INTERVIEW: Rihanna opens up about her new album and domestic violence
After months in hiding pop star Rihanna has finally broken her silence, opening up to Glamour Magazine about everything from her new album Rated R to her drastic image change and her thoughts on domestic violence. Check it out below.
On her new album Rated R:
I was involved in a lot of the writing. I put everything I’ve wanted to say for the past eight months into my music. The songs are really personal. It’s rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s really hip-hop: If Lil’ Wayne and Kings of Leon like my album, then I’ll feel good. I would not change anything about it. Even if people don’t love it, I made exactly the piece of art that I wanted to make. It’s super fearless—which is exactly how I feel right now. I am in a really good place.
I have grown up a lot since my last album. It [represents] exactly where I am at right now.
On domestic Violence:
Domestic violence is a big secret. No kid goes around and lets people know their parents fight. Teenage girls can’t tell their parents that their boyfriend beat them up. You don’t dare let your neighbor know that you fight. It’s one of the things we [women] will hide, because it’s embarrassing. My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see, and they have followed every step of my recovery. The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women, because I feel like I represent a voice that really isn’t heard. Now I can help speak for those women.
Her Image Change:
In the first two years of my career, there were a lot of restraints on what I could do. I couldn’t wear certain colors of lipstick, like bright pink, dark pink or red; [my lips] had to be natural. Eventually, I stopped communicating with certain people at the label, and did exactly what I wanted to do. And that was to cut my hair, dye it black, change my clothes, change my sound. Really to just express myself.
So there you have it. It’s nice to see that she’s proud of her new album, though I have to admit that I’m still not impressed and I’m already sick of “Hard” and that only leaked this morning. It could be a grower though because I didn’t think Good Girl Gone Bad was all that at first either and then I ended up loving it.
I also don’t believe what she’s saying about the image change being her idea. So much goes into image stuff with labels, it’s literally big board meetings with people honing and crafting an image to carry an album. She probably helped pick some songs on her album but her labels A&R wouldn’t have submitted demos to her that they didn’t want recorded.
Tags: Rihanna
what a totally fake interview!!
[...] to Charles & Prophet for sending. I’m totally in overload [...]
You know I’m going to pick up Rihanna CD the first day. I can’t get enough of her. Some music will have to grow on you.
ummm… really dont know what to say… i know for sure im not feeling the new rihanna musically… but i do love her style and drastic hair cuts… i didn’t like GGGB for about a year so im sure this CD will take the same progress… Prophet hits it on the head everytime when he calls her robotica!
But on a dead serious note this is not her new style
THIS IS JAY-Z NEW STYLE!!!!!!!!!! As if anyone couldn’t tell already!!! smfh!
so now she wants to stand up for wome and domestic abuse 3weeks before she drops another crappy album. gerl boo!! atleast chris brown spoke about his side of the story got it out of the way befor he started his album promo. Rihanna is so fake, what did she have to say about dropping her naked pictures on the internet. I am glad Chris slapped her cos she is so full of shit
@I_stan_4_B That is totally gross, domestic violence is no fucking joke! Grow the fuck up, cause what you just said is massively offensive! Its not just Rihanna who has been in abusive relationship so grow up and think for two seconds before you are say something.
And Chris didnt speak about his side of the story at all, it was all very limp and half-hearted.
I imagine Rihanna will be exactly the same, but she really doesnt have any choice but to address the whole thing in some way. I doubt anything that she says is gonna be particularly earth shattering but the point is to briefly address the elephant in the room so that she can move on.
Dont get me wrong, I totally do not buy that her public persona is who she really is. She is one of the highest selling artists of the last few years so obviously anything that she says or does is highly manufactured, there is no risk taking at all. That is why I think everyone getting all concerned about the album being bad is just silly. This album will most definitely be whatever Def Jam wants it to be and all they care about is the sales. Good music sells well! They had all the best producers submit music for this album, it most definitely not be a flop. There is way to much money at stake to just let Rihanna do the album which “reflects who she is at the time”
I love Rihanna, but that interview was as fake as Beyonce’s weave and/or song-writing talent. lol
She’s calling her work art now ? tozz skank
@ OLiver bitch dont even give me the grow up comment, Where was Rihannas ass speaking up for women and girls and domestic violence being serius when she was we her SO CALLED ABUSER 2weeks after he beat her up?? she convineintly talks about it now, why didnt she say a damn thing when she was walking up and down the streets of new york, paris or wherever. cHRIS Brown should have beat her up again for this foolishness
Rihanna, we don’t believe you, you need more people.
I don’t like Rih Rih and I think she is full of it. The thing is domestic violence is wrong whether you are male of FEMALE. You reap what you sow…That’s for all of you “beaters”, keep your hands to yourself before you get “Rihanna’d”….lol
She is fake that is so not her style! I mean how much more of this depressing music is she going to put out? Can we see some other colors on her other than black? It’s almost like she thinks she’s in a fashion show, but I’m getting tired of seeing her with the same stlye. I AM NOT KNOCKING THAT IT’S BAD LOOKING! It is hot. But it’s almost like I’m over it. This can’t go on for too much longer and she’ll never be the black Madonna!… Even though somepeople will say we don’t know her so how can we judge her????
Def Scam know what they’re doing. They waited until the album release came near to let Rihanna speak out just so she can get those sympathy sales…SMH
…& that’s not sincere because she’s not worried about those young girls, she’s worried about her personal gain and it’s obvious. If you’re not that talented, the least you can do is be real, and she couldn’t even do that.
…and did she say she’s involved in writing? GIRL BOOM! I’m willing to bet money that she pulled a Beyonce and just changed the titles of the song.
…& she’s going to need those sympathy sales because her “art” sounds a hot fucking mess right about now…
It’s disgusting how she only speaks out for her fans when she wants them to buy her album. As soon as the court case was over, she could’ve spoken out. Why exploit such a sad situation for money? Doesn’t she have enough?
Her choosing her own image? Yeah, right. Any artist with a backbone gets dropped or suffers from a lack of label support. It’s not like her first two albums sold Thriller numbers for Def Jam to let her loose to do as she pleases.
i agree her image is fake
Her image may be fake, but that is no different from 99% of your favorite artists – including CHRIS BROWN. I don’t care how much of a puppet she is, domestic violence isn’t fake, it is real. Puppet or not nobody deserves this. And if “she” is the puppet, it also means the labels uses her to exploit that tragedy and make money, and that it’s not her idea.
People were surprised she came back to her abuser, 70% of abused women do this because they’ve been mentally damaged before being physically damaged. At least she’s no longer with him.
No wonder it’s a big secret, everybody sides the abuser. I agree with Oliver.
How Accommodating That All Of A Sudden Her New Album Is Coming Out (With Songs That Sound Like A Hot Cup Of Mess) She Wants To Play The Sacrificial Lamb. Give Me A Break!!