna took her time with her eighth album, finally dropping "Anti" in 2016. Critics were split down the middle: some praised the vocal quality and musical depth, while others called it completely tasteless. But the album was free, which millions of listeners definitely appreciated.

Rihanna and Eminem on the set of 'The Monster' music video

Throughout her musical career, she's delivered successful collaborations not just with Eminem, but also with Shakira, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney. Her collection of prestigious music awards became pretty impressive. When it comes to total number of songs that topped America's main chart, the Hot 100, Rihanna actually surpassed Madonna herself. Only Michael Jackson had achieved similar success.

After her eighth album "Anti," the singer's musical output slowed down significantly. In the following years, she appeared more frequently in both film cameos and leading roles: in the fifth season of Bates Motel (2017), in a major role in the crime comedy Ocean's 8 (2018), and in the fantasy film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017). Meanwhile, she launched her own lingerie collection, Savage x Fenty.

2019 started with a lawsuit for Rihanna – against her own father. Ronald had started his own talent agency called Fenty Entertainment, and Rihanna accused him of exploiting her brand name. Without his daughter's knowledge, Ronald tried to book her for 15 international concerts and use the Fenty trademark in hotel advertising.

In 2019, the singer was working on new material. To record her ninth studio album in complete isolation, she rented an entire island in British territory. Nobody was on the island except Ri and her team. One day of island rental cost her $25,000 (about 1.6 million rubles), but Rihanna, whose net worth Forbes estimated at $600 million in 2019, could definitely afford it.

In April 2020, Rihanna announced she was still working on the album and revealed its title – "R9." The singer noted she wasn't rushing the release, hoping to create something special – as soon as Ri feels her music is good enough, she'll drop the album immediately.

In 2021, Rihanna officially became a billionaire, and Forbes recognized her as the world's richest female musician. In April 2022, her net worth was estimated at $1.4 billion, placing her at number 1729 on the list of the world's richest people. That same year, she was declared a national hero of Barbados.

After a long silence in the music world, Rihanna decided to make her comeback through cinema. On October 28, 2022, she dropped her first solo track in six years, "Lift Me Up," which landed on the Marvel blockbuster "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" soundtrack. The song earned Rihanna nominations for both the Golden Globe and Oscar.

Rihanna - Lift Me Up

On February 12, 2023, Rihanna took the Super Bowl LVII stage – her first live performance in five years. But the biggest sensation wasn't musical – during the show, she announced her second pregnancy, showing off her growing bump in a red Loewe jumpsuit.

The performance drew 118.7 million viewers across television and digital platforms, making Rihanna the first person to perform at the Super Bowl while pregnant. She later admitted the pregnancy reveal wasn't planned – the jumpsuit's zipper just wouldn't close all the way.

In June 2023, Rihanna became the first female artist with 10 songs hitting a billion streams each on Spotify. By May 2024, she earned RIAA recognition as the female artist with the most diamond-certified singles. Pretty impressive, considering her last studio album dropped back in 2016.

Rihanna in a bright red suit and long cape performs on stage with a microphone — Pregnant Rihanna at Super Bowl 2023

In June 2024, Rihanna launched Fenty Hair – a hair care line designed for all types and textures. True to form, she explained the decision through personal experience: "You know how important it is for me to switch up hairstyles. I've had almost every texture, color, length – from locs and braids to natural hair." That same year, Fenty pulled in a record $602.4 million in revenue, keeping its crown as the most profitable celebrity beauty brand.

Rihanna's Personal Life

Rihanna never eagerly shared romance details with the press, but paparazzi are hard to escape. She was regularly linked to famous figures, often African American rappers – Puff Daddy, Usher. The singer was once connected to Leonardo DiCaprio, but all the rumors turned out false.

In 2008, her romance with Black R&B and hip-hop singer Chris Brown became major news, ending pretty tragically. In February 2009, on the eve of the Grammys, the lovers got into a fight where the singer suffered multiple cuts and bruises. Photos from the police report leaked online.

Chris avoided real jail time. He "paid" with five years probation and six months of community service, then made futile attempts to win back his love a couple years later.

Rihanna and Chris Brown tried to revive the relationship

At first, Rihanna forgave him – after all, he was her first real love, by her own admission. But then she asked herself: "What if this sets a bad example for other girls suffering from abusive relationships?" In 2013, they split for good.

Between these periods, Rihanna dated Josh Hartnett for about a year and tried to build a relationship with baseball player Matt Kemp.

In 2009, Rihanna met up-and-coming rapper Drake. Their first encounter inspired his song "Fireworks." Rumors about their romance spread like wildfire, and in 2010 Rihanna issued an official statement, claiming she and Drake were just good friends.

