Rihanna is a billionaire, according to Forbes, which has declared the entertainer and entrepreneur – real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty – to be "the richest female musician on the planet". But it's much more than just her musical career that's led to her estimated $1.4 billion (£1.1bn) net worth.
Following her triumphant return to the stage at the Super Bowl, read on to find out how Rihanna made her fortune, what she got paid for her halftime performance, and how she likes to spend her money too.
Rihanna was born on the Caribbean island of Barbados in 1988. Her home life was challenging, as her father was addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine, and her parents divorced when she was 14. In 2003, she formed a girl band with two schoolmates and the trio were spotted by American producer Evan Rogers.
However, it was Rihanna's stand-out performance during renditions of hits by Destiny's Child and Mariah Carey that really caught Rogers' attention. She was invited to the US to create demo tapes for record labels, with her soon-to-be hit Pon De Replay one of the tracks laid down.
That very same demo tape found its way to the hands of rapper Jay-Z, who had recently been appointed as president and CEO of Def Jam Records. After an audition in New York, Jay-Z signed Rihanna to a six-album deal with the label.
Pon De Replay was released as her debut single in August 2005, becoming a hit around the globe and peaking at number two in the US charts. The dancefloor-friendly tune received double-platinum certification after selling over two million copies, and also won three awards.
Rihanna's first album Music Of The Sun was also released in August 2005 and spent 44 weeks on the US album charts. It sold over 500,000 units and received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Shortly after Music Of The Sun's release, Rihanna was back in the studio and working on album number two, A Girl Like Me.
Released in April 2006, the album sold 115,000 units in its first week (compared to Music Of The Sun's 69,000 units) and has to date sold an estimated 3.6 million copies, receiving platinum certification around the world.
As well as its own chart-topping success, A Girl Like Me featured several singles that stormed music charts across the globe. These included SOS, which sold over a million copies, won an award, and became Rihanna's first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Regret-filled ballad Unfaithful hit the top 10 in 19 countries, We Ride sold over 500,000 copies in the US, and Break It Off scored two awards.
In May 2007 Rihanna's next album, Good Girl Gone Bad, was released. It featured some of her most famous tracks, including Umbrella, which rocketed to number one in charts around the world, including spending 10 weeks in the top position in the UK.
Entertainment Weekly voted Umbrella the most popular song of 2007, and the track won eight awards, including two MTV Music Awards and a Grammy. To date, the single has sold upwards of 6.6 million copies, making it one of the most purchased singles of all time.
As well as Umbrella, Good Girl Gone Bad featured a host of other hits that achieved huge commercial success, including Don't Stop The Music, Shut Up & Drive, Rehab, and Hate That I Love You, with collaborations from the likes of Ne-Yo and Justin Timberlake further contributing towards its success. The album sold close to three million copies in the US alone and was also nominated for seven Grammy awards.
Good Girl Gone Bad was followed up by a series of other hugely successful albums: Rated R was released in 2009 and Loud in 2010. Rated R has sold over three million copies to date, while Loud was nominated for a trio of Grammys.
A string of hits from the albums hit the airwaves. Rude Boy, Only Girl (In The World), and What's My Name? were just a few of the stand-out tracks from the two releases, while collaborations with David Guetta and Kanye West added further fuel to Rihanna's chart-topping fire.
The relentless success continued with the release of two further albums: Talk That Talk in November 2011 and Unapologetic a year later. A slew of yet more hit singles followed, with Diamonds from the latter album cementing Rihanna's place in chart history. The sparkling track, which was released as a single in September 2012, was a number-one hit in 20 countries and became Rihanna's 12th number-one single on Billboard's prestigious chart, as well as her seventh on the UK equivalent.
Within six months of its release, Diamonds had sold over 7.5 million copies and it has been officially recognised as one of the best-selling tracks of all time. That was her final Def Jam release as she signed a new deal with her mentor Jay-Z's Roc Nation label.
