According to Forbes, Barbadian superstar Rihanna was the first female musician to achieve billionaire status. But it's much more than just her music career that's led to Robyn Rihanna Fenty earning the accolade of the richest female musician on the planet.

Read on to discover how the pop icon built her incredible fortune and how she likes to spend it.

All dollar amount in US dollars

Rihanna was born on the Caribbean island of Barbados in 1988. Her home life was challenging, as her father struggled with addiction, and her parents divorced when she was 14. In 2003, she formed a girl band with two schoolmates and the trio was spotted by American producer Evan Rogers.

However, it was Rihanna's stand-out performance during renditions of hits by Destiny's Child and Mariah Carey that really caught Rogers' attention. She was invited to the US to create demo tapes for record labels, with her soon-to-be hit Pon De Replay one of the tracks laid down. 

That demo tape found its way into the hands of rapper Jay-Z, recently appointed president and CEO of Def Jam Records. After an audition in New York, Jay-Z signed Rihanna to a six-album deal with the label.

Pon De Replay was released as her debut single in August 2005, becoming a hit around the globe and peaking at number two in the US charts. The dancefloor-friendly tune received double-platinum certification after selling over two million copies and also won three awards. 

Rihanna's first album Music Of The Sun was also released in August 2005 and spent 44 weeks on the US album charts. It sold over 500,000 copies and received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Shortly after Music Of The Sun's release, Rihanna was back in the studio and working on album number two, A Girl Like Me.

Released in April 2006, the album sold 115,000 copies in its first week (compared to Music Of The Sun's 69,000 units) and has sold over four million copies to date, receiving platinum certification around the world.

A Girl Like Me featured several singles that stormed music charts across the globe. SOS sold over a million copies, won an award, and became Rihanna's first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The regret-filled ballad Unfaithful hit the top 10 in 19 countries, We Ride sold over 500,000 copies in the US, and Break It Off scored two awards. 

In May 2007 Rihanna's next album, Good Girl Gone Bad, was released. It featured some of her most famous tracks, including Umbrella, which rocketed to number one in charts around the world, including 10 weeks in the top spot in the UK. 

Entertainment Weekly voted Umbrella the most popular song of 2007, and the track won eight awards, including two MTV Music Awards and a Grammy. To date, the single has sold upwards of 6.6 million copies, making it one of the most purchased of all time. 

As well as Umbrella, Good Girl Gone Bad featured a host of other hits that achieved huge commercial success, including Don't Stop The Music, Shut Up & Drive, Rehab, and Hate That I Love You, with collaborations from the likes of Ne-Yo and Justin Timberlake further contributing towards its success.

The album sold close to three million copies in the US alone and was nominated for seven Grammy awards. It's gone on to sell nine million copies worldwide.

Good Girl Gone Bad was followed up by a series of other hugely successful albums: Rated R was released in 2009 and Loud in 2010. Rated R has sold over three million copies to date, while Loud was nominated for a trio of Grammys.

A string of hits from the albums hit the airwaves. Rude Boy, Only Girl (In The World), and What's My Name? were just a few of the stand-out tracks from the two releases, while collaborations with David Guetta and Kanye West added further fuel to Rihanna's chart-topping fire.

The relentless success continued with the release of two further albums: Talk That Talk in November 2011 and Unapologetic a year later. More hit singles followed, with Diamonds from the latter album cementing Rihanna's place in chart history. The sparkling track, released as a single in September 2012, was a number-one hit in 20 countries and became Rihanna's 12th number-one single on Billboard's prestigious chart and her seventh on the UK equivalent.

Within six months of its release, Diamonds had sold over 7.5 million copies and has been officially recognised as one of the best-selling tracks of all time. That was her final Def Jam release as she signed a new deal with her mentor Jay-Z's Roc Nation label.

In 2015, Rihanna became the first artist to have 100 million singles downloaded or streamed. In 2016, Anti, Rihanna's eighth and most recent album, was released. It featured Work, a collaboration with Drake, which would become her 27th top 10 hit.

Overall, it's estimated that Rihanna has sold over 60 million albums so far. 

Rihanna achieved yet another music milestone when she became the first female artist to have 10 songs with one billion streams on Spotify.

"Bad gal Billi... with no new album", Rihanna wrote on Instagram to celebrate the record, which she achieved despite not releasing a new album since 2016's Anti.

As well as chart hits, Rihanna's financial success has been boosted by a very busy – and highly lucrative – global touring schedule, which has seen her take to the stage over 400 times during a 10-year period in some of the world's biggest venues.

