Rihanna Interview: On Music, Personal Life and Future Plans (2007). What lies are you talking about? That photo taken at night after the attack

Pop princess Rihanna is not classified as Urban. So far, the 18-year-old Caribbean beauty has been best received by mainstream fans thanks to the infectious dance vibe of her first album, Music Of The Sun. However, after the release of her second album, she finally manages to win the recognition of the society in which she grew up. “I'm so glad that the public accepted me, despite the fact that I grew up in Barbados and didn't even know anything about this music (pop) before,” Rihanna tells BET.com.
Rihanna's style was influenced by Reggae, as well as R&B and hip-hop, so she quickly learned how to please any audience. “It seems to me that the fusion of the three genres has created new sound, which pop music fans really like, and therefore they are well received by my work. Her second album A Girl Like Me contains the most diverse music, which is why it is so popular. Rihanna, BET.com Performer of the Month this May, looks forward to the release of her first film, Bring It On: All Or Nothing, and talks about what success means to an aspiring artist like herself.

What are you like at the peak of popularity?
For me it has become complete surprise because sometimes we work so hard that we don’t even notice when the work begins to bear fruit. So, the song S.O.S. came out on top. Others like it even more than I do.

Which musical genres most influenced your music?
Very big influence rendered reggae style. I used to listen to a lot of reggae. Still sometimes Soca, during the carnival. R&B and hip hop are very popular in the Caribbean. We rarely listened to pop music. We didn't really listen to much other than reggae.

When did you start singing?
I first started singing in the shower, in front of a mirror, and performing in front of an audience when I was 8 years old. My mom was always angry. But when I was 12 or 13, I started putting on a show.

How did Def Jam find you?
I was discovered by a producer, well, a couple of producers. They came to Barbados on vacation and one of my friends introduced us and then I was invited to a studio in New York and we started working on a demo in Barbados and New York. Then they sent it out to several labels. Def Jam was the first to call and they were very enthusiastic. We really liked this mood. I auditioned for Jay-Z and he immediately signed me to a contract. He just wouldn't let me leave. It was the most best feeling- I was delighted.

What has been the most difficult test for you since you got into this industry?
The hardest thing for me is being away from everyone I know. All my family and friends are in Barbados. Now I am surrounded by people whom I do not know well. I became friends with them, but I had to learn to trust people, and it's very hard.

Between the first and second album, the break was very short.

That's exactly how I planned for the second album to come out after the first. We just felt that the time had come. I feel like I've grown a lot last year, because I was just thrown into the maelstrom of show business. "Replay" went on the radio, and in fact, the start was very good. I myself learned a lot, and therefore matured a lot, spiritually and professionally. I feel like I've grown 5 years in the past year.

You are being compared to Beyonce. Does her work influence you?
Yes, definitely. She has always been one of my favorite performers.

And do you have a boyfriend?
No, I don't have a boyfriend. I'm still alone. Nobody here.

It must be hard to build a relationship with someone, with your current schedule?
Maybe. Since I got into this industry, I have not had a single romance. I understand that this can be difficult.

What is your favorite song on this album?
I think apart from S.O.S. and Unfaithful would be Break It Off, with Sean Paul. We worked together on a song in Jamaica. I met him, and one day he called me, like, "I know that you are going to release a second album." It was the first song where I had the opportunity to work one-on-one with an artist. Sean and I wrote this song together.

You have composed quite a few songs for this album. Looks like she went all out this time. It just so happened. This album is my baby. The second album is always more important and responsible.

Have you been to your home country with performances?
Yes. The shows in Barbados are just crazy. I just went there to launch the album, and I had a short performance there, and it was crazy.

Sweater angora, satin skirt, All Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci; golden earrings with diamonds Amrapali; golden ring with diamonds, property of Rihanna

Usually, if a girl wants to change something in her life, she starts small - with a hairstyle. Rihanna's situation is exactly the opposite: in her happy life She doesn't want to change anything today. One of the most popular singers the world behind record number virtual fans, dyes her hