Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), professionally known by her m… Read Full Bio ↴Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), professionally known by her middle name, Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, entrepreneur and fashion designer.

She has attained fourteen Billboard Hot 100 number ones thus far and is the second Barbadian artist to win a Grammy Award. She is also a cultural ambassador for Barbados. In 2021 Rihanna was named a "National Hero" in her home country, earning her the title "The Right Excellent."

Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados to Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor, and Monica Fenty, an accountant. Her mother, a native of Guyana, is Afro-Guyanese and her father is Bajan and Irish. She is the oldest of three siblings; two younger brothers, Rorrey and Rajad Fenty. She began singing at around the age of seven. Her childhood was deeply affected by her father's addiction to crack cocaine and parent's rocky marriage, which ended when she was fourteen years old. Rihanna attended Charles F. Broome Memorial School, a primary school in Barbados, and then the Combermere School, where she formed a musical trio with two of her classmates at the age of fifteen. In 2004 she won the Miss Combermere Beauty Pageant. She was an army cadet in a sub-military programme that trained with the military of Barbados and Shontelle was her drill sergeant.

At the age of 15, she formed a girl group with two of her classmates. In 2003, friends introduced Rihanna and her two bandmates to record producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. The group auditioned for Rogers, who said that "the minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist." While auditioning for Rogers, Rihanna sang Destiny's Child's cover of "Emotion". Over the next year, Rihanna and her mom shuttled back and forth to Rogers home in Stamford, Connecticut. Then, shortly after turning 16, she relocated in the United States and moved in with Rogers and his wife. Carl Sturken helped Rihanna record a four-song demo, which included the ballad "The Last Time," a cover of Whitney Houston’s hit "For the Love of You" and what would become her first hit, "Pon de Replay" to send to various recording companies. It took a year to record the demos, because she was going to school and would only record during summer and Christmas school breaks. Rihanna's demo made its way to Def Jam, which invited her to audition for the label's then-president, Jay-Z, who quickly signed her.

Rihanna broke into the recording industry in 2005 with the release of her debut album Music of the Sun, which features the number 2 hit single "Pon de Replay". Less than a year later, Rihanna released album artist=Rihanna]A Girl Like Me and earned her first number-one single, "SOS, which sampled the popular 80s track "Tainted Love". "Unfaithful" was also released and was fairly successful.

Rihanna released her third album Good Girl Gone Bad in June 2007. Prior to the release of the album, she spent the week of the Grammys writing songs for the album with Ne-Yo. She adopted a more sexual image while recording the album, eventually dying her hair black and cutting it short. Rihanna worked with Timbaland and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, as well as previous musical collaborators such as Stargate, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers to re-imagine her album compositions with uptempo dance tracks. Rihanna commented, "I want to keep people dancing but still be soulful at the same time. You feel different every album, and [at] this stage I feel like I want to do a lot of uptempo [songs]."

The album topped the charts in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Russia and Ireland, and peaked at number two in the United States and Australia. Unlike previous work, the album featured a more dance-pop sound instead of the dancehall, reggae and ballad styles. The album received positive reviews by critics, becoming her most critically acclaimed album at that time compared to her previous efforts.

It yielded eight hit singles - "Umbrella" "Shut Up and Drive", "Don't Stop The Music" "Hate That I Love You" "Rehab" "Disturbia" "Take A Bow" "If I Never See Your Face Again" - all singles reaching the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 — including the worldwide number-one hit "Umbrella," featuring Jay-Z.

In addition to reaching number one in various countries, "Umbrella" was the number one single in the United Kingdom for ten consecutive weeks, making it the longest-running number-one single since Wet Wet Wet's single "Love Is All Around" spent fifteen weeks at the top in 1994. The song is listed number three on the 100 Best Songs of 2007 published by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2008, "Umbrella" earned Rihanna and Jay-Z a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in addition to receiving nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It managed to stay at number one in the United Kingdom for 10 weeks, the longest time spent by a female and in the 21st century, on this chart.

"Umbrella" has also been recognised in various forms of accolades by the music press. The song is listed number three on the 100 Best Songs of 2007, published by the music magazine Rolling Stone. Time magazine also listed the song number three on their Top 10 Songs of 2007. The song is listed number one on Entertainment Weekly magazine's list of the 10 Best Singles of 2007, while topping the magazine's poll for the best single of 2007. Blender magazine awarded the song Song of the Year in their Readers' Poll 2007. The music press has considered "Umbrella" as 2007's Song of the Summer, while The New York Times writer Kelefa Sanneh regarded it as "arguably 2007's signature slow jam".

