Rihanna (pronounced /rin/;^[1] born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer and model. She is the second artist, and first female, from Barbados to have received a Grammy Award^[2][3][4] (the first being Jimmy Senya Haynes).^[5] Rihanna is currently signed to the Def Jam Recordings label.^[6] Since the release of her debut album Music of the Sun in 2005, Rihanna has amassed ten Top 40 hit singles in the US.

Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados, to Ronald Fenty of Barbados^[7] (of African and Irish ancestry)^[8][9] and Monica Fenty, who is of Guyanese descent.^[10][11] 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. At the age of 15, Rihanna received her big break when one of her friends introduced her to music 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, Beyoncé Knowles, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Bob Marley and her Caribbean background as major musical influences.^[12][13][14] Rihanna also stated in an interview that her friend and former Island Def Jam record label artist Fefe Dobson was someone that she admired and looked up to, having a fellow artist writing, singing, and performing the music she truly loves.

20052006: Debut and rise to fame

Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun, was released on August 30, 2005, yielding two singles, the first being "Pon de Replay" which was released on August 22, 2005. This single became a huge success upon its release peaking at number 2 in the US on Billboard Hot 100 charts.^[18] It also became a global hit where it peaked within the top 10 across 15 countries as well as achieving top 20 chartings on 20 charts around the world.^[19] The single written by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and Rihanna was described by Rolling Stone magazine as a "poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz."^[20] The second single "If It's Lovin' That You Want" was less successful than "Pon de Replay", but it became a hit nonetheless by managing to achieve a top 40 charting in the USA reaching a high of number 36. In Australia, Ireland and New Zealand the single proved to be well-received reaching the top 10 in those countries. Overall the single became a top 40 hit on 11 charts around the globe. Despite the album not having huge promotion and only releasing two singles Music of the Sun managed to sell over 500,000 copies in the United States and 2 million worldwide.^[21]

Rihanna second album, A Girl like Me, was released in April 2006; less than eight months after the release of her first album. The lead single, &q