50 Interesting Facts About Rihanna

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Rihanna has made a name for herself across the world for her talented singing skills, as well as her sex appeal. Here are 50 interesting facts about this Barbados-born singer. 

1. She was never called Rihanna until she became a big star. Rihanna is actually her middle name, her full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.
   
   

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2. She was born on February 20, 1988 in St. Michael, Barbados.
   
   

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3. Rihanna's father, Ronald Fenty, is an Irish Barbadian and her mother, Monica Braithwaite, is Afro-Guyanese.
   
   

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4. Rihanna’s childhood was deeply affected by her father’s addiction to crack cocaine, alcohol, and marijuana, and her parents’ turbulent marriage ended when she was 14.
   
   

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5. All her siblings including herself have names starting with an “R.” She has two younger brothers Rorrey and Rajad.
   
   

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6. Rihanna says she was a tomboy growing up. We can safely say she is anything but boyish now.
   
   

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7. Rihanna was a military cadet during high school.
   
   

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8. She used to sell clothing with her dad at a street stall.
9. Rihanna attended Combermere High School in Barbados. In 2004, Rihanna won the Miss Combermere school beauty pageant.
   
   

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10. She won a talent show for her rendition of Mariah Carey's "Hero."
11. Her voice is a “Mezzo-Soprano” that covers three octaves.
12. She said growing up, her singing idols were Madonna, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Beyonce.
    
    

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13. Her big break came in 2003 when she introduced to music producer Evan Rogers through mutual friends, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife at the time. Rihanna went to audition for him with two of her classmates. He tells Entertainment Weekly, "The minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn't exist." She ended up leaving Barbados and moving to Connecticut with Rogers and his wife to try and jumpstart her career.
    
    

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14. She recorded a demo tape which was sent to several record labels. Once she auditioned for Jay-Z, the president of Def Jam Records, he signed her on. She was 16 at the time and had moved to New York .
    
    

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15. She was so starstruck when she met Jay Z. 'Oh God, he's right there, I can't look, I can't look, I can't look!' I remember being extremely quiet. I was very shy. I was cold the entire time. I had butterflies. I'm sitting across from Jay-Z. Like, Jay-Zee.
16. Rihanna was falsely rumored to be having an affair with Jay-Z who was dating Beyonce at the time. The rumors were fortunately not true, and they also gave her a ton of attention when she was first breaking out on the scene.
     
    

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17. Her first single “Pon De Replay” hit the Top Five in the Billboard Chart. Jay Z was concerned that Pon De Replay was so big that it would be the only song she was known for. Luckily, he was wrong.
    
    

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18. She toured with Gwen Stefani to promote her debut album Music of the Sun.
19. Rihanna's first number one hit was "S.O.S (Rescue Me)". She hasn’t stopped since then.
    
    

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20. She won her first Grammy for her song “Umbrella,” a collaboration with Jay-Z. Her second Grammy was for “Run This Town” with Jay-Z and Kanye West.
    
    

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21. Rihanna banned fans from bringing umbrellas to her U.K. concerts. She was afraid people would get injured if fans tried to copy her dance moves with the umbrellas when she performed “Umbrella.”
    
    

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22. Rihanna made a cameo appearance in the 2006 cheerleading romp, Bring It On: All or Nothing.
23. She also made a musical cameo in All My Children.



Rihanna created her Believe Foundation in 2006 to help terminally ill children. "When I was young and I would watch television and I would see all the children suffering, I always said when I grow up I want to help," the singer told People magazine in March 2008.


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Rihanna won Gillette’s Venus Breeze ”Celebrity Legs of a Goddess” award in 2007. Right after that, she insured her legs for $1 million.


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In 2007, she was made the official face of tourism for Barbados and she now holds the honorary title of Ambassador for Culture and Youth.


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In February 21, 2008, Barbados created a national holiday to honor Rihanna. As a thank you present, she put on a free concert for her fans.