Her Loud tour made an estimated $90 million (£70m), while 2013's Diamonds World Tour raked in a jaw-dropping $141 million (£110m). This was followed by the Anti tour, which made $106 million (£82m). 

Rihanna has also swapped the stage for the screen, with her acting portfolio featuring performances in Battleship, Bring It On: All Or Nothing, Home, Bates Motel, and Ocean's 8. She was also a mentor on season 9 of The Voice in the US.

She's released a series of books with publisher Phaidon, including The Rihanna Book, which features photos from throughout her career. A collector's edition format of the book came with a price tag of $1,495 (£1.2k). 

Rihanna's astounding success has made her irresistible to brands, with big-buck sponsorship deals coming in thick and fast for the singer. One such deal came from Samsung in 2015, with Rihanna signing a $25 million ($33m/£26m in today's money) contract to promote its products in exchange for sponsorship of the Anti album and tour.

She's also collaborated with brands including MAC Cosmetics, Budweiser, Nivea, and Covergirl.

Rihanna has also worked with many fashion brands, from the high couture likes of Dior and Armani to the more mainstream River Island.

She was appointed Creative Director of Puma in 2014, and her first shoe collection sold out within three hours. The 2016 showcase of her debut Fenty x Puma clothing line at New York Fashion Week was met with rave reviews. Most recently, she became the face of Dior's J'adore perfume and reportedly makes a six-figure sum from the endorsement deal.

With such an interest in fashion, it would only be a matter of time before Rihanna created her own brand. In 2018, she launched the lingerie line Savage X Fenty. A "shoppable visual line" for the brand was premiered via Amazon in 2020.

As of 2021, Savage X Fenty is valued at a cool $1 billion (£777m), with its affordable price points and focus on inclusivity giving it a wide market appeal.

Rihanna has since stepped down as CEO of Savage x Fenty but remains in a leadership role as executive chair.

In recent times, Rihanna and her beau, A$AP Rocky, have welcomed sons RZA and Riot Rose. RiRi's latest business venture is inspired by her journey into motherhood.

Last August, she launched a maternity capsule collection under her Savage x Fenty fashion label, targeted at "moms and moms-to-be”. Rihanna designed the collection, which features bralettes and a cosy oversized graphic tee. Prices range from $30 (£23) to $60 (£46).

In 2017, Rihanna partnered with luxury conglomerate LVMH to launch her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty. Due to its inclusivity – its Pro Filt'r foundation, for example, has received praise for catering to 50 different skin tones – and affordable price points, Fenty Beauty has been a hit around the globe. Vogue reported that the brand made $100 million (£78m) within just 40 days of launching.

Fenty Beauty generated around $600 million (£466m) in revenue in 2023, and the brand makes up the bulk of Rihanna's fortune as she owns half the company. Her Fenty fashion line, launched in 2019, wasn't such a success and was shut down, with critics saying the clothing was too expensive for the mass market.

Rihanna has launched 11 perfumes in collaboration with beauty company Parlux, including Reb'l Fleur, Rogue, and RiRi. With a typical price point of around $30 (£23) per bottle, the fragrances have made her millions – Reb'l Fleur alone made an estimated $80 million (£62m) in its first year of sale.

In July 2021, the star unveiled her debut Fenty Perfume fragrance. Retailing at around $140 (£110) a bottle and described as a unisex scent that's "sensual, spicy and sweet all at once", Fenty Eau de Parfum sold out in hours. 

Rihanna made an epic return to the stage for the first time since 2018 when she performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in February 2023. The singing sensation belted out a medley of her biggest hits, including Umbrella, Diamonds, and Work. 

The star shocked fans as she appeared to be cradling a baby bump throughout her performance, with her publicist later confirming that Rihanna was indeed expecting her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky just nine months after the birth of their first son. 

It's since been revealed that Rihanna's iconic performance was the most watched in Super Bowl history, with 118 million households tuning in to view it.

You might be surprised to learn the star wasn't paid a dime for her showstopping Super Bowl performance. While the NFL pays for the production costs and travel expenses of artists who sing at the legendary sporting event, stars don't actually get a paycheque. Instead, they get the exposure of performing on one of the biggest stages in the world.

Rihanna certainly profited from her performance. Following the show, she saw a 390% increase in song sales, while her Fenty Beauty makeup line and Savage X Fenty lingerie line also received significant boosts.

Earlier this year, Rihanna performed at the lavish pre-wedding party of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Anant Ambani is the son of businessman Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man with a net worth of $116 billion (£90bn), according to Forbes.

Rihanna travelled to Mumbai (pictured) to perform at the event and reportedly received $6.3 million (£4.9m) for the private concert. Despite the staggering sum she was paid, it's just a drop in the ocean compared to the entire wedding, which is thought to have cost upward of $150 million (£117m).

