Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian pop and R&B recording artist and songwriter. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers. She subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for then-label head Jay-Z. In 2005, Rihanna released her debut studio album, Music of the Sun, which peaked in the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart and features the Billboard Hot 100 hit single "Pon de Replay." Less than a year later, she released her second studio album, A Girl Like Me (2006), which peaked within the top five of the Billboard albums chart, and produced her first US number one hit single, "SOS", as well as Billboard Hot 100 top ten entries "Unfaithful" and "Break It Off". Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, featured five top ten hits including three US number one hit singles—"Umbrella", "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia"—and the worldwide hit "Don't Stop the Music". The album was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella," which features Jay-Z. Her fourth studio album, Rated R, was released in November 2009, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200. Its first three singles, "Russian Roulette", "Hard" and "Rude Boy" peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, with "Rude Boy" peaking at number one. She released her fifth studio album, Loud, in November 2010, that features the US and UK number one singles, "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?". Rihanna has sold more than 25 million albums and 45 million singles worldwide. She has achieved nine number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 since first appearing on the chart on June 11, 2005, which is the most by any artist during that time span. As of July 23, 2010, Rihanna has sold approximately 5,563,000 album units in the US. Billboard named Rihanna the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade. She has received several accolades, including the 2007 World Music Awards for World's Best-Selling Pop Female Artist and Female Entertainer of the Year, as well as the 2008 American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. She serves as one of Barbados's honorary cultural ambassadors. In January 2010, Rihanna received two Grammy Awards for Jay-Z's 2009 single "Run This Town". In February 2011, Rihanna recieved a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, as well as recieving a Brit Award for Best International Female Solo Artist. Becoming an international sensation, Rihanna is known for blending R&B with Caribbean music, such as reggae and dancehall. She has an amazing voice which showed during her acoustic set, she just needs to work on her audience engagement during live shows. At the time of her debut, reviewers referred to her as a "bubblegum queen" and her music to "teen pop." The Sun magazine stated that "Rihanna going bad is very good" and that she had "[shaken] off any 'teen pop' image as she rocked the stage." One of Rihanna's major influences and idols is Mariah Carey so as Beyoncé Knowles, too. Rihanna also considers Madonna as one of her idols and biggest influences. Of Janet Jackson, Rihanna has commented that "she was one of the first female pop icons that I could relate to...You have to love Janet." Her other musical influences include Bob Marley, Alicia Keys Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Celine Dion, Brandy and Gwen Stefani. During the summer in 2010, Rihanna collaborated with rapper Eminem on "Love the Way You Lie", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as other countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. The song became Rihanna's seventh number one hit single on the Hot 100 of her career, making her the female artist with the fifth-most number ones in the chart's history. In August, 2010, a wax figure of Rihanna was unveiled in Madame Tussauds in Washington D.C. On February 20, 2011, the day of her 23rd birthday, she performed on the 2011 NBA All-Star Game halftime show, to be held at Staples Center, in LA.