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Her tumultuous relationship with Chris Brown resulted in her assaulting her in February 2009. She was scheduled to perform at the 51st Grammy Awards but it was cancelled. She didn't speak about the incident until nine months later, when she broke her silence on ABC to Diane Sawyer. "This happened to me…It can happen to anyone," the singer had said.
Due to a leaked photograph from the Los Angeles Police Department obtained by TMZ.com—which revealed that Rihanna had sustained visible injuries—an organization known as STOParazzi proposed "Rihanna's Law," which, if enacted, would "deter employees of law enforcement agencies from releasing photos or information that exploits crime victims."


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Rihanna went through a difficult time with her father and refused to speak to him after he sold information to the press about after her incident with Chris Brown, but the two have since reconciled the relationship.


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She is not a fan of Mexican, Chinese, Japanese or Indian food. She also does not like vegetables and prefers to eat local fruits and water to stay healthy.


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A 2013 Rolling Stone reported Rihanna loves an Italian restaurant in Santa Monica called Giorgio Baldi and usually orders spaghetti with tomato sauce and fried calamari.


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Growing up, her mother wouldn’t let her put on make-up. Ironically, she is now a Cover Girls spokesmodel.


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She starred in her first feature film debut in 2012's 'Battleship' which will also starred Liam Neeson and 'True Blood' star Alexander Skarsgard.
Rihanna told Oprah that she’ll often send her mother, Monica, gifts, but that her mom will send them back because she researched the price and thinks it’s too expensive. One gift that was likely not easily returned was a five-bedroom house in Barbados, which Rihanna revealed she had purchased also during an episode of Oprah.


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Despite her raunchy photos on Instagram, Rihanna has turned down several offers to pose for Playboy magazine.


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Before going on stage, she always drink a shot. Her favorite is dark liquor but on occasion will switch to vodka.


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Rihanna also has her own fragrance line that includes “Nude” and “Rebelle.”


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Rihanna’s video for “We Found Love” was shot on a farm in Ireland. However, the owner of the farm had a change of heart after seeing her raunchy dress code while filming and asked her and her crew to go.


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Rihanna boasts a total of seven wax figurines at the famous Madame Tussauds Wax Museums around the world. They are located in Berlin, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., London, Sydney, and Vienna.
Rihanna's total net-worth is an estimated $90 million.


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From December 2009 to 2010, Rihanna dated Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Matt Kemp, then Canadian rapper Drake. In a January 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Rihanna confirmed that she had rekindled her relationship with Chris Brown and they broke up again.


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She reigns supreme online. She is the most popular person on Facebook, has the sixth most followers on Twitter, and is the most-viewed and subscribed recording artist on YouTube. On March 7, 2013, Spotify announced that Rihanna is the most streamed artist worldwide.In 2013, Rihanna was also named the most influential artist in the United Kingdom and the most influential celebrity on the internet.


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She is the most subscribed to artist on Vevo, has the most views with just over 4.6 billion views. Justin Bieber is second with over 4.4 billion views.
She’s dabbled in fashion. She has been a spokesmodel for high end designer brand Gucci. In February 2013, Rihanna presented her first women's spring fashion collection at London Fashion Week for British street fashion brand River Island, collaborating with her personal stylist Adam Selman.


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She is close friends with Katy Perry. Their friendship was rocked when Rihanna reunited with Chris Brown which Perry disapproved.


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Rihanna organised a bachelorette party for her close friend Katy Perry in 2010. Rihanna treated Perry and friends to a production of Ka by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. They later went to Las Vegas's Hard Rock Hotel Beach Club pool where the party continued until the wee hours of the morning.


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Rihanna’s hairstyle at the American Music Awards in 2013 was not actually a hairstyle - but a doobie wrap. In case you wondering what that is, here's a quick definition from the Urban Dictionary: Doobie wrap (noun, verb) The result of wrapping ones hair around ones head using circular brush, comb, or finger-comb motions. Utilized mainly by African-American women at night in conjunction with a scarf in order to create bouncy hair in the morning.


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She loves her ink and currently has 19 tattoos and counting. She had first tattoo in 2006 and once revealed "I like hanging out in tattoo shops."


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She was one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World (2012).