So, with all that money at her fingertips, how does Rihanna spend her hard-earned cash? For starters, the star reportedly spares no expense when it comes to fitness and nutrition.

Hollywood-favourite personal trainers such as Dede Lagree and Harley Pasternak help Rihanna keep in shape with vigorous workouts, while top chef Debbie Solomon has whipped up countless meals and snacks for her over the years.

Rihanna is also known to splash the cash on her hair and beauty routine. She's been rumoured to spend $38,000 (£30k) a week on treatments, with thousands going on everything from a personal dermatologist to contour tanning sessions.

In 2011, it was also reported that the star spent over $17,000 a week on hair styling, with celebrity hairdresser Ursula Stephen looking after her locks. In 2024 money, that's a staggering $24,000 (£19k).

With all those millions in the bank, it will come as little surprise that Rihanna has dabbled in the property market over the years, buying homes for herself and her family. Properties the star has purchased over the years include a three-bed $5.5 million (£4.3m) LA condo, as well as a $925,000 (£720k) property on LA's "Millionaires' Mile".

In 2017, Rihanna snapped up a jaw-dropping Hollywood Hills mansion for $6.8 million, the equivalent of $8.7 million (£6.8m) today.

In 2017, she snapped up a $2.8 million ($3.6m/£2.8m today) home in West Hollywood, which she rented out for the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $21,000 (£16k) a month before selling it the following year. And it's not just the US property market that she's dabbled in. Rihanna lived in London throughout 2019, staying in a seven-bedroom mansion that reportedly cost over $20,000 (£15.5k) a week to rent. She also bought a luxury villa on her home island of Barbados for $22 million (£17m).

The starlet snapped up a lavish LA Penthouse for $21 million (£16m) in 2023. The luxury abode, previously owned by the late actor Matthew Perry, features four bedrooms, six bathrooms, and several outdoor terraces, while the building also includes a 24-hour concierge service, a fitness centre, and a 75-foot swimming pool. However, this year she put the property on the market for $25 million (£20m). 

Rihanna donates money to various charitable causes. In 2012, she launched the Clara Lionel Foundation, which works to improve education and healthcare for underprivileged children. The organisation hosts its glittering Diamond Ball annually, and the event has raised millions of dollars since its inception.

In March 2020, the foundation donated $5 million (£3.9m) to the fight against COVID-19. The following month, Rihanna donated an additional $2.1 million (£1.6m) to support adults and children affected by domestic violence during the pandemic lockdown. 

All her hard Work means that Rihanna has something of a penchant for fabulous holidays. The star is known to have enjoyed lavish getaways in exclusive locations around the globe, including Portofino, Saint-Tropez, and Honolulu. Rihanna has also enjoyed a yacht-based holiday or two.

Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and their infant son RZA were spotted enjoying a family vacation in Barbados ahead of the arrival of their second child. The heavily pregnant star was photographed eating a snow cone outside her luxurious villa on the Caribbean island.

In January 2022, Rihanna sent fans into a frenzy when she debuted her pregnancy in a very glamorous fashion. She was papped in NYC wearing an $8,000 (£6.2k) Chanel puffer jacket, which was open at the torso, revealing a baby bump draped in gold chains and jewels.

The fashion-forward star never let her first pregnancy alter her flamboyant style. She told Vogue: "When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, there’s no way I’m going to go shopping in no maternity aisle."

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky threw a baby shower at a Hollywood studio in April 2022. The event, like RiRi's head-turning maternity style, was anything but traditional: a rave-themed bash with a neon dress code. 

As for how Rihanna plans to handle motherhood while running a business empire, she recently told Complex Music: "The balance is almost impossible, because no matter how you look at it, work is always something that’s going to rob you of time with your child."

She added: "That’s the currency now, and that’s where it goes, the magnitude of how much it weighs. When you make decisions on what you’re going to say yes to, it has to be worth it."

The richest woman in music appears to be having some difficulty adjusting to her extraordinary net worth. In an interview at her Savage X Fenty show in 2021, she described it as "crazy" and "real weird" that people were congratulating her on her wealth.

The star also appears to be feeling the pressure of the title, stating: "I don't wanna be on this pedestal. I don't wanna be this icon. I want to remember who I am." However, she went on to say that the fact that her humble beginnings inspire and give hope to others makes the "scary" experience "worth it".

With Taylor Swift now hot on her heels in terms of wealth, Rihanna may not occupy the position for much longer. But with an estimated fortune of $1.4 billion (£1.1bn) at the time of writing, the star has undoubtedly paved the way for those who follow.

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