Via MuuMuse.com: From the jagged, metallic logo to the last seconds of the Last Girl on Earth Tour, Simon Henwood has been the crucial creative force behind one of the most dramatic artistic reinventions in recent pop history: Rihanna’s Rated R campaign.

Back in the fall of 2009, a gritty, static viral video for “Wait Your Turn” teased its way onto the singer’s official website. The clip showcased the formerly sunny Barbadian pop princess now looking murderously serious in all black; her long hair slicked back beneath a hood and over-sized sunglasses.

With the release of the devastating lead ballad “Russian Roulette” days later, it became clear: Gone was the sun soaked, island-infused energy of Music Of The Sun and A Girl Like Me. Instead, Rated R ushered in a chilly new era of sound, colored (or rather, darkened) by the ominous imagery of sharp metal, broken glass, dismembered mannequins and guns.

To execute this new image, Rihanna worked with Simon Henwood, the creative director responsible for such productions as Kanye West‘s Glow In The Dark Tour and the gorgeous video for the rapper’s “Love Lockdown,” Imogen Heap‘s video for “Headlock,” and the bulk of Róisín Murphy‘s visual output over the past decade. (Fitting, especially given that the two recently welcomed a child together.)

Henwood and Rihanna worked together closely throughout the entire Rated R era, evolving and finessing the entertainer’s dramatic change of style into a sophisticated neo-rock ‘n’ roll noir.

Now, that transformation is about to be put on public display with the release of The Last Girl On Earth, the long delayed photo-book that promises to guide fans through the entire Rated R creative journey from start to finish.

A few days ago, Henwood was kind enough to answer a few lingering questions that remained from Rihanna’s last campaign. The creative director provided a few small glimpses into the process throughout, as well as a better idea of his vision as an artist (plus a brilliantly subtle swipe at Madame Gaga).

For skeptics, casual fans and fellow Rihanna Navy members alike, this one’s a must read.

Be sure to click “Read More” and see the interview!

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Our friend @RihannaDemos asked Chew FU, Rihanna’s “Rated R Remixed” producer, 8 questions. Take a look at them below:

Q: First of all, congrats for producing the whole remix edition on your own.

A::: Thanks. I still can’t believe I got it all done myself… What an honor. I mean, Rihanna is one of the biggest artists in the Universe. I was stoked when I got the opportunity to remix her single “Russian Roulette”. Being given the opportunity to remix the entire “Rated R” album was the perfect way to close out 2009 and welcome in 2010.

Q: Are you excited about how fan’s are reacting to the remixes and the album?

A::: Excited? My team and I are losing our minds over here over the reaction from the fans. The amount of love we’ve received from RiRi fanbase cannot be put into words. For real, it’s been like an electric blanket of love on a cold-ass NYC night. We had love for Rihanna going into this…but now…all we can do is bow down…I’m seriously considering getting a “Rated R” Tattoo… I’m serious?

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“Rated R Remixed” is available on iTunes & Amazon NOW!
It includes 10 Exclusive Chew Fu Remixes of “Rated R” Hits.

Rihanna’s Rated R: Remixed will be released on May 25, 2010. Be sure to pre-order your copy on Amazon.

If you wish to listen to a preview of all the 10 songs, click here.

• “Rated R” is up 6 places from #23 to #17 in the U.K.
• “Te Amo” is up from #51 to #30 in the U.K. (not released until May 24th).
• “Rated R” is #18 in Norway (up 4), #18 in Ireland (up 6).
• “Te Amo” debuts at #60 in Australia. It is also #17 in Portugal.
• “Te Amo” also up from #52 to #30 in Sweden.

“Te Amo” is doing pretty well, since it hasn’t even been officially released yet! Hopefully it will be as successful as “Rude Boy”. Rihanna definitely needs to promote the track!

Thanks, RihannasGuitar!

Buy and request “Te Amo” now!

SRP Records, production/record label of Rihanna, tweeted:

“‘Rockstar 101‘ is coming to radio shortly in the U.S. ; ‘Te Amo‘ will be in Europe – both videos shot. Here we go!”

Besides Europe, “Te Amo” is probably going to be released worldwide as well.

Buy  Rockstar 101 and Te Amo on iTunes now!

“Rated R”, Rihanna’s fourth studio album, has sold over 2 millions copies worldwide – since November 23, 2009. Since nowadays albums don’t sell like they used to, the sales are pretty good. 2 singles have been released worlwide (Russian Roulette and Rude Boy) and 3 in the United States (Russian Roulette, Hard and Rude Boy). For amazing “Rated R” reviews, click read more.

Congratulations, Rihanna!
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Rap-Up.com: Rihanna wants to make you sweat this summer with Rated R: Remixed, a collection of remixes to tracks from her fourth album. The pop star has enlisted dance remixer Chew Fu to rework 10 songs from last year’s Rated R, including her No. 1 hit “Rude Boy.” The project is due May 25.

Rap-Up.com has the tracklisting for you below.

1. “Mad House” (Chew Fu Straight Jacket Fix)
2. “Russian Roulette” (Chew Fu Black Russian Fix)
3. “Rockstar 101” (Chew Fu Teacher’s Pet Fix)
4. “Wait Your Turn” (Chew Fu Can’t Wait No More Fix)
5. “Photographs” feat. will.i.am (Chew Fu 35mm Fix)
6. “Rude Boy” (Chew Fu Bumbaclot Fix)
7. “Hard” feat. Jeezy (Chew Fu Granite Fix)
8. “G4L” (Chew Fu Guns in the Air Fix)
9. “Fire Bomb” (Chew Fu Molotov Fix)
10. “Stupid in Love” (Chew Fu Small Room Fix)

Thoughts?

RihannaDaily can confirm that “Te Amo” (produced by Stargate), is indeed Rihanna’s follow up “Rated R” single to “Rude Boy”. “Te Amo” is Spanish for I Love You. As we all know, it was the only track which leaked on the internet that made it on “Rated R”. It is one of the most different tracks on the album, beautifully written by James Fauntleroy, topped the Brazilian charts and made the Top 60 in Sweden earlier this year even without an official release.

Based on the feedback and poll results, whether the majority disagrees, we should help support it regardless, “Rated R” is a masterpiece. It will do incredibly well especially in the Hispanic markets.

Make sure to look out for her performance of “Te Amo” on American Idol next Wednesday! The music video is being shot sooner than you think! Stay tuned for more details.

Please credit RihannaDaily for this information.

Rihanna’s latest album Rated R, that was released in November, was #11 on US iTunes yesterday. That’s great! Make sure to buy your copy now, even if you already bought. It’s on sale for only $7.99!

BUY ‘RATED R’ ON ITUNES NOW!

Def Jam hired DJ Brooklyn Zoo to remix 10 tracks of Rated R for a remix album that will be released in February.

Take a look at the DJ’s tweets below:

• Def Jam asked me to pick 10 Rihanna tracks to remix, for a complete remix album release in February. My deadline is January 18.
  
• I’m planning on releasing a Rated R mega-mix with all the snippets in January.
• Just finished my fix for “Rihanna/Gangsta 4 life”, now working on Rihanna: “Wait Your Turn”,”Rude Boy”,”Fire Bomb” and “Te Amo”.
• Started o/t last 6 tracks for the Rihanna “Rated R” remix album. Russian Roullette, Hard, Stupid in Love, Photographs are approved by Def Jam.
• Working on a mix for the refix album I’m doing for Rihanna/Def Jam… grinded on the fix for “RockStar”. Doing 10 tracks in total.

Click here to follow him on Twitter and here to visit his blog.

Thanks, Rihanna4life!

Rihanna Daily heard from a trustable source that Rude Boy is the next Rated R worldwide single. Hard isn’t going to be released in any other country besides the US – probably.

The Rude Boy music video is said to be shot in less than a week. More info coming soon.