By, Chloe Barth
Robin Rihanna Fenty, better known by her stage name Rihanna, is stepping back into the music industry. On September 25, she announced via Instagram that she will be hosting the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show. The ominous post features the singer’s arm, recognizable by her tattoos, holding a football with the caption, “.” Following this announcement, Super Bowl ticket prices rose by an estimated 9900% overnight. Much of this excitement comes from Rihanna’s unexpected musical performance. While Rihanna ruled the 2000s and 2010s with hits such as “Umbrella,” “Diamonds,” and “Pon de Replay,” her focus has heavily shifted toward business prospects in recent years.
Fans have been begging Rihanna for a new album for over half a decade now. Rihanna’s last studio album, Anti, was released in 2016. It suggested a promising continuation to her career, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and featuring popular artists such as SZA and Drake. Her ninth studio album, which fans have dubbed R9, is highly anticipated, but so far there has been no official word of a release date.
2017 marked a turning point for Rihanna, as the singer launched her makeup brand, Fenty Beauty. The brand made waves in the makeup industry for its diverse, 40-shade foundation collection. As other makeup companies followed suit, Fenty Beauty expanded its collection as well, and remains ahead of the curve as its foundation collection, now standing at a staggering 50-shade range. Soon after Fenty Beauty was launched, Rihanna introduced her lingerie brand, Savage X Fenty. The brand boasts a wide size range, a gender-neutral Pride collection, and models from diverse backgrounds. Rihanna has hosted three Savage X Fenty fashion shows to date. A-list celebrities from Paris Hilton, to Gigi Hadid, to Migos have all participated in the show.
It is through these efforts that the singer-turned-businesswoman achieved billionaire status in 2021. She joined the Forbes billionaire list as the magazine named her the “wealthiest female musician in the world.” Her status also makes her the wealthiest reported person from Barbados. Rihanna moved from Barbados to the United States at age 16 to jumpstart her music career. Although she “didn’t look back” after the move, Rihanna has honored her roots throughout her career. She founded the Clara Lionel Foundation, named for her grandparents. The charity “confronts issues of climate justice and supports communities to prepare for and withstand natural disasters.” For her work, she was made an official ambassador for culture and youth in 2018. Barbados made history last year when, after 400 years of colonial rule, it officially became a republic. This change meant removing Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State and ushering in a new era of leaders. Among them is Rihanna, who now holds the official title of “The Right Excellent.” The duly-named “National Hero” of Barbados joined Bajan Prime Minister Mia Mottley on stage to receive this title at the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.
In addition to business and political pursuits, Rihanna has been making strides in her personal life. The artist recently welcomed a child with rapper A$AP Rocky, to whom she is now engaged. Their engagement was teased in the rapper’s “D.M.B.” music video, when the pair sported grills that read “MARRY ME?” and “I DO.” It is through this and other projects that the artist has maintained a presence in the entertainment industry since Anti. She starred opposite big names in a few major films, also appearing in various ad campaigns for her brands. Her last involvement in music dates back to 2017, as a featured artist on hits such as Kendrick Lamar’s “LOYALTY,” and N.E.R.D.’s “Lemon.” “Lemon” was a particularly exciting project, as the pop singer strayed from her typical sound and rapped two verses on the feature. Music producer Shakka Philip announced that same year that he was working on a reggae album with Rihanna. These ventures suggest an updated sound that makes the prospect of new music all the more exciting. As anticipation for R9 has grown, Rihanna continues to fuel rumors of a new album. She admitted to Entertainment Tonight that she enjoys “antagonizing” her fans with the promise of an album. Much of this antagonization occurs on social media. Fans who have grown impatient frequent her comments section asking for a release date, to which she often replies in jest. She posted on Instagram in 2019 with the caption, “update: me listening to R9 by myself and refusing to release it.” Although promises of a new album seem bleak, the Super Bowl announcement marks the first major step in Rihanna’s musical career since 2017. Fans are excited for the live performance, as evidenced by the steep rise in ticket prices. Past halftime performances by Beyoncé and Prince have received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Given Rihanna’s talent, work ethic, and wide discography to choose from, it seems certain that she too will give a performance to remember.