In August 2009, Rihanna collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West on "Run This Town." The song peaked at number two on Billboard Hot 100 and also reached the top ten in five other countries. She appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia for the September 2009 Issue. The shoot was influenced by Rihanna's hair, which she had cut for the shoot into a mohawk-like style. The style of the shoot was Extreme Couture and very dark, and in one shot she appeared semi-nude. Rihanna performed "Run This Town" along with Jay-Z and West for the "Answer the Call" concert at Madison Square Garden in September 2009, making it her first musical performance since the altercation with Brown. The trio also performed "Run This Town," on the premiere of The Jay Leno Show on September 14, 2009.

In November of 2009, Rated R was released in the wake of a physical altercation with romantic interest Chris Brown, who pled guilty to felony assault. The album's lead single, "Russian Roulette" -- written with Ne-Yo - was one of the year's most controversial singles. The album also includes collaborations with Tricky, The-Dream, Stargate, and SRP.

One year later, Rihanna released her fifth studio album called Loud. It's lead single, "Only Girl (In the World)", reached number one in more than ten countries. The song also won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.

Talk That Talk was released one year after Loud. With the song "We Found Love", Rihanna became the fastest solo artist in the chart's history to achieve twenty Hot 100 top-ten singles, breaking the previous record set by Madonna. The song later became her eleventh number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. "You Da One" became the second single from the album but was not as successful as "We Found Love". The third single from the album, "Talk That Talk" featuring Jay-Z, was announced on Rihanna's Twitter. The fourth single, "Where Have You Been", peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

On February 20, 2012, Rihanna and Chris Brown released 2 remixes, one featuring the "Talk That Talk" album track "Birthday Cake" and the other featuring Chris Brown's "Turn Up The Music"

In April 2012, the singer appeared in the movie "Battleship", which is based on the game of the same name.

Rihanna's seventh album Unapologetic was released on November 19, 2012; it was preceded by the lead single Diamonds, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming Rihanna's twelfth number one single on the chart and tying her with Madonna and The Supremes for the fourth-most number ones in the chart's history.

On January 28, 2016, Rihanna released her eighth studio album ANTI exclusively through streaming service Tidal. The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming Rihanna's second number one and eighth top ten album on the chart. The album was supported by the release of four singles including the lead single "Work" featuring Drake, which topped the Billboard Hot 100. Further platinum singles "Needed Me" and "Love on the Brain" both peaked inside the top ten of the Hot 100. In 2016, Rihanna was featured on several singles. The first collaboration was Calvin Harris' "This Is What You Came For," which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two in the United Kingdom. Rihanna was also featured on Drake's "Too Good" from his album Views and Mike Will Made It's single, "Nothing Is Promised". On June 27, 2016, Rihanna released "Sledgehammer", the lead single from the Star Trek Beyond soundtrack. On August 28, Rihanna was honored with the MTV Video Vanguard Award at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. Rihanna was elected artist of the decade of 2010 by Pitchfork, Insider, Lofficiel among other major music magazines.

In October 2022, Rihanna released "Lift Me Up" from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, marking her first solo single since 2016's "Love On The Brain". It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 in the UK. The song was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award, making it Rihanna's first nomination in both awards. On February 12, 2023, she performed at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, marking her first performance since the 2018 Grammy Awards. Her Halftime show became the second most watched Halftime show of all time with 118.7 million viewers, just after Lady Gaga’s (117.5 million), but behind Katy Perry’s (121 million).

Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary
Rihanna Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Red lip stick, rose petals, heart break
I was his Marilyn Monroe
Brown eyes, tuxedo, fast cars
A James Dean on the low, Dean on the low

I ask you what's the matter
You say, oh it's nothing at all
Heart's racing, outta control

And you knew that I couldn't let it go
You used to be this boy I loved
And I used to be this girl of your dreams
Who knew the course of this one drive
Injured us fatally
You took the best years of my life
I took the best years of your life
Felt like love struck me in the night
I pray that love don't strike twice

Red lipstick, rose petals, heartbreak
I was his Marilyn Monroe
Brown eyes, tuxedo, fast cars
A James Dean on the low

What's love without tragedy?
What's love without tragedy? (Marilyn Monroe)
What's love without tragedy?
What's love without tragedy?

Mother Mary, I swear I wanna change
Mister Jesus, I'd love to be a queen
But I'm from the left side of an island
Never thought this many people would even know my name
As time flies, way above me
For you I've cried, tears sea-deep
Oh glory, the prayers carry me

I'll be a star, you keep directing me
Let's make the best scene they've ever seen
Let's capture the moment
'Cause even forever ain't forever
I swear by the moment
'Cause together ain't promised forever
Let's live in the moment
As long as we got each other
Die in the moment
I'm prepared to die in the moment
'Cause even forever ain't forever
I swear by the moment
'Cause together ain't promised forever
I swear by the moment
As long as we got each other
Die in the moment
I'm prepared to die in the moment
To die in the moment

