Author Archives: Rodrigo

Via Yahoo: When we think of Rihanna, we envision a rock star in eye-catching couture strutting her stuff onstage belting out “Umbrella.”  So when we heard that Rihanna would make her big screen debut as weapons specialist Cora “Weps” Raikes in the action flick “Battleship,” we weren’t sure what to expect. And neither was she. But like a true professional, Rihanna tackled the project with all she’s got– she upped her fitness regimen and swapped those 5-inch stilettos for a wig, some tattoos, and fatigues.  We headed to Pearl Harbor (where much of the film was shot) to catch up with Rihanna for her take on this new endeavor: what shocked her, the intense training she endured and why the whole experience really humbled her.

Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been” has jumped from #29 to #18 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100. The track has also debuted at #3 on the YouTube charts; #6 on Dance/Club Play Songs; #13 on Digital Songs; and #16 on Pop Songs.

Buy “Where Have You Been” on iTunes & Amazon & RIHquest it in your favorite radio stations!

Rihanna’s collaboration with Chris Brown, “Birthday Cake“, remains at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

After 20 weeks on the chart, Rihanna’s “Talk That Talk” feat. Jay-Z is currently at #70 on the Hot 100 — it peaked at #31.

On Sunday, May 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Billboard will honor the year’s biggest artists, albums and songs at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards. But before they start handing out trophies at 8 p.m. ET on ABC (plug!), they want to hear directly from you — the fans — about the artists whose music and fashion rocked you the most during the past year.

Cast your vote here, then go to Facebook.com/BCBGMAXAZRIA/BBMA at 8 p.m. Sunday night to see who won. And don’t forget to watch the 2012 Billboard Music Awards live on ABC Sunday night. Rihanna got 13 nominations for this year’s show, see them all here.

Also, there are only two videos left in the Battleship “Rihanna’s VEVO Video Battle!” Do you want “We Found Love” or “Where Have You Been” to take home the trophy? Vote here!

Via Esquire.co.uk: You’ve been waiting for this for a while so here it is – a sneak preview of our July photoshoot with Rihanna.

These behind the scenes photos were taken back in February at a studio in Dalston, East London. As you can see, the photoshoot itself is going to be well worth waiting for.

See the full shoot and read the revealing interview with Rihanna in the July issue of Esquire, on sale June 4th.

Also keep an eye out for our exclusive Rihanna video, plus some more exclusive online shots from the photoshoot – coming soon.

Photographs by Melissa Forde

Only a few more days until the year’s biggest aliens-at-sea adventure movie “Battleship” sails into theaters in the United States. In addition to the intrigue surrounding the sheer spectacle of the film and the very attractive cast, the Peter Berg-directed tentpole features the highly anticipated motion-picture debut of pop superstar Rihanna.

In the film, Rihanna plays the no-nonsense, tough-as-nails Petty Officer Cora “Weps” Raikes, who delivers one of the film’s more memorable one-liners, as well as a believably badass performance. When MTV News caught up with the “Where Have You Been” singer in Hawaii recently, they asked if she looked to any specific action movies or actresses for inspiration.

“There were a few — I won’t name them, but there were a few,” Rihanna admitted of studying other badass onscreen ladies. “[They were] mostly actresses I looked to and looked up to and embodied their characters and tried to see how they would approach the action. I watched a lot of bad bitches,” she said with a smile.

In looking ahead toward a potential acting career, Rihanna said she doesn’t have a specific five-year-plan, but she hopes to be able to explore more opportunities as they come her way.

“You can’t plan for anything, the unknown really. I hadn’t done anything in acting so I didn’t feel like it was appropriate to have any plan,” she said. “I didn’t know if I would like it or be good at it. I really enjoyed the experience and I want to do more, try different types of roles so that I can see what I excel in most or like best.”

Watch videos from the interview:

• “I got a few scripts, actually,” Rihanna says of film opportunities she received before she took on “Battleship.” (watch)
• “Acting was a whole different, for me, a whole different world,” Rihanna says of acting in films versus acting in music videos. (watch)
• “I watched a lot of bad bitches,” Rihanna says of emulating other actresses she admired before delving into her role in “Battleship.” (watch)

Rihanna lands on the Forbes list for the first time thanks to hits including “We Found Love” and “Talk That Talk,” as well as endorsements with the likes of Vita Coco and Nivea. Her fragrance, Reb’l Fleur, adds millions more to her coffers, as does her heavy touring schedule that included over 85 shows in the past 12 months. With over 53 million Facebook fans, she’s second only to Eminem.

Forbes Lists
#4 Celebrity 100
#27 in Money
#23 in TV/Radio
#11 in Press
#2 in Social
#5 in Web

FYI: Rihanna’s “LOUD Tour” was the 7th top grossing tour of 2011!

Congratulations, RiRi!

The Robin Hood Foundation gala, Wall Street’s largest single-evening fundraising event, had Rihanna onstage and took in $57 million tonight (May 14) at its annual New York dinner.

Check back in a few hours for professional photos! To see more fan photos, make sure to follow @RihannaDaily on Twitter. Earlier today, she was photographed leaving her hotel and heading to rehearsals:

Founded in 1988, the Robin Hood Foundation raises money for 200 of New York’s poverty-fighting organizations. Its board — which includes Paul Tudor Jones II, Greenlight Capital’s David Einhorn, SAC Capital Advisors LP’s Steven A. Cohen, film producer Harvey Weinstein and actor Gwyneth Paltrow — covers the gala’s cost so that all proceeds go to the beneficiaries.

The final version of “Princess of China” video is said to drop by the end of this month. Check out behind the scenes video above and some of sketches that were released recently.

+ Continue reading…

Almost 200 behind the scenes photos from Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been” music video are now available on her Facebook page. Click the image above or here to see them all.

Rihanna attended the U.S. premiere of “Battleship” in Los Angeles tonight (May 10). Stunning! The film opens in the U.S. on May 18th, don’t miss it!

Her parents, brothers and friends were at the premiere as well. Make sure to check back later for more photos!

In other news, Rihanna’s “Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded” is on sale on iTunes, click here to purchase it for only $7.99!

Rihanna’s second Capsule Collection for Armani Jeans is now available at Armani.com!

If you live outside the United States, click here, choose your country and go to Armani Jeans.

Rihanna recently said that she’d like to design her own line and she’s also set to star in a new fashion reality TV show in the UK. Another line for Armani is a step in the right direction.

Thanks for the tip, RihannaItalia.it!

Rihanna roars 78-29 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the chart’s top Digital Gainer, “Where Have You Been.” The track re-enters Digital Songs at No. 26 (59,000, up 232%). On Radio Songs, it darts 64-36 (31 million, up 75%).

“Where Have You Been” is currently at #21 in the United Kingdom; #10 in France and New Zealand; and #22 in Denmark and Netherlands.

Rihanna Navy, make sure to support “Where Have You Been”! Purchase it on iTunes & Amazon and RIHquest it in your favorite radio stations!