In 2015, Rihanna became the first artist to have 100 million singles downloaded or streamed. The year 2016 saw the release of Anti, Rihanna's eighth and most recent album. It featured Work, a collaboration with Drake, which would become her 27th top 10 hit.
All in all, it's estimated that Rihanna has comfortably sold over 60 million albums so far.
Rihanna achieved yet another music milestone this month when she became the first female artist to have 10 songs with one billion streams on Spotify.
"Bad gal Billi... with no new album," Rihanna wrote on Instagram to celebrate the record, which she achieved despite the fact she hasn't released a new album since 2016's Anti.
As well as chart hits, Rihanna's financial success has been boosted by a very busy – and highly lucrative – global touring schedule, which has seen her take to the stage over 400 times during a 10-year period in some of the world's biggest venues.
Her Loud tour made an estimated $90 million (£65m), while 2013's Diamonds World Tour raked in a jaw-dropping $141.9 million (£102m). This was followed by the Anti tour, which made $106 million (£76m).
Rihanna has also swapped the stage for the screen, with her acting portfolio featuring performances in Battleship, Bring It On: All Or Nothing, Home, Bates Motel, and Ocean's 8.
She was also a mentor on season 9 of The Voice in the US. And she has released a series of books with publisher Phaidon, including The Rihanna Book, which features photos from throughout her career and is available to buy in a collector's edition format for $1,495 (£995).
Rihanna's astounding success has made her irresistible to brands over the years, with big-buck sponsorship deals coming in thick and fast for the singer. One such deal came from Samsung in 2015, with Rihanna signing a $25 million (£18m) contract to promote its products in exchange for sponsorship of the Anti album and tour.
She's also collaborated with brands such as MAC Cosmetics, Budweiser, Nivea, and Covergirl over the years.
Rihanna has also collaborated with plenty of fashion brands, from the high couture likes of Dior and Armani to the more mainstream River Island, for which she designed several collections.
She was appointed Creative Director of Puma in 2014. Her first shoe collection for Puma sold out within three hours, while the 2016 showcase of her debut Fenty x Puma clothing line at New York Fashion Week was met with rave reviews. Most recently, she starred in a campaign for luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton in June.
With such an interest in fashion, it was only going to be a matter of time before Rihanna created her own brand. In 2018, she launched lingerie line Savage X Fenty. A "shoppable visual line" for the brand was premiered via Amazon in 2020.
In 2021, Savage X Fenty was valued at a cool $1 billion (£720m), with affordable price points and a focus on inclusivity giving it a wide market appeal.
Rihanna recently announced that she would be stepping down as CEO of Savage x Fenty. She will be replaced by Hillary Super, the former CEO of US fashion and beauty brand Anthropologie Group, though she remains in a leadership role at the company as executive chair.
"It’s been beautiful to see our vision for Savage X Fenty impact the industry at such an incredible magnitude over the last five years. This is just the beginning for us, and we’re going to continue to expand in ways that always connect with the consumer. I’m so grateful and excited to welcome Hillary Super as our new CEO; she is a strong leader and is focused on taking the business to an even higher level," Rihanna said in a statement about the business move.
In recent times, Rihanna and her beau, A$AP Rocky, have welcomed sons RZA (pictured) and Riot Rose. RiRi's latest business venture is inspired by her journey into motherhood.
In August, she launched a maternity capsule collection under her Savage x Fenty fashion label, targeted at "moms and moms-to-be”. The collection was designed by Rihanna herself and features bralettes and a cosy oversized graphic tee, with prices ranging from £25 ($30) to £50 ($60).
“The new maternity capsule is about bringing that confidence and comfort to moms at every stage of their journeys." Rihanna said. “I want to remind people that you can still channel sexiness and feel good while being a parent.”
In 2017, Rihanna partnered with luxury conglomerate LVMH to launch her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty. Due to its inclusivity – its Pro Filt'r foundation, for example, has received praise for catering to 50 different skin tones – and affordable price points, Fenty Beauty has been a hit with beauty fanatics around the globe. Vogue reported that the brand had made $100 million (£72m) within just 40 days of launching.