Mother Mary, I swear I wanna change
Mister Jesus, I'd love to be a queen
But I'm from the left side of an island
Never thought this many people would even know my name
As time flies, way above me
For you I've cried, tears sea-deep
Oh glory, the prayers carry me

I'll be a star, you keep directing me
Let's make the best scene they've ever seen
Let's capture the moment
'Cause even forever ain't forever
I swear by the moment
'Cause together ain't promised forever
Let's live in the moment
As long as we got each other
Die in the moment
I'm prepared to die in the moment
I'm prepared to die in the moment
I'm prepared to die in the moment

'Cause even forever ain't forever

I swear by the moment
I'm prepared to die in the moment

Overall Meaning

The song Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary by Rihanna explores the idea of love in the face of tragedy and personal struggles. The opening lines of the song, "Red lipstick, rose petals, heartbreak, I was his Marilyn Monroe", allude to the glamorous and tragic life of Marilyn Monroe, a cultural icon of beauty and success who struggled with addiction and depression. Rihanna compares herself to the icon and suggests that she too finds herself caught up in a similar web of love and tragedy.

The chorus repeats the question "What's love without tragedy?" suggesting that love cannot exist without the possibility of pain and loss. The reference to Mother Mary invokes religious imagery and suggests that Rihanna is grappling with her faith in the face of her struggles. In the second verse, Rihanna expresses her desire for change and to be seen as more than just a celebrity, but someone who is capable of positive transformation. She turns to prayer and faith to guide her through these difficult times and is prepared to seize the moment and make the most of what she has, even if it does not last.

Overall, the song suggests that love and tragedy are inextricably linked and that personal struggles and setbacks are an inevitable part of the journey.

Line by Line Meaning

Red lip stick, rose petals, heart break
The fleeting and romantic nature of love is often juxtaposed with its heartbreak.

I was his Marilyn Monroe
The singer feels like the object of the person's affection, like how Marilyn Monroe was to President John F. Kennedy.

Brown eyes, tuxedo, fast cars
The person has a cool, almost dangerous persona like James Dean.

A James Dean on the low, Dean on the low
The person is like James Dean in that they have a mysterious side, almost like a secret identity.

I ask you what's the matter
The artist is concerned about the person's well-being and wants to help.

You say, oh it's nothing at all
The person is putting up a facade and not revealing their true feelings.

Heart's racing, outta control
The person is experiencing intense emotions, possibly out of their own control.

And you knew that I couldn't let it go
Despite the person's attempts to hide their true feelings, the artist can tell that something is wrong.

You used to be this boy I loved
The artist was once in love with the person.

And I used to be this girl of your dreams
The person's former object of affection used to fulfill their romantic fantasies.

Who knew the course of this one drive
Nobody could predict the outcome of this particular journey.

Injured us fatally
Both parties were irreparably harmed by the events of their relationship.

You took the best years of my life
The person feels like their time with the object of their affection was wasted.

I took the best years of your life
Conversely, the singer believes that they were the one who gave more to the relationship.

Felt like love struck me in the night
The feeling of love was sudden and overwhelming.

I pray that love don't strike twice
The artist is afraid of experiencing another traumatic love experience.

What's love without tragedy?
Love is often accompanied by heartbreak and sadness.

Mother Mary, I swear I wanna change
The singer is trying to become better and improve themselves.

Mister Jesus, I'd love to be a queen
The singer wishes for a position of power and agency.

But I'm from the left side of an island
The artist comes from a disadvantaged background.

Never thought this many people would even know my name
The artist did not expect to achieve such a level of fame and recognition.

As time flies, way above me
Time seems to be moving quickly and the artist feels left behind.

For you I've cried, tears sea-deep
The singer has been deeply emotional and hurt over the other person.

Oh glory, the prayers carry me
The artist seeks strength and guidance from divine forces.

I'll be a star, you keep directing me
The singer is willing to be famous and in the public eye, so long as the other person guides them.

Let's make the best scene they've ever seen
The singer wants to create memorable experiences.

Let's capture the moment
The singer wants to live in the present and make the most of the time they have.

'Cause even forever ain't forever
Nothing lasts forever, even seemingly infinite things like love and life.

I swear by the moment
The artist is making a commitment to the present moment.

'Cause together ain't promised forever
The singer acknowledges that their relationship may not last forever.

Let's live in the moment
The singer wants to enjoy the present time they have.

As long as we got each other
As long as they have each other, they can make the most of the time they have.

Die in the moment
The artist is prepared to accept whatever happens in the present moment, even death.

I'm prepared to die in the moment
The artist is ready for any eventuality in the present moment.

What's love without tragedy?
Love cannot exist without the potential for heartbreak and sadness.

I swear by the moment
The artist believes in the power of the present moment.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robyn Fenty, Carlos Mckinney, Terius Nash

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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