Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, fashion artistic director, businesswoman and ambassador.

Quotes

[My music is] just imagination, being creative; that's what my music is composed with. Being creative and thinking of situations, whether situations I went through or situations I've observed people going through. I can't tell you where I'll see myself in five years, but I can tell you I will work my best to be the most successful artist that I can be in five years. [I want to be] Remembered as Rihanna. Remembered as being an artist from the Caribbean who came here and made it internationally. Just remembered as me, 'cause I'm true to my music, and I just want people to realize that and appreciate me for that.
- Jones, Steve. "Rihanna Plotted Her Path To Success in First MTV News Interview". MTV. (November 21, 2009).

I feel strongly that all children everywhere should be afforded the opportunity of a quality education, therefore I'm proud to announce Clara Lionel Foundation's partnership with education advocacy leaders like the Global Partnership for Education and Global Citizen. Working together, I know we can amplify our efforts and ensure that millions of children gain access to education globally.
- "Rihanna is GPE's Global Ambassador". www.globalpartnership.org. (2012)

When the door closes you have two choices. Give up, or keep going. Let them shut you down or prove them wrong. We all start somewhere. It's where you end up that counts.
- 55th Annual Grammy Awards, (2013)

She's Beyoncé, and I'm [Jay-Z's] new protégée. When we see each other we say hi. We're not enemies, but we're not friends friends.

People don't do them around me. I would never allow it. The people who are around me are people that I love, and I don't want to see people that I love hurt themselves.
- On drugs.

He's one of my closest friends in the industry. He makes me feel like a teenager — I have to act and think like an adult so much. He makes me feel young again.
- On Chris Brown.

The label didn't want me to do this look. But cutting my hair, it made me stand out as an artist. I don't care who likes it--this is me.

[G]enetically my legs are supposed to be huge. I can't really think about it, or I'll go crazy.
- On working out.

While in America beautiful is skinny, in Barbados it's thick — girls with huge butts and nice curves.

People ask me the most naive questions. Someone asked me if we have indoor toilets. I can't get upset. They just don't know.
- On the world's lack of knowledge about her native island, Barbados.

The hardest thing for me is to say no. I feel like a bitch. But sometimes I don't have a choice.
- On refusing to sign autographs when approached by fans.

I was a little confused as a kid because I grew up with my mom, and my mom is black. So, I was cultured in a very 'black' way. But when I go to school, I'm getting called 'white.' They would look at me, and they would curse me out. I didn't understand. I just knew I saw people of all different shades, and I was light. Now, I'm in a much bigger world.

They'd complain to my other neighbor, who was very close to my mom, so we always got the message: I'm too loud. But we didn't really care. They can't tell me what to do in my house!
- On being scolded by her neighbors in Barbados for singing too loudly in the shower.

You can't even go out with a friend who's a celebrity and have a good time without people making shit up.

Miranda July, A Very Revealing Conversation With Rihanna, New York Times, (Oct. 12, 2015)

Guys need attention. They need that nourishment, that little stroke of the ego that gets them by every now and then. I’ll give it to my family, I’ll give it to my work — but I will not give it to a man right now.
I’m turned on by guys who are cultured. That’ll keep me intrigued. They don’t have to have a single degree, but they should speak other languages or know things about other parts of the world or history or certain artists or musicians. I like to be taught. I like to sit on that side of the table.
Well, there’s always this human instinct about that, even from a very, very young age. I agreed that we are born with a sort of innate sexuality. But by like age 11, girls were talking about what they had and hadn’t done. I hadn’t even kissed a boy yet, so it always made me feel insecure, like I was never gonna be good or ready or know what to do — I didn’t even have boobs.

And then I looked up and there she was, my celebrity crush, Rihanna. Before I could think better of it, I was up out of my seat and over in front of where she was sitting. "Hey, Rihanna, my name's Austin," I said. "Nice to meet you." "Hello," she said, looking at me like, Who is this kid? Get out of here. "I'm a big fan," I said. "Thanks," she said. Then I just stood there awkwardly, smiling at her. I think I scared her a little bit, because I just popped up from nowhere, and she had no idea what was happening or who I was. Finally I was like, Okay, I'm going to sit back down. Then I left. All right, that didn't go so well, I thought as I went back to my seat.
- Austin Mahone, Just How It Happened (2014), p. 157

My pleasure icons are... Marla Stewart of Velvet Lips. Rihanna, obviously. Lizzo too, the pleasure she gets from just confronting the world with her excellence and then laughing.
- Adrienne Maree Brown, Interview with Bon Appétit (2019)

On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we therefore present to you the designee for national hero of Barbados, Ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty. May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honor to your nation by your works, by your actions and to do credit wherever you shall go.
- Mia Mottley, Presidential Inauguration Ceremony at Heroes Square on November 30, 2021 in Bridgetown, Barbados; as quoted by Emily Kirkpatrick in “Rihanna Is Named a National Hero of Barbados”, Vanity Fair, (November 30, 2021)