When you think of famous 21st-century pop stars, Rihanna’s name may well spring to mind. The Barbadian singer is one of the best-selling artists of all time and was the youngest self-made billionaire in 2022.
So, just how rich is she? According to Forbes, Rihanna’s net worth is $1 billion. While this doesn’t make her the richest woman in the world, the zeroes in her fortune put her third on the list of the wealthiest musicians, trailing behind Jay-Z and Taylor Swift.
Rihanna hasn’t released any music since 2022, and her last album came out almost a decade ago in 2016, so how has her net worth remained so high? The Work singer’s entrepreneurial side has contributed tremendously to her fortunes, putting her net worth above artists like Ed Sheeran and Selena Gomez.
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Rihanna's net worth and her music career
Rihanna was born and raised in Barbados, where she formed a girl group with two classmates at the age of 15. Her talent for singing was quickly picked up by a local music producer named Evan Rogers, who invited her to New York.
The singer’s career took off from there. In New York, Rihanna recorded a series of demo tracks. These impressed the industry and, most importantly, Jay-Z, who signed her to his record label, Def Jam Recordings.
Rihanna’s music stood out for its mix of influences. Featuring a mix of reggae, dancehall and R&B influences, the singer’s music appealed to a wide range of listeners and fans.
It wasn’t long before the young star began to make waves around the world with her records. Debut single, Pon de Replay, was released in 2005 and quickly became a hit, reaching the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her debut album, Music of the Sun, followed shortly after.
Her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad, marked a turning point in the singer’s career. The album sold nearly three million copies in the US and over nine million worldwide. She won her first career Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2007 with Umbrella featuring Jay-Z.
She went on to release four more albums between 2009 and 2012, namely Rated R, Loud, Talk That Talk, and Unapologetic.
After a hiatus, she released her eighth album Anti in 2016, which was certified six times platinum, with the ANTI World Tour grossing more than $134 million in ticket sales.
Over the years, Rihanna has sold more than 250 million records. She has won nine Grammys, 12 Billboard Music Awards and six Guinness World Records, among many other awards. She also received the prestigious Vanguard Award, which has been taken home by artists like Madonna, Beyoncé and Michael Jackson.
The singer performed at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, which became the third most-watched halftime show ever, according to Billboard. She also performed at Anant Ambani's pre-wedding bash in 2024, which earned her £5 million according to Daily Mail.
How Rihanna's business ventures made her a billionaire
Rihanna is not only a talented musician and actress, but she is also a successful entrepreneur.
She has launched several businesses over the years, including Fenty Beauty, Savage X Fenty, and Fenty Skin.
While Rihanna’s other businesses have helped the star build her wealth, it’s Fenty Beauty that’s been the most successful enterprise. Launched in 2017, Fenty Beauty revolutionised the makeup industry with its then-40-shade foundation line-up (now 50) for all skin tones. It was named one of Time magazine’s best inventions that year, and made a staggering $72 million in sales within its first month.
Since its launch, Fenty has grabbed a large share of the global cosmetics market by appealing to a wide range of skin tones, and heavy use of social media to tap into underrepresented markets. Being owned by LVMH, Rihanna was able to ensure that the brand reached the right audiences, and made a lasting impact.
In 2024, Fenty Beauty was named the top-earning celebrity beauty brand in the world, generated sales of over $600 million in revenue and had a valuation of $2.8 billion.
When will Rihanna release new music?
In February 2025, Rihanna confirmed to Harper's Bazaar that her ninth studio album (or R9) is on the way. She said: “I just cracked the code on what I really want to do for my next body of work. I am actually feeling really good about this. I know I kept saying this over the years.”
There’s no release date as yet, the singer told the magazine: “It has to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre. After waiting eight years, you might as well just wait some more.”
However, Rihanna is booked and busy with her upcoming movie, Smurfs, for which she recorded the song, Friend Of Mine.
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