How do you top a monster hit like “Umbrella� For Tricky Stewart, the answer is easy. You don’t. The hitmaker behind 2007’s chart-topper speaks exclusively with Rap-Up.com about producing the biggest album of Rihanna’s career.
There are reports that Rihanna’s fourth album will drop before the end of the year. Is that true?
I do believe it is. We’re actually just getting started. I just wrote some records that I’m in love with this past week. Rihanna and I will be getting in the studio sometime in the next two weeks, so we actually have not recorded anything for her new album yet.
Do you set out with the intention to top a hit like “Umbrella�
I just try to chase greatness and I try to do what at the time is going to be something that is looked at as truly great. You can’t say what record is gonna be a bigger hit than whatever because the hit is always about the connection of how the people feel about what you’ve done. You can never get a gauge on that until the record is actually out. You can make records with your instincts to try to top what you did as far as the greatness that you put into the last record.
Are you going to keep the sound similar to her last album, Good Girl Gone Bad, or try something completely different?
Man, you know we can’t do that. We come out with something that sounds like “Umbrella,†they’re gonna be saying that we tried to do something that sounded like “Umbrella.†That’s not what the great artists do. They don’t even allow you to do stuff like that. Every great artist always wants to hear something they’ve never heard before.
What’s it like working with Rihanna?
She’s just a pleasure. She’s a very sweet, down-to-earth person. You would never know how successful she is ’cause she’s just so nice and warm. I guess maybe it’s her background of being from the islands. She’s just a really sweet, warm person to be around.
How did “Umbrella†change your life?
“Umbrella†changed my life because it was the first hit record that made people want to know who I was. I’ve had hit records before with [Mya's] “Case of the Ex†and JT Money’s “Who Dat†and records here and there, but this was the first record that people go, “I wanna know what that guy is. I wanna know who those guys are.†That was the biggest thing. At that point when that light came on, [The-Dream and I] had been down in Atlanta just getting ready for that moment, so we were really prepared for the ride.
Yay!
Comment by Fraser — October 4, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
wow this interview sounds great. Rihanna seems like an illusive person but I can't wait till her music speaks to the world! :-D
Comment by MWNY — October 4, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
Sounds GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! :-)) :heart: :heart: :heart:
As long as it is Rihanna and she is just as sweet/edgy/sexy/naughty/cool/cute/beautiful as always I'm cool with it!!!!! ;-) 8-)
I can't wait to hear this album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by TK-75523 — October 4, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
Yaaayyy! It's gonna be here by the end of the year! I know RD said that a few weeks ago but I wasnt't convinced if it was atcually true! GO RIRI
Comment by Fay — October 4, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
Plus everyone always says shes so nice and down-to-earth. There all so lucky to have met her let alone work with her
Comment by Fay — October 4, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
Rih is not elusive she is a very private and a lilltle shy. People who don't have the oportunity to get close to her think she is snobish. but those the do work and know her say she is a sweet girl who can be a little withdrawn.
I think of her as just human, she has good days that run for weeks and she have bad days that run for months(2009) LOL
Comment by Demmi — October 4, 2009 @ 11:13 pm
@Demmi I agree..
I Really cant wait for this album .. UGHHHHH I Need a single or at least a snippet of a song to leak lol
Comment by vizionwarp — October 4, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
i cannot wait any longer :( !
i wanted the single to release in summer, cause that would have been great :O !
but i think she will release a single towards christmas because its hoilday season and everyone would most probably pur rihanna's new track on their christmas list :) !
im looking forward to the photoshoot for the album packaging too :) !
and im looking forward to see the track listing :O !
i hope its a double disc, one disc with greatest hits the other with brand new tracks :) !
LOVE YOU RIH :heart:
Comment by Rehab — October 4, 2009 @ 11:36 pm
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, EVERYBODY KEEPS TALKING AND TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT THIS ALBUM IS, AND SPEAK ON THE ALBUM BUT WONT MENTION
THINGS LIKE THE THEME OR DIRECTION OF THE ALBUM
THEY TRY TO BUT THEY JUST GIVE ANNOYING LITTLE HINTS
LIKE THIS IS SERIOUSLY SAD HOW THEY WONT RELEASE A SINGLE, USHER AND ALCIAI KEYS BOTH DROPPING ALBUMS IN DECEMBER AND THEIR NEW SINGLES ARE OUT, HELL DRAKE NEW ALBUM DONT COME OUT TILL FEBRUARY AND HE WORKING ON A VIDEO FOR HIS FIRST SINGLE AND ABOUT TO RELEASE IT
LIKE WTF ARE THEY WAITING FOR
Comment by TOKYO — October 5, 2009 @ 12:07 am
Great great great :) I can`t wait :) I love you RiRi :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:
Comment by An4iLovesRiRi — October 5, 2009 @ 12:15 am
AWESOME!!!!!! :-D
….Can't wait to hear it!!!!!…. :-))
Comment by Lu — October 5, 2009 @ 12:16 am
We've seen enough candids of fashion week in paris. FINISH YOUR ALBUM RIHANNA.