According to Forbes, Fenty Beauty generated $550 million (£416.5m) in revenue in 2020, and this is where the bulk of Rihanna's fortune comes from as she owns half the company. Her Fenty fashion line, launched in 2019, wasn't such a success and was shut down, with critics saying the clothing was too expensive for the mass market.
Rihanna has launched 11 different perfumes in collaboration with beauty company Parlux throughout her career, including Reb'l Fleur, Rogue, and RiRi. With a typical price point of around $30 (£22) per bottle, the fragrances have made her millions – with Reb'l Fleur alone making an estimated $80 million (£58m) in its first year of sale.
In July 2021, the star revealed she would be unveiling her debut Fenty Perfume fragrance. Retailing at $120 (£86) a bottle and described as a unisex scent that's "sensual, spicy and sweet all at once", Fenty Eau de Parfum sold out in hours. Trademarks were filed for Fenty Hair in 2021, so watch this space for another new string to the star's entrepreneurial bow...
Rihanna made an epic return to the stage for the first time since 2018 by performing at the Super Bowl halftime show in February. The singing sensation belted out a medley of her biggest hits, including Umbrella, Diamonds, and Work.
The star shocked fans as she appeared to be cradling a baby bump throughout her performance, with her publicist later confirming that Rihanna was indeed expecting her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky just nine months after the birth of their son.
It's since been revealed that Rihanna's iconic performance was the most watched in the history of the Super Bowl, with 118.7 million households tuning in to view it.
You might be surprised to learn the star wasn't paid a dime for her showstopping Super Bowl performance. While the NFL pays for the production costs and travel expenses of artists who sing at the legendary sporting event, stars don't actually get a paycheque. Instead they get the exposure of performing on one of the biggest stages in the world.
This doesn't mean Rihanna won't profit from her performance, though. She saw a 390% increase in song sales following her Super Bowl show. Meanwhile, her Fenty Beauty makeup line achieved $5.6 million (£4.4m) in earned media within 12 hours of the game, and her Savage X Fenty lingerie line earned $2.6 million (£2.1m), according to Launchmetrics.
Rihanna graced yet another global stage on 12 March when she performed at the 95th Academy Awards in Hollywood (pictured).
She belted out her hit Lift Me Up from the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which was nominated for Best Original Song.
Alas, Rihanna was ultimately defeated in her Oscar bid. Frontrunner Naatu Naatu from the movie RRR won Best Original Song, becoming the first-ever track from an Indian film to score the prestigious award.
On Oscar night Rihanna dazzled by donning 142 carats of diamonds around her neck, wrists, and ears. The sparkling rocks, worth $2.6 million (£2.1m), were lent to the star by luxury diamond company De Beers.
However, Rihanna's decision to wear the jewellery sparked online backlash, as the Dee Beers diamond company has long been accused of being associated with the brutal "blood diamond" trade in South Africa, which it denies.
Earlier this year, Rihanna performed at the lavish pre-wedding party of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Anant Ambani is the son of businessman Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man with a net worth of $117 billion (£94bn), according to Forbes.
Rihanna traveled to Mumbai (pictured) to perform at the event and reportedly received a $6.3 million (£5m) payday for the private concert. Despite the staggering sum she was paid, it's just a drop in the ocean compared to the entire wedding, which is thought to cost upward of $150 million (£120m).
So with all that money at her fingertips, how does Rihanna spend her hard-earned dollars? Well, first of all, there's the team around her – after all, every star has a tight-knit squad and Rihanna is no different. Hollywood-favourite personal trainers such as Dede Lagree and Harley Pasternak help Rihanna keep in shape with vigorous workouts, while top chef Debbie Solomon has whipped up countless meals and snacks for the star over the years.
Rihanna is also known to splash the cash on her hair and beauty routine. She has been rumoured to spend $38,000 (£27k) a week on treatments, and is known to spend thousands on everything from a personal dermatologist to contour tanning sessions.
