Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), better known by her stage name Rihanna ( ), is a Barbadian singer, actress, and fashion designer. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, her career began when she met record producer Evan Rogers through mutual friends in late 2003 and recorded demo tapes under Rogers's guidance. Her tape was sent to several record labels, and she subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its then-president, hip-hop producer and rapper Jay-Z. Both her debut album, Music of the Sun (2005) and its follow-up A Girl Like Me (2006) peaked in the top ten on the U.S. Billboard 200; the former featured the successful track "Pon de Replay" while the latter produced her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "SOS".
She rose to international prominence and became a household name with the release of her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), and its chart-topping lead single "Umbrella." The album and its 2008 Reloaded version were nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella". Following a highly publicized altercation with then-boyfriend, entertainer Chris Brown, she released her fourth studio album, Rated R, in November 2009. It was followed by three Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified platinum albums: Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and her first Billboard 200 number one album Unapologetic (2012). That same year, she appeared in her first theatrical feature film, Battleship.
She has sold 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Rihanna is known for frequently reinventing her style and image, most notably since Good Girl Gone Bad. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including seven Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards. In 2012, Forbes ranked her the fourth most powerful celebrity of the year, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012. The same year, TIME named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. At the American Music Awards of 2013, she received the first ever Icon Award. On June 2, 2014, Rihanna received the Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).