Rihanna: From poor student to America’s richest self-made female billionaire

In the field of entertainment and business, there are few names that shine as brightly as Rihanna.

Rihanna’s real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, born on February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados. As a child, Rihanna and her father made a living selling clothes at a street stall. Her childhood was deeply affected by her father’s addiction, leading to family tensions and her parents’ subsequent divorce.

Rihanna as a child.

Get an early start in your music career

While in high school, Rihanna formed a musical trio with two Barbadian classmates and auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers. This person was immediately attracted to her talent.

After a successful audition, she was invited to record a demo tape. For about a year, intermittent recordings produced tracks like “Pon de Replay” and “The Last Time.” Both were later included in her debut album “Music of the Sun”.

In the summer of 2010, Rihanna collaborated with Eminem on “Love the Way You Lie,” a global hit that reached No. 1 in more than 20 countries and became the best-selling song of 2010 in the UK. She then co-headlined a tour with Eminem, grossing more than $36 million after just six shows.

While in high school, Rihanna formed a musical trio with two Barbadian classmates and auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers.

According to BET, within a year, Rihanna launched the Loud Tour to promote her album of the same name and earned about 90 million USD. The Loud Tour marked a record-breaking achievement with 10 sold-out nights at The O2 Arena in West London, making her the female artist with the most sold-out shows in the venue’s history. The tour ranked as the seventh highest-grossing worldwide in 2011.

In 2015, Rihanna began work on her latest studio album, “Anti”. She signed a $25 million contract with Samsung, which involved her endorsing Samsung’s Galaxy product line. In return, Samsung sponsored the release of her studio album and accompanying tour. Since then, Rihanna has collaborated with stars such as Kanye West, Calvin Harris, Drake and DJ Khaled.

Fenty’s fashion empire

Easily transitioning from stage to business, Rihanna’s influence extends far beyond music. The launch of her Fenty fashion line marked a groundbreaking moment in the industry. Fenty not only disrupts traditional beauty standards but also champions inclusivity with its diverse range of products.

In 2019, Rihanna revealed her collaboration with LVMH (a French international conglomerate specializing in luxury goods), revealing the joint venture’s name and logo on her social media platforms. she. In her message of appreciation, she praised LVMH as an ideal partner, expressing her readiness for the world to witness their joint creativity.

This partnership helped Rihanna become the first woman of color to lead an LVMH brand. Fenty represents the addition of LVMH’s clothing, footwear, fragrance and accessories lines since 1987, alongside famous brands such as Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Christian Dior.

Easily transitioning from stage to business, Rihanna’s influence extends far beyond music

Savage X Fenty: Redefining underwear

Not stopping yet, Rihanna’s venture into the lingerie industry with Savage X Fenty has shown her business acumen. This brand not only redefines underwear, but also celebrates women’s body positivity, no matter what shape they are.

Savage X Fenty has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s “10 Most Innovative Style Companies of 2020.” By 2021, the brand valuation had reached an impressive $1 billion, boasting over 4.5 million followers across various social media platforms.

In 2022, Rihanna announced the upcoming establishment of Savage X Fenty brick-and-mortar stores. The first five locations selected include Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

Fenty Beauty: The beauty revolution

The majority of Rihana’s net worth is from the value and revenue of her Fenty Beauty cosmetics line. In 2017, at the age of 29, Rihanna initiated the launch of Fenty Beauty. Before this venture, she collaborated with MAC Cosmetics and launched 10 fragrances, but Fenty Beauty marked her first foray into an independent cosmetics brand.

Rihanna makes it clear that Fenty’s core goal is to serve “all types of women,” embracing “all skin tones.” In just one month after launch, Fenty Beauty achieved a total of $72 million in sales, witnessing widespread sell-outs.

The majority of Rihana’s net worth is from the value and revenue of her Fenty Beauty cosmetics line.

In the UK, Fenty Beauty overtook MAC Cosmetics to become Harvey Nichols’ most successful beauty product ever. In September, the department store sold one Fenty Beauty foundation every minute and one lipstick every three minutes. This launch contributed significantly to a 17% increase in LVMH’s cosmetics and perfume sales in the third quarter of 2017.

Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, reported that Fenty Beauty’s revenue reached nearly $573 million at the end of 2018. Forbes noted that in its first 15 months of operation, Fenty Beauty generated $570 million in revenue in 2018. The overall business was valued at $2.8 billion, with Rihanna, the CEO, owning 50% of the business.

With unremitting efforts, Rihanna has continuously been named on the list of the richest self-made women in America in recent years. The owner of 9 Grammy awards once said that she wanted to use her fortune to do greater things for the community: “My money is not for me. I always think I can help others. This world can actually make you believe that the wrong things should take precedence and cause you to miss the core value of life, as well as what it means to be alive.”