Way back in 2011, it was also reported that the star spent over $17,000 (£12,250) a week on hair styling, with celebrity hairdresser Ursula Stephen styling her locks.
With all those millions in the bank, it will come as little surprise that Rihanna has dabbled in the property market over the years, buying homes for herself and family members. Properties the star has purchased over the years include a three-bed $5.45 million (£3.93m) LA condo, as well as a $925,000 (£667k) property on LA's "Millionaires' Mile".
In 2017 Rihanna snapped up a jaw-dropping Hollywood Hills mansion (pictured) for $6.8 million (£4.9m). She put it up for sale for $7.5 million (£5.4m) the following year before renting it out for $35,000 (£25k) a month.
In 2017 she also bought a $2.75 million (£1.98m) home in West Hollywood (pictured), which she rented out for $16,500 (£12k) a month before selling it the following year. And it's not just the US property market that she's dabbled in. Rihanna lived in London throughout 2019, staying in a seven-bedroom mansion that reportedly cost over $20,000 (£14.4k) a week to rent. She also bought a luxury villa back on her home island of Barbados for $22 million (£17.1m).
Most recently, the starlet snapped up a lavish LA Penthouse for $21 million (£16.5m) in 2023. The luxe abode, previously owned by the late actor Matthew Perry, features four bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms, and several outdoor terraces, while the building also includes a 24-hour concierge service, a fitness centre, and a 75-foot swimming pool. However, this year she put the property on the market for $25 million (£20m).
See much more of Rihanna's houses on our sister site lovePROPERTY.com
Rihanna donates a lot of money to a variety of charitable causes, and in 2012 she launched the Clara Lionel Foundation, which works to improve education and healthcare for underprivileged children. The organisation hosts its glittering Diamond Ball annually, with the event having raised millions of dollars since its inception.
In March 2020, the foundation donated $5 million (£3.6m) to the fight against COVID-19. The following month, Rihanna donated an additional $2.1 million (£1.5m) to support adults and children affected by domestic violence during the pandemic-induced lockdown.
All her hard Work means that Rihanna has something of a penchant for fabulous holidays. The star is known to have enjoyed lavish getaways in exclusive locations around the globe, including Portofino, Saint-Tropez, and Honolulu. Rihanna has also enjoyed a yacht-based holiday or two. In 2011, for example, she explored the French Riviera via a $300,000 (£217k)-a-week chartered yacht.
Most recently, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and their infant son RZA were spotted enjoying a family vacation in Barbados ahead of the arrival of their second child. The heavily pregnant star was photographed eating a snow cone outside her luxurious villa on the Caribbean island.
In January 2022, Rihanna sent fans into a frenzy when she debuted her pregnancy in a very glamorous fashion. She was papped in NYC wearing an $8,000 (£6.5k) Chanel puffer jacket, which was open at the torso, revealing a baby bump draped in gold chains and jewels.
The fashion-forward star never let her first pregnancy alter her flamboyant style. She told Vogue: "When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, there’s no way I’m going to go shopping in no maternity aisle."
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky threw a baby shower at a Hollywood studio in April 2022. The event, like RiRi's head-turning maternity style, was anything but traditional: a rave-themed bash with a neon dress code. Would you expect anything less from the uber hip couple?
As for how Rihanna plans to handle motherhood while running a business empire, she recently told Complex Music: "The balance is almost impossible, because no matter how you look at it, work is always something that’s going to rob you of time with your child."
She added, "That’s the currency now, and that’s where it goes, the magnitude of how much it weighs. When you make decisions on what you’re going to say yes to, it has to be worth it."
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The richest woman in music appears to be having some difficulty adjusting to her extraordinary net worth. In an interview at her Savage X Fenty show in 2021, she described it as "crazy" and "real weird" that people were congratulating her on her wealth.
The star also appears to be feeling the pressure of her new title, stating: "I don't wanna be on this pedestal. I don't wanna be this icon. I want to remember who I am." She went on to say, however, that the fact that her humble beginnings inspire and give hope to others makes the "scary" experience "worth it".
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