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).
We All Want Love
Rihanna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
I can pretend that I'm not lonely
But I'll be constantly fooling myself
I can pretend that it don't matter
But I'll be sitting here lying to myself
Some say love ain't worth the buck
To have what I've only been dreaming about
Everybody wants something
Better want something
What are you living for?
Everybody needs something
Fighting for something
I know what you're fighting for
'Cause we all
We all want someone there to hold
We just want somebody
We all wanna be somebody's one and only
We all wanna be warm when it's cold
Yeah yeah yeah
No one wants to be left scared and lonely
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
We all want the same thing
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
We all want the same thing
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
We all want the same thing
Everybody wants something
Gotta want something
Yeah, yeah we all want love
I'm able to close my eyes
Yet my heart's not so blind
I feel so entitled of owes me
I want what's mine
And some say love ain't worth the buck
But I'll give 'em the last dime
To have what I've only been dreaming about
Everybody wants something
Better want something
What are you living for?
Everybody needs something
Fighting for something
I know what you're fighting for
'Cause we all
We all want someone there to hold
We just want somebody
We all wanna be somebody's one and only
We all wanna be warm when it's cold
Yeah yeah yeah
No one wants to be left scared and lonely
We all, we all, we all, we all
We all want the same thing
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
We all want the same thing
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
We all want the same thing
Everybody wants something, gotta want something
Yeah, yeah we all want love
Yeah yeah we all want love
In Rihanna's song We All Want Love, the theme is self-explanatory: we all want love. It highlights how every person desires and longs for someone to hold, to be their one and only, when it's cold, and not to be left frightened and lonely. The song is a reflection on relationships and the need for love, belonging, desire, and the feeling of being wanted. Rihanna is trying to tell us that we can pretend that we are not lonely or that it doesn't matter, but we are only lying to ourselves.
As she sings "some say love ain't worth the buck, but I'll give every dime I have left to have what I've only been dreaming about," it shows the vulnerability that comes with the search for love. In today's world, it may be easy to dismiss something as simple as love, but this song reminds us that it is essential in our lives.
The chorus of the song highlights the universality of the longing for companionship, love, and fulfillment. The repetition of the line, "we all want the same thing," emphasizes that no matter who we are or where we come from, we all have a fundamental human need for love.
Overall, Rihanna's We All Want Love is a powerful message about the importance of relationships and love in our lives. It's relatable, emotional, and captures the essence of what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
We all, we all, we all, we all, we all
Everyone, without exception, desires and longs for the same thing: love and connection with another human being.
I can pretend that I'm not lonely
I may deceive myself to believe that I don't feel alone or isolated in the absence of heartfelt human interaction.
But I'll be constantly fooling myself
Nevertheless, pretending alone cannot fill the void created by a lack of genuine love, making me aware that I am mere fooling myself.
I can pretend that it don't matter
Although I could create a façade of indifference, in reality, the presence or lack of love occupies an essential space in my life.
But I'll be sitting here lying to myself
As a result, manifesting a false image is undoubtedly deceitful and self-deluding since love is an undeniably critical aspect of our existence.
Some say love ain't worth the buck
While some people may argue that the tolls of love investment exceed its returns, and that one must sacrifice a lot for love, and it is not worth it.
But I'll give every dime I have left
I, on the contrary, believe that finding someone to share love with is so crucial that I may exhaust all my remaining resources to fulfil this goal.
To have what I've only been dreaming about
Obtaining the affection, love, and passion that I crave for is a dream that I am eager to realize, and I am willing to go to great lengths for its realization.
Everybody wants something
Life without purpose or direction has no meaning, and everyone, without exception, pursue or hopes for something worthwhile and exciting.
Better want something
In essence, striving for something worth achieving is imperative for successful, fulfilling lives.
What are you living for?
Therefore, to live a life of meaning, one must identify and pursue what they desire in the search for a fulfilling, satisfactory existence.
Everybody needs something
Furthermore, everyone has needs and desires that, when met, grant them happiness, satisfaction, and fulfilment, and their absence creates a sense of want, emptiness and dissatisfaction.
Fighting for something
At times, fighting or working towards fulfilling one's aspirations becomes indispensable, which requires overcoming numerous obstacles and surmounting personal huddles.
I know what you're fighting for
I recognize the things that are essential to you, the things that you desire, what you are pursuing, and that require hard work and sacrifice.
'Cause we all
The fact that we all share these struggles in common, regardless of how diverse our lives may be, binds us all.
We all want someone there to hold
Every human being desires and longs for the warmth, protection, and reassurance of another human being's love and affection.
We just want somebody
In essence, sharing experiences and life with a special someone gives life an extra meaning and makes existence worthwhile.
We all wanna be somebody's one and only
Being someone's priority, their special someone, holds significant emotional value to us all, giving us a sense of belongingness, security, and significance.
We all wanna be warm when it's cold
During unpleasant moments, cold, dark times or the storms of life, we all seek comfort and solace in the embraces of those we hold dear to our hearts and love most.
No one wants to be left scared and lonely
Therefore, the fear of being alone and feeling isolated is widespread, and no one relishes the thought of being scared or lonely with no one to hold on to and share life with.
We all want the same thing
In conclusion, despite our diverse backgrounds, aspirations and differences, every human being desires and longs for the same thing: Love and genuine human connection.
Everybody wants something, gotta want something
To lead a joyful, jubilant and fulfilling life, everyone must have something worth fighting for, meaning, and purpose.
Yeah, yeah we all want love
Love is not just a want, but an essential human need that nourishes us emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and we all desire it deeply within the deepest recesses of our being.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ester Dean, Kevin Lamont Randolph, Ernest Dion Wilson, Steve Wyreman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Emir Abdul Gani
She is Perfect!, EEEEEEEEES PERFECTA!
Rafael
I hate how people judge her for making sexual songs and say she's trashy. She's absolutely amazing and she also makes beautiful songs like this.
Misss Cleo
+Rafael R we are made from sex and we get atrcted to sexualiaty so whey we shoould be so stupid ? she is making nice songs , the fact that the most of them are made for young people doesnt need to offend some
Hayley Harris
+Misss Cleo PREACH!!!
Joana Major
+Rafael of course!!! rihanna is the best female singer <3 <3 my queen rih
Mike Damian
yes I love her so much,in my life i would like to have a kind of girl like her,i would adore her everyday as much as i could...!
Tara Richardson
Yes I do agree with you ☺
Philip Scot
I played this song repeatedly and I shed uncontrollable tears,so emotional. I love this song. WE ALL WANT LOVE!
Philip Scot
*****
No you are not. Lol!
Hellyn Atai
Philip Scot , happy to hear that from men too