Born on Feb. 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados, Robyn Rihanna Fenty first hit the scene in 2005 with her megahit song, “Pon de Replay.”
Earlier that year, the young singer auditioned for Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, who was the CEO of Def Jam at that time. Her star factor was clear to the music mogul, who signed a 16-year-old Rihanna on the spot.
“When I met her that day I knew she was a star,” JAY-Z told Howard Stern in a 2010 interview. “Just the way she walked in a room and her confidence … She belt out a tune and I told her, ‘There’s no way out of this office.’ I signed her that day.”
Rihanna’s first album, Music of the Sun was released on Aug. 29, 2005, and in addition to “Pon de Replay,” it featured hits like “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want,” which channeled her Caribbean roots.
The album debuted at No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Rihanna paired the meteoric debut of her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad, in 2007 with an equally earth-shattering transformation.
The “Umbrella” singer traded in her honey-blonde locks for a jet-black pixie and established herself as a cultural trendsetter.
She would cut her tresses even shorter — and showed off her high cheek bones and chiseled jawline — for a performance at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.
A red-haired Rihanna had a laugh while on the set of the music video for her megahit “What’s My Name?” in 2010.
Never one to settle on one thing, Rihanna arrived to the Glamour 2009 Women of the Year Honors rocking a honey-blonde pixie.
The singer showed off her toned physique in a simple, yet daring Armani dress while on the 2012 Grammys red carpet. That night she performed a medley of her hits and picked up two awards for her Kanye West and Kid Cudi collab, “All of the Lights.”
The singer set the streets of London on fire in 2012 with an edgy look featuring a leather jacket, fierce thigh high boots and dark shades.
RiRi smiled while holding her prize at the 2013 American Music Awards. The singer took home four awards that night — favorite female artist – soul/R&B, artist of the year, favorite album – soul/R&B and favorite female artist – pop/rock — following the success of her seventh studio album, Unapologetic.
A known basketball fan, Rihanna sat courtside at the the 2013 Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets playoff game at the Barclays Center in N.Y.C.
Always a red carpet showstopper, Rihanna attended the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” 2014 Met Gala decked out in Stella McCartney.
In 2014, RiRi received the CFDA Fashion Icon of the Year Award. And, like a true icon, the singer attended the event wearing a sheer Adam Selman dress that featured a staggering 230,000 Swarovski crystals.
While the dress caused a lot of talk, Rihanna herself was displeased by one factor: the unbedazzled thong she wore underneath. She later told Vogue, “That’s the only regret I have in my life.”
Rihanna rocked a pink wig while at the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers playoff game at the Staples Center in 2014.
On Dec. 11, 2014, Rihanna hosted her first annual Diamond Ball. The charitable event benefits the Clara Lionel Foundation, an organization that “invests in climate justice initiatives in the Caribbean and United States and helps communities prepare for and withstand natural disasters.” It was named after Rihanna’s grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite.
The singer has also spent time working with DKMS, the world’s largest non-profit marrow donor center — to help raise awareness for the need for people to come forward to become donors.
The songstress stunned in a pink Giambattista Valli gown at the 2015 Grammys. She went home with yet another Grammy that night, for best rap/sung collaboration for her hit “The Monster” with Eminem.
The “Stay” singer served as a key adviser to all the judges during season 9 of NBC’s The Voice in 2015.
Rihanna served as one of the hosts for the “China: Through The Looking Glass,” the 2015 Met Gala. She wore a jaw-dropping yellow gown by Chinese designer Guo Pei, shutting down the red carpet to make her grand entrance.
In fall 2016, the fashionista dove head-first into the design world. She launched her first ready-to-wear collection, Fenty x Puma by Rihanna, featuring upscale street style clothing for men and women.
In 2016, Rihanna joined Prince Harry on his visit to Barbados, taking an HIV test alongside him on World AIDS Day.
“I was so excited to find out that it was so easy, and the results come back that quickly —you can find out literally on the spot, your status, and it’s very discreet,” the pop star said.
“The younger generation coming through want to talk about it, but there’s still that stigma. If us getting testing normalizes it and makes a difference, even a small difference, then job well done,” Harry said.
Following the success of Fenty x Puma, Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty — an inclusive makeup and beauty brand — in 2017. The brand was so successful it catapulted her into billionaire status.
Rihanna served hyndrengea fierceness at the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Met Gala in 2017.
After making her silver screen debut in 2012’s Battleship, the singer joined the fierce female cast of 2018’s Ocean’s 8. She also appeared in 2014’s Annie and two episodes of 2017’s Bates Motel, and lent her voice to Tip in 2015’s animated film Home.
“We all secretly wanted to be her favorite,” Ocean’s 8 costar Sandra Bullock recalled to the Associated Press of time on set with the singer. “We would be really relaxed and tired in the room, and then she’d walk in the room and all of a sudden we’d be like, ‘So Rihanna, Rihanna …!’ “
The fashion queen turned heads with this pearl- and jewel-encrusted ensemble at the “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” 2018 Met Gala. A replica of that outfit adorns her latest wax figure at Madame Tussauds New York.
Rihanna looked fierce while attending the 5th Annual Diamond Ball at Cipriani Wall Street in 2019.
With things going well for her professionally, RiRi’s personal life followed suit.
In 2020, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that the billionaire businesswoman was in a relationship with A$AP Rocky after months of rumors. The two had been friends for over a decade before things got romantic.
The stars giggled their way down the red carpet together at the 2021 Met Gala.
The Fenty founder was named a National Hero by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley in November 2021.
During a ceremony marking the country’s split from the United Kingdom to become its own republic, Prime Minister Mottley stated, “On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we therefore present to you, the designee, for national hero of Barbados, ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty.”
She continued, “May you continue to shine like a diamond and continue to bring honor to your nation by your words, by your actions, and to do credit wherever you shall go.”
On Jan. 31, 2022, the nine-time Grammy Award winner revealed she and A$AP were expecting their first baby.
The couple was photographed out in New York City, where Rihanna debuted her baby bump while wearing a long pink jacket.
She also showcased her growing belly in an Instagram carousel writing, “how the gang pulled up to Black History Month.”
Weeks after the announcement, the couple looked over-the-moon happy at an event for Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin in L.A.
The soon-to-be-momma proudly flaunted her bump at an event celebrating the launch of Fenty Beauty at Ulta Beauty.
Six months after welcoming her baby boy, the new mom looked fierce at the Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4 presented by Prime Video.
“Rihanna loves being a mom,” a source told PEOPLE on the singer’s journey through motherhood. “She is obsessed with her baby boy.”
Ri & A$AP left their adorable tot at home and looked dashing while attending the 2023 Golden Globes decked out in all black.
In September 2022, the singer revealed she would be the headliner of Super Bowl LVII’s Halftime Show in February 2023 via Instagram.
With no words or grande paragraph, the Bajan star posted a photo of her hand holding up a Wilson Duke football. She simply captioned the picture with a period.
The singer has only released one solo — Wakanda Forever‘s “Lift Me Up” — since 2016; her halftime show is giving fans hope for news of more music and a possible tour.
Regardless, they’ll likely be seeing (and hearing) her again in March: the single is nominated for a Best Original Song award at the 2023 Oscars.
