Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20,1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados. Her incredible transformation from a Island girl to an international pop star makes her an influential figure for anyone with dreams they perceive as unattainable.
Before her fame, Rihanna had a difficult childhood. She was born to an alcohol and crack cocaine addicted father, contributing to her parent’s strained marriage. In addition to this, she suffered excruciating headaches that even baffled doctors.
Fortunately, her condition improved at the age of 14 after her parent’s divorce.
Despite the great emotional and physical pain, she endured, Rihanna worked hard to make her dream a reality. She began singing at the age of seven and formed a musical trio with two of her classmates in 2003. Through this endeavor she was discovered by American record producer Evan Rogers.
The trio auditioned with Rogers but it was later revealed that young Rihanna held a presence that overpowered the other girls. Rogers invited her to the united states where she recorded a demo album which featured one of her hit singles “Pon de Replay”.
Shortly after, Rihanna’s demo was shipped to Def Jam Recordings where executive producer Jay Brown played the demo for Jay Z. Although he was skeptical at first, Jay Z immediately signed her to the label after watching her impressive audition. It was clear she yielded not only talent, but a breathtaking stage presence as well. At the age of 16 she moved from Barbados to the United States and lived with Rogers and his wife.
Her first album Music of the Sun was released in August 2005, debuting at number ten on the Billboard 200. It sold over two million copies, reaching the top ten in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. Due to its great success, she began working on her second studio album A Girl like Me which received commercial success, reaching number one in Canada and number five in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Over the years Rihanna began experimenting with her musical style, hoping to break away from her Barbados Island girl image. Her music featured pop, dubstep and rock, resulting in a diverse sound.
Time magazine included Rihanna on its 100 most Influential People in the World issue in 2012. The following year, she placed at 13 on Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists” list. She continues to garner recognition for her contribution to the music industry.
Despite her success, she remains a humbled woman who frequently credits her hometown and the people that have made her who she is today.