Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), better known as simply Rihanna (pronounced /riΛΙΛnΙ/ ree-YAH-nΙ or /riΛΓ¦nΙ/ ree-AN-Ι), is a Barbadian R&B recording artist and songwriter.[3] 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.[4]
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 singlesβ"Umbrella", "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia"βand 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.[5][6] 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 number one singles, "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?".[7][8]
Rihanna has sold more than 20 million albums and 45 million singles worldwide.[9] 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.[10][11] As of July 23, 2010, Rihanna has sold approximately 5,563,000 album units in the US.[12] 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.[13][14] She serves as one of Barbados's honorary cultural ambassadors.[15] In January 2010, Rihanna received two Grammy Awards for Jay-Z's 2009 single "Run This Town".[16]
