Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty, born 20 February 1988) is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, businesswoman and actress. With estimated sales of more than 250 million records she is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and she is the first female musician to reach billionaire status through her business ventures. She was declared a National Hero of Barbados in 2021. This biography follows her life and career up to November 2026.
Rihanna at a Glance
| Full name | Robyn Rihanna Fenty |
| Born | 20 February 1988, Saint Michael, Barbados |
| Age | 38 (as of November 2026) |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter, businesswoman and actress |
| Record sales | More than 250 million (estimated) |
| Number-one singles | 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 |
| Awards | Nine Grammy Awards |
| Businesses | Fenty Beauty, Fenty (LVMH) and the Clara Lionel Foundation |
| Honour | National Hero of Barbados (2021) |
Early Life in Barbados
Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados, to Monica Braithwaite, an accountant, and Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor. She has two younger brothers, Rorrey and Rajad, and she grew up in a three-bedroom bungalow in Bridgetown, where she helped her father sell clothes at a street stall. She has spoken about a difficult childhood affected by her father's addictions.
Rise to Stardom
After signing with Def Jam Recordings, Rihanna released Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006), both of which reached the top ten of the US Billboard 200. The lead singles "Pon de Replay" and "SOS" peaked at numbers two and one on the Hot 100. Her breakthrough came with Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) and its reissue, which produced the US number-one singles "Umbrella", "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia".
Chart Success and Anti
She explored more personal themes on Rated R (2009), then returned to dance-pop on Loud (2010) and Talk That Talk (2011) and topped the Billboard 200 with Unapologetic (2012). After leaving Def Jam for Roc Nation she released Anti (2016), her second number-one album. Her US number-one singles include "Rude Boy", "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?", "S&M", "We Found Love", "Diamonds" and "Work", and she also topped the Hot 100 as a guest on "Live Your Life", "Love the Way You Lie" and "The Monster".
Acting
Rihanna's film roles include Battleship (2012), Home (2015), Ocean's 8 (2018) and the voice of Smurfette in Smurfs (2025).
Fenty and Business
In 2017 she launched the cosmetics line Fenty Beauty through LVMH's Kendo division, holding a 50 percent stake, with a wide range of shades that won attention across the beauty industry. She later launched the fashion brand Fenty under LVMH, and she founded the Clara Lionel Foundation, named after her grandparents. She uses her surname for her business ventures to keep them separate from her music.
Motherhood and the Super Bowl
In February 2023 Rihanna became the first person to headline a Super Bowl halftime show while pregnant, revealing her pregnancy during the performance. Her song "Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) was her first solo musical release since Anti and earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. She and A$AP Rocky have three children, according to recent coverage.
What She Is Doing Now
Rihanna's ninth album, which fans call "R9", has no official title or release date. In February 2026 she shared studio footage on social media, and in August 2026 A$AP Rocky said she is recording new music.
Honours and Advocacy
Rihanna was named an ambassador for culture and youth by the Government of Barbados in 2018 and was declared a National Hero of Barbados in 2021, when the island became a republic. Her honours include nine Grammy Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, thirteen American Music Awards and seven MTV Video Music Awards, and she is the highest-certified female digital single artist in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Conclusion
Rihanna turned a pop career into a global business empire while releasing music only sporadically since 2016. Fans are still waiting for her next album, but her place in music and in business is already well established.