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Barbados Rum & Rum Shops

"A visit to Barbados without rum is like a visit to the Sahara without sand."

Barbadian Gold
In terms of quality, Barbados rum is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious rums produced anywhere in the world. Hold a glass of our dark rum up to the light and you will see the gold of the sun. In fact, it is believed by some that Barbados is the home of rum! Masterful blending of exquisitely distilled liquor has put it in a class of its own.

Each year Barbados rum is available in more and more countries throughout the world: from as far as Australia, Europe, USA and Canada. As a visitor to Barbados though, you have the added advantage of savouring our "liquid gold" in the very environment that it is produced - a land of sunshine and rolling fields of sugar-cane.

Rum is a spirit, but what makes it unique is that it is the only spirit that is made from the juice of the sugar cane plant. It is actually made from molasses, a thick treacly liquid left behind after the sugar has been extracted from the cane juice.
Rum making in Barbados has a long and distinguished tradition. Though it could never be claimed that rum distilling was invented in Barbados, it was certainly here that the use of the word "rum" was first recorded and from here that rum was first exported. The island was first settled in 1627 and rum production was already firmly established as early as the 1640s.

The first rum was made in pot stills adjacent to the wind driven sugar mill on each plantation. In these simple pots stills a "wash" of fermented sugar-cane molasses was heated to produce the alcohol.
The name "rum" was probably first coined in the taverns of the Bridgetown waterfront, where life was always "rumbunctious". Rum quickly became very popular with visiting seafarers and soon great amounts were sold to the ships. It was in this manner that rum first made its appearance in English ports and elsewhere. By the late 1600s "Rum Punch Houses" were opening in England, and a short while later rum became the fashionable drink in London society.

Rum has always been popular with sailers and it was the English Royal Navy that introduced their "rum ration". Interestingly enough, the word "grog" which was invented in 1731 to mean rum is still used today and expressions such as "to sink a few grogs" are widely used throughout Barbados. The word "grog" was invented when in 1731 one Admiral Vernon of the Royal Navy ordered a rum ration to be diluted because it was causing drunkenness and discipline problems. The disappointed sailors gave this new mixture the same title as the nickname for Vernon, "old grog", because of the grogam cloak he wore. Hence rum became known as grog.
Nowadays the rum is much more refined but people still talk of "firing a grog or two". Hopefully while you are here in Barbados you will have the opportunity to enjoy a few grogs.

Instead of the crude fermentation and distillation process of over 350 years ago, today's rum refinery is extremely sophisticated and efficient. However, the tradition and secret skills of Barbados' hundreds of centuries of experience continue to be utilized to give Barbados rum its unique quality and character.
At the Mount Gay Visitors Centre, which is located only five minutes away from both the Port and downtown Bridgetown, visitors can enjoy a truly Barbadian experience as friendly and knowledgeable guides take you on a tour of the distillery of the world's oldest and finest rum.
Some brands of Barbados Rum are: Malibu Rum, Doorly's, Mount Gay Rum, Cockspur Rum, St. Nicholas Abbey 10 yr old rum, and E S A Field.

Rum Shops

In the days of slavery and immediate Post-Emancipation, the most entrepreneural people established small shops which sold rum, other spirits and a variety of goods. These rum shops studded the countryside and town functioning then as they do now, serving the people with everyday needs and also a social crossroads for the people of the surrounding area. Today, in Barbados, it is estimated that there are almost 1000 of these rum shops scattered around the island - be sure to visit one during your travels - if only for the experience!

The village rum shops usually have a steady flow of patrons but are particularly busy Friday evenings and weekends. After receiving their weekly wages, many of the menfolk gather at their favourite rum shop "to fire a few" (have a few drinks), "enjoy some good ol' talk" and take part in a serious (and usually boisterous) game of dominoes.