But the music video for "What's My Name" that followed, where Rihanna and Drake played lovers, made fans question her words – the chemistry between the artists was just too obvious. Their joint performance at the 2011 Grammys and the "Take Care" video with its clear romantic undertones only fueled the fire.

Rihanna ft Drake – What's My Name?

In summer 2012, Chris Brown got into a fight with Drake. The reasons weren't disclosed to the media, but everyone was sure the men were competing for Ri's heart. Drake and Rihanna's relationship had its ups and downs. Throughout this time there was no official confirmation of their romance, and only in 2016, during the MTV VMAs, did Drake publicly kiss his beloved.

But just six months later, the couple called it quits. "They still love each other, but they'll never be together again," claimed insiders close to the artists. There were whispers that Drake cheated on the Barbadian beauty with model India Love. Soon after, a cryptic post appeared on Rihanna's personal blog: "None of my exes have managed to build relationships with other girls. So it's definitely not me."

Drake preferred model India Love to Rihanna (center)

In 2017, journalists learned about the singer's romance with Saudi Arabian billionaire Hassan Jameel, who had previously dated Naomi Campbell. There were rumors it was over between them, but in August 2019 Ri introduced the man to her parents. Paparazzi photographed the family at dinner in a restaurant and, by all accounts, Hassan charmed Rihanna's mom.

The couple's relationship lasted several years – their breakup became known in late 2019. However, Rihanna soon had another enviable suitor. For several years, the singer was also linked romantically with A$AP Rocky. In 2020, fans' dreams came true – the couple was spotted together several times, including outside a New York hotel. It's also reported that the lovebirds rang in 2021 together.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky had long been credited with an affair

In early 2022, it became obvious that Rihanna was expecting a baby with her boyfriend. The singer proudly showed off her growing bump, flaunting it in revealing outfits.

Shortly before the baby's arrival, rumors surfaced that Rihanna had split from A$AP Rocky. The alleged cause was the rapper's infidelity with Rihanna's friend, shoe designer Amina Muaddi. However, just days after the supposed breakup, the couple was spotted together at an airport. Amina called the cheating rumors "dirty lies," while the lovebirds chose not to comment on the speculation. We covered the full story of their romance in this piece.

In May 2022, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcomed their first son. Then in February 2023, the singer took the stage for the first time in seven years at the Super Bowl halftime show. Her form-fitting jumpsuit revealed a growing bump – Rihanna was expecting baby number two.

Rihanna's second child – son Riot Rose Mayers – was born on August 10.

Motherhood completely transformed Rihanna's perspective. She admitted she saw A$AP Rocky in a whole new light:

I loved him differently as a father... What a leader, how wonderful, patient, loving... And my kids are obsessed with him. I'm just in the background like an extra.

The couple regularly fuels speculation about a secret wedding. In June 2023 at a Cannes festival, the rapper called Rihanna "my beautiful wife." That same year in his song "Riot," he hinted at marriage with the lyrics "My wife is erotic." At the 2023 Met Gala, they appeared in bride-and-groom-inspired looks, with Rihanna wearing a white Valentino gown complete with a long veil.

Rihanna in silk pajamas lying on bed embracing her sons, frame from photoshoot — Rihanna and her sons

However, during A$AP Rocky's court proceedings in January 2025, his lawyer officially stated: "There is no marriage certificate."

In May 2025 at the Met Gala, Rihanna announced her third pregnancy, appearing in a Marc Jacobs ensemble that highlighted her growing bump.

Rihanna Now

In 2025, Rihanna voiced Smurfette in The Smurfs movie and also served as producer while recording songs for the soundtrack, including "Friend of Mine."

Rihanna – Friend of Mine

However, the film received negative reviews from critics. Reviewers noted the weak script and excessive focus on Rihanna's involvement during the movie's promotion.

Rihanna: latest news and articles

Marlene Rodriguez

I like more old songs by Rihanna and now I don`t know actually if she is still singing or not. Long time I didn`t hear from her.

2021-04-04 13:42:11
Mary Adkins

Talented person is talented everywhere, no words :)

2021-03-31 09:51:48
Donald Barrett

Ri is doing a good job of course and she even tried herself in a movie

2021-02-09 15:30:55
Jacqueline Ellis

I still sometimes listening songs of Rihanna

2021-01-17 10:45:38
Melissa Norman

Who doesn`t like this beautiful and talented girl :) She is my idol.

2021-01-13 17:58:35

Rihanna

Photos: Rihanna