I'm sure her deadline is coming soon, what the hell are they waiting on? Her single should be out no later than next week. A few weeks ago, I wasn't worried, but now I am. If they really are planning on releasing the album this year and giving it the proper promotion, things need to get moving.
Comment by Michelle — October 5, 2009 @ 12:26 am
hey lu whats up where is everyone?
Comment by Diamond — October 5, 2009 @ 12:32 am
People need to stop acting likr they know who she is from just pics. Rihanna isn't Barbie. She's not plastic. She's human. go take a pic of some random perosn and tell me who they are and all about their life. oh that's right u can't!
Comment by Empress — October 5, 2009 @ 1:04 am
@ Diamond…hey….how r u doing? :-)
..i saw your comment in the other post,and we've been here ,u r the one that has been M.I.A….lol…
…Miss Thing ,Bith I'm Special,T.F, and Honey showed up in here yesterday as well,…and Motherlizard ,Margaret,Hatin,TakeABow2 show up here almost everyday….
..now u,aiko,bold,ririfan,tamu,tammy,bkgirl and chick r the ones that have been missing for awhile…lol…bkgirl and aiko(aiko is back to class so only shows up when is possible..) still shows up more though….lol..
Comment by Lu — October 5, 2009 @ 1:09 am
6: Does Rihanna please come to Brazil? us of here we are crazy for you, you don't have notion we Loved You a lot of woman. We loved you forever
By: Camila Freitas
Location: Rio De Jnaeiro – Brazil
Age : 14 years :beauty:
Comment by Camila Freitas — October 5, 2009 @ 1:32 am
supposebly she was at the studio in paris but does anyone have any info on this like who was she with or whatever ???
Comment by d — October 5, 2009 @ 4:20 am
quando é que rihanna vem pro brasil aqui esta cheio de fãs esperando por ela :-D
Comment by crislayne — October 5, 2009 @ 6:17 am
Looking foward to the new album.
Comment by T,F. — October 5, 2009 @ 7:24 am
@ D
She was with Akon in the studio in Paris… :-)
Comment by Lizzy.la.la — October 5, 2009 @ 7:54 am
Her stylist sed they were goin shopping..from unknown designers…
Comment by samantha — October 5, 2009 @ 9:58 am
It looks like Rihanna's glam-squad will be going straight to Berlin from Paris, for the album shoot….
Her stylist tweeted earlier today asking
did anyone know of any interesting boutiques in Paris —— that are off the radar….
Her make-up artist tweeted that she'd received the eye-lashes needed for the shoot…..
Every day this week the blogs/media sites have discussed what Rihanna wore to each show, and the emphasis was solely on Rihanna the fashion icon…
I think the Designers would have been pretty pissed off, if the single had leaked mid-week, turning the emphasis back on Rihanna the pop-star….
So any PFW contract will end tomorrow, leaving her free to leak the single…
Comment by Lizzy.la.la — October 5, 2009 @ 10:58 am
@ Lizzy.la.la. ..thanks for the info of the tweets…
..and yeah i think they probably would be :pissedoff: if anything had taken attention of their show….
…they probably will flight to Berlin tomorrow or Wednesday …
…and about the single the only thing that we can do is wait…lol.. :waiting: … :-))
Comment by Lu — October 5, 2009 @ 11:07 am
…here it is a video that shows Rihanna meeting Karl Lagerfeld and shows her watching the show as well…
youtube
/watch?v=Lod336ZEtLM
Comment by Lu — October 5, 2009 @ 11:12 am
rihanna eu mao aquela musica hatin on the club feat the dream linda
a musica te amoooooooooooooo rihannaaaaaaaaaaaa so louca pra te conhecer rihanna :teeth: :cry: :inlove: :onthephone: :hugleft: :shutmouth: :quiet: :lying: :struggle:
Comment by samela — October 6, 2009 @ 12:58 am
shoo, she hasn't recorded anything with Tricky stewart yet, is this album really coming out this year, I am starting to doubt it.
Comment by hope — October 6, 2009 @ 6:46 am
I would love to write a jam for rihanna! if i could write a duet for rihanna and teedra moses that would be the ultimate for ms kitten! :cat:
Comment by katsomaya — October 7, 2009 @ 2:32 am