Though there are those who go to rum shops specifically to drink, there are others who are more thirsty for human interaction than alcohol. Perhaps the most passionate discussions and disputes take place over a Tiger Malt (a healthy, non-alcoholic energy drink) and a "bread and two" (a bun and two fish cakes). The subjects discussed constantly, yet never exhausted, are sports and politics. Though often loud and vehement, debates tend to deviate quickly and unpredictably, between angry outbursts and laughter usually ending in calls for "annudduh one dey!" (another drink).
Some rum shops also serve food or sell snacks, ice and sundry items. While driving around some of these are great to nip into for a quick bite or to top up your picnic basket.

Rum is generally "nipped" neat, or "licked back", chased with a soft drink and "soaked up" by a coconut bread or a lead pipe (sweet bread, the name of which explains itself). White rum tends to be favoured in the rum shop over dark rum, so you'll be wise to state your preference!

While perhaps being a less sophisticated version of an English Pub, a Bajan rum shop is probably a West Indian substitute for "Speaker's Corner" and an unequalled example of a strong community spirit and the close involvement of a people who live so well together.

Eight Easy Questions with Mandy the Make-Up Artist: Know Your Bajans!

Mandy Cummins in dramatic makeup photo by Andre Williams

On most days I can’t be bothered with makeup-not even for work. Wash, moisturize, a quick swipe of lip gloss and step through the door. That’s me! But there are times when the girly girl inside me comes out and does a little pirouette. She wants foundation, blush, contouring and highlighting. That’s when I need the services of a Mandy Cummins who will transform a little caterpillar like me into a social butterfly.

Mandy is an unapologetic free spirit who enjoys all forms of passionate artistic expression. She’s an avid and proud member of certain fandoms (she’s dubbed herself a superwholockgamewalker, subject to change as she adds more and more fan-worthy stuff to her watch list). She staunchly supports social equality and daily tries to be kind, to give back, to learn and to grow. Mandy has dreams of one day doing makeup on TV and films sets, publishing a book and starting her own makeup line. She loves writing, drawing, dreaming, posing for pictures, cosplaying, painting faces, dancing with her daughter, snuggling her fur babies, cooking, watching the stars, being silly, twirling in the moonlight, chocolate and coffee.

Here’s Mandy teaching us how to do a red carpet inspired look

Eight Easy Questions with Mandy the MakeUp Artist.

Q1.  How long have you been doing makeup, and how did you get started?

I remember being interested in makeup from a very young age when I would watch my mum applying her makeup. It fascinated me. And then the movies Mrs Doubtfire and Braveheart got me super interested in movie makeup and prosthetics. I started doing my friends’ makeup when I was in my late teens when we were going out partying and it evolved into a career from there. I started doing it professionally as a side job when I was about 21 and I’ve being doing it exclusively as my job for the last four years.

Q2.   What do you love most about the makeup jobs?

I love watching people transform. Not necessarily in looks only but their confidence perks up with simple makeup tricks and they see their beauty being revealed to them. Same goes for character or prosthetic makeup. Bruising an actor’s face, for example, puts them into the mind frame of their character and I love watching that happen. I also love the creativity and the thought process that goes into whatever makeup I apply. And I actually really just love the physical application process. I can get lost in it, no matter how long I’m on my feet or how tired my back and arms get (which has been upwards of 12 hours at times!). It’s extremely enjoyable to me, whether it’s just red lips or a fully bruised and broken face, or a crazy character.

Q3.  Do you airbrush?

Yes I do.

Malyssa Alana, Makeup by Mandy Cummins | Loud 87 photoshoot

Q4.  Can you cover tattoos, acne, hyperpigmentation, rosacea, etc?

Absolutely. My bread and butter is beauty makeup and the ability and skill to correct problems like those are absolutely necessary.

Q5.    Do you have any experience doing makeup for theatre eg. creating bruising effects?

Yes I do! It’s actually my absolute favourite makeup to do: anything in the theatrical or film arenas. I’m currently teaching myself special effects makeup techniques and thoroughly enjoying it.

Q6   What are your prices for events?

Prices vary depending on the job. Generally a makeup for an event or a party is $120, and it increases from there for performance makeup, bridal makeup, and special effects/character makeup. I’ll generally take large groups on a job by job basis and I’m more than willing to work with a client or clients based on their budget.

Mandy and her daughter Aeris ploto by Andrew Browne Photography

Q7   For parents, what’s the right age for daughters to start wearing makeup?

Honestly, this is a tough question. My 5 year old watches me work and loves to experiment with makeup and she’ll wear glitter and lip gloss whenever she wants to. My mother let me do the same when I was small. For me makeup should not be about covering up who you are, it’s about expressing yourself and your personality, so when Aeris puts blue glitter all over her face and wants to wear it out to the supermarket I let her. I think parents should try very hard to allow their kids to express themselves even if the parents feel a little weird about it, but if their rules are that they can’t wear it out of the house then that’s fine too. I think compromise and balance are very important. I do think by about 14/15 a girl is just now coming into her own and should be allowed to wear makeup whenever she wants, (except perhaps to school of course). Better to teach her propriety and good morals in general, and foster self-love and confidence and uniqueness by allowing her to express herself, and then trust her to make the right choices.

Comment: Don’t you love this answer?

Q8  Do you offer makeup classes?

Yes I do! I do it on a client to client basis. I prefer private one on one classes or very small groups (maximum of 4 people) because then I can teach more in depth and offer as much personal support and guidance as possible, which is much harder in larger groups with limited time.

Connect with Mandy

Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest @LadyMandyisms

Youtube www.youtube.com/mandyaboutface

Facebook www.facebook.com/mandy.cummins

Tumblr aladymandyismsblog.tumblr.com

Business Email mandythemakeupartist@gmail.com

sourced: thebeardedfigtree.com

Date with One Direction in Barbados

It was a beautiful evening. Bathed in the gentle glow of soft yellow light I stood in a garden surrounded by picturesque bougainvillea trees waiting to be serenaded. Yes there were a few thousand other people waiting too but I pretended it was me they were coming specifically to sing to. One Republic was in Barbados! When I heard they were coming as part of the CHUM.fm Breakfast in Barbados show, I immediately decided I was attending. I’d always wanted to go to one of the CHUM.fm concerts which are usually held at Holders House in April but I never seemed to catch the announcement in time to purchase tickets. This year I was prepared and thanks to one of my girlfriends was alerted the day the tickets went on sale.

The concert was on and rocking. Everyone I spoke to who attended, said they had a wonderful time too. Armed with my trusty cell phone I went right up to the stage (barricade) and positioned myself to take pics. The show opened with Jenn & One Sixty Six: the local bajan band that won the battle of the bands at Harbour Lights and secured the privilege of boasting that they opened for One Republic. Next on stage was Andee from Canada and though she was so nervous that her hands were shaking, her voice was outstanding. It was as if the nerves melted away while she was singing. You could tell she really appreciated the support of the audience.

And then there was One Republic. They performed hit after hit which the crowd, including me, sang along to with gusto. Ryan Tedder was fantastic but I must give kudos to Zach Filkins who did an improv guitar solo during where he tapped out beats and strummed out bars which looped in the play back and became the arrangement for the solo piece. The crowd and I were well pleased that evening.

sourced: thebeardedfigtree.com

15 Fun Facts About Corals of Barbados

1. The island of Barbados was once a coral reef.

2. Corals are tiny animals (not plants) called polyps.

3. Coral polyps belong to the same group as the jelly fish family.

4. Polyps live in colonies and their fused skeletons are called reefs.

5. Reefs are the largest structures on the planet created by animals.

6. There are many different types of corals; hard corals like brain coral and soft corals like sea fans.

7. It is illegal to damage or sell coral.

8. Corals take a very long time to grow (0.5 – 2cm per year).

9. Many of our corals spawn, all at once and only once per year.

10. Coral reefs around Barbados protect the beaches from erosion and wave action.

11. Reef fish need the coral for shelter and survival.

12. Our white sand is primarily derived from coral reefs; no coral, no beach , no tourism!!!!

13. There at least 34 named coral reef and wreck dive sites around Barbados.

14. Run off of chemicals or other nutrients from the land kill our corals.

15. Atlantis Submarine dives on the west coast on Freshwater Bay aka Clarkes Reef.