RIHANNA BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty), born February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados — 38 in 2026 — is an 8-album, 14-No.1, 9-Grammy superstar who became a billionaire through Fenty Beauty, with her long-awaited ninth album R9 reportedly in the works.

Early Life

Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados, and grew up in the capital, Bridgetown. Raised in a modest household, she loved singing from childhood and formed a girl group with two classmates in her teens. At 16 she was discovered by American music producer Evan Rogers while he was vacationing in Barbados; impressed by her demo recordings, he helped her cut new material in the United States. Her audition for Def Jam Recordings so impressed the label's then-president Jay-Z that she was signed to Def Jam in 2005.

Career

Rihanna's recording career runs across eight studio albums released between 2005 and 2016, each marking a distinct era. It began with Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006), which introduced her Caribbean-tinged pop and R&B sound. Her breakthrough arrived with Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), powered by the worldwide smash "Umbrella". She followed it with Rated R (2009), Loud (2010) — home to "Only Girl (In the World)" — and Talk That Talk (2011), driven by the global hit "We Found Love". Unapologetic (2012) delivered her first US number-one album and the chart-topper "Diamonds", and she closed the eight-album run with the critically acclaimed Anti (2016).

Those eight albums produced 14 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles — including "Umbrella", "Work", "We Found Love" and "Diamonds" — making Rihanna one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her awards include 9 Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards and the MTV Video Vanguard Award. In February 2023 she headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, revealing her second pregnancy on stage. In November 2021 she was declared a National Hero of Barbados, and Forbes has recognised her as a billionaire, with the bulk of her fortune built through her Fenty Beauty cosmetics empire. For another pop icon's story, read Madonna's biography, age and career.

Recent News

Fans awaiting R9 received a promising update when A$AP Rocky said on August 6, 2026 that Rihanna is "in the studio right now"; neither a release date nor an album title has been announced. On July 12, 2026 she made a surprise appearance alongside Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium — her first live appearance since the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show. In January 2026 her landmark album Anti turned 10, becoming the first album by a Black female artist to spend 500 or more weeks on the Billboard 200. She also voiced Smurfette in The Smurfs Movie (2025), contributing the song "Friend of Mine", and attended the Met Gala on May 4, 2026. For a fellow pop innovator, see Charli XCX's biography, age and career.

Off stage, Rihanna and her partner A$AP Rocky welcomed daughter Rocki Irish Mayers on September 13, 2025, and Rihanna marked her first birthday with a post on September 26, 2026. The couple are also parents to sons RZA (born 2022) and Riot (born 2023). Also read Zara Larsson's biography, age and career.

Quick Facts

Full Name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Born: February 20, 1988
Age: 38 (2026)
Birthplace: Saint Michael, Barbados
Albums: 8 studio albums
No.1 Singles: 14
Grammys: 9
Partner: A$AP Rocky
Children: RZA, Riot, Rocki Irish

Official Video

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Rihanna?
Born February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados; she is 38 in 2026.

How many albums has Rihanna released?
Eight studio albums, from Music of the Sun (2005) to Anti (2016); her ninth album R9 is in progress with no announced date.

How many Grammys does Rihanna have?
Nine, plus 13 American Music Awards and the MTV Video Vanguard Award.

Is Rihanna a billionaire?
Yes — Forbes estimates her net worth past a billion, driven largely by Fenty Beauty.