Rihanna Biography: Real Name, Age, Partner ASAP Rocky, Kids, Albums, Fenty & Latest News
Rihanna (born Robyn Rihanna Fenty; 20 February 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman and actress. Discovered in Barbados by producer Evan Rogers, she moved to the United States at 16, signed with Def Jam after auditioning for Jay-Z, and released her debut album, Music of the Sun, in 2005. Across eight albums, from A Girl Like Me and Good Girl Gone Bad to Anti (2016), she has scored 14 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, including “Umbrella”, “Disturbia”, “Only Girl (In the World)”, “We Found Love” and “Work”, and won nine Grammy Awards. She founded Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty and became the first female musician to reach billionaire status. She was declared a National Hero of Barbados in 2021. She is in a long-term relationship with rapper ASAP Rocky, and the couple have three children.
Rihanna Latest News (2026)
- New album hopes: Rihanna has not released a studio album since Anti (2016), but has repeatedly said she is working on new music, and fans continue to look for clues about her long-awaited ninth album, nicknamed “R9”. She has hinted that she has a large stock of unreleased songs.
- Surprise performance with Jay-Z (12 July 2026): She joined Jay-Z as a guest at his anniversary tour show at Yankee Stadium in New York, performing “Run This Town” and “Bitch Better Have My Money”.
- Family: In 2025 she welcomed her third child and first daughter with ASAP Rocky, having voiced Smurfette in the animated film Smurfs earlier that year.
Rihanna Profile, Age and Wiki
| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Robyn Rihanna Fenty |
| Nickname | Riri |
| Profession | Singer, businesswoman, actress |
| Date of Birth | 20 February 1988 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 38 years |
| Birthplace | Saint Michael, Barbados |
| Hometown | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| Nationality | Barbadian |
| Career | |
| Debut Album | Music of the Sun (2005) |
| Label | Def Jam, later Roc Nation |
| Biggest Hits | “Umbrella”, “Diamonds”, “We Found Love”, “Work”, “Only Girl (In the World)” |
| Businesses | Fenty Beauty, Savage X Fenty, Fenty Skin |
| Awards | 9 Grammy Awards; Academy Award nomination (“Lift Me Up”) |
| Honours | National Hero of Barbados (2021); Ambassador of Barbados (2018) |
| Personal Life | |
| Father | Ronald Fenty |
| Mother | Monica Braithwaite (accountant) |
| Partner | ASAP Rocky (together since 2020) |
| Children | Two sons (born 2022 and 2023) and a daughter (born 2025) |
Early Life
Rihanna was born on 20 February 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados, and grew up in Bridgetown. Her mother, Monica Braithwaite, is an Afro-Guyanese accountant, and her father, Ronald Fenty, worked as a warehouse supervisor. She has two younger brothers and several half-siblings. As a child she helped her father sell clothes at a street stall in Bridgetown. At 11 she joined the Barbados Cadet Corps, where one of her drill sergeants was future singer Shontelle.
In 2003, while singing in a girl trio, she was introduced to American producer Evan Rogers, who was on holiday in Barbados. He invited her to New York to record demos, and she left school and moved to the United States shortly after turning 16.
Career
Def Jam and Early Albums (2005–2006)
Rihanna first signed with Rogers and Carl Sturken’s Syndicated Rhythm Productions. In 2005 her demo reached Jay-Z, then president of Def Jam Recordings, and after an audition in his office she was signed on the spot. Her debut single, “Pon de Replay”, was a hit in the US and UK, and her first album, Music of the Sun, came out in August 2005. Her second album, A Girl Like Me (2006), produced her first US number one, “SOS”.
Good Girl Gone Bad (2007–2009)
Rihanna’s third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), marked a bolder image and sound. Its lead single, “Umbrella”, featuring Jay-Z, topped charts around the world and won her first Grammy. The album and its reissue produced further hits, including “Don’t Stop the Music”, “Disturbia” and “Take a Bow”. Her darker fourth album, Rated R (2009), included “Rude Boy”.
Global Superstar (2010–2016)
Rihanna released an album every year from 2010 to 2012: Loud (2010), with “Only Girl (In the World)” and “What’s My Name?”; Talk That Talk (2011), with the Calvin Harris collaboration “We Found Love”; and Unapologetic (2012), with “Diamonds”. She also featured on hits such as Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie”. Her eighth album, Anti (2016), released through her deal with Roc Nation, was more experimental and featured “Work” with Drake, her 14th Billboard Hot 100 number one.
Fenty and Later Music (2017–present)
After Anti, Rihanna focused on business. She launched Fenty Beauty with LVMH’s Kendo in 2017, praised for its wide range of foundation shades, followed by the lingerie brand Savage X Fenty and Fenty Skin. In 2022 she returned to music with “Lift Me Up” for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. In February 2023 she headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, revealing her second pregnancy during the performance; it was watched by about 121 million people, the most-watched halftime show in history. In 2025 she voiced Smurfette in Smurfs, which also featured her original song.
Fenty Beauty and Business
Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in September 2017 in partnership with LVMH. Its debut range of 40 foundation shades, designed to suit a wide range of skin tones, was a huge success and pushed the wider beauty industry to offer more inclusive shades, an effect often called “the Fenty effect”. She followed it with Savage X Fenty, a lingerie brand known for its size-inclusive collections and televised fashion shows, and Fenty Skin, a skincare line. The success of these businesses, especially Fenty Beauty, made her the first female musician to become a billionaire.
Acting Career
Rihanna has also acted in films. She made her feature debut in the action film Battleship (2012), voiced Tip in DreamWorks’ animated hit Home (2015), played Marion Crane in a guest arc on Bates Motel (2017), appeared in Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) and played the hacker Nine Ball in Ocean’s 8 (2018).
Rihanna Albums
| Year | Album | Key Singles |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Music of the Sun | “Pon de Replay” |
| 2006 | A Girl Like Me | “SOS”, “Unfaithful” |
| 2007 | Good Girl Gone Bad | “Umbrella”, “Don’t Stop the Music”, “Disturbia”, “Take a Bow” |
| 2009 | Rated R | “Rude Boy”, “Russian Roulette” |
| 2010 | Loud | “Only Girl (In the World)”, “What’s My Name?” |
| 2011 | Talk That Talk | “We Found Love”, “Where Have You Been” |
| 2012 | Unapologetic | “Diamonds”, “Stay” |
| 2016 | Anti | “Work”, “Needed Me”, “Kiss It Better” |
| 2022 | “Lift Me Up” (single) | From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Oscar nomination |
Awards and Honours
- Nine Grammy Awards
- Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Song – “Lift Me Up”
- 14 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- National Hero of Barbados, declared by Prime Minister Mia Mottley on 30 November 2021
- Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Barbados (2018)
- First female musician to become a billionaire
Personal Life
Rihanna has been in a relationship with rapper ASAP Rocky since 2020, and they confirmed it publicly in May 2021. Their first son was born in May 2022, their second son in August 2023 and their daughter in 2025. The family lives in Los Angeles. Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation, named after her grandparents, which supports education and emergency response programmes around the world.
Why Rihanna Stands Out
Rihanna is one of the best-selling artists of all time and one of the few musicians to turn her fame into a business empire. Fenty Beauty changed the cosmetics industry with its focus on inclusive shade ranges, and made her a billionaire. Even without a new album for a decade, her catalogue of hits, record-breaking Super Bowl show and status as a national hero of Barbados keep her among the most influential figures in global pop culture.
Lesser-Known Facts About Rihanna
- Her first name is Robyn; Rihanna is her middle name.
- As a child she sold clothes with her father at a street stall in Bridgetown.
- She was a cadet in the Barbados Cadet Corps.
- Jay-Z signed her to Def Jam after a single audition in his office.
- Her Super Bowl LVII halftime show is the most-watched in history.
Related Biographies
- Selena Gomez – fellow singer and beauty brand founder
- Ariana Grande – fellow pop star and beauty entrepreneur
- Dua Lipa – fellow Grammy-winning pop star
FAQs About Rihanna
What is Rihanna’s real name?
Rihanna’s full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.
When was Rihanna born?
Rihanna was born on 20 February 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados.
Who is Rihanna’s partner?
Rihanna is in a relationship with rapper ASAP Rocky. They have been together since 2020.
How many children does Rihanna have?
Rihanna has three children with ASAP Rocky: two sons, born in 2022 and 2023, and a daughter, born in 2025.
How many Grammys has Rihanna won?
Rihanna has won nine Grammy Awards.
Is Rihanna a billionaire?
Yes. Rihanna is the first female musician to become a billionaire, largely thanks to Fenty Beauty.
When is Rihanna’s new album coming out?
Rihanna has not announced a release date for her ninth album. Her last studio album, Anti, came out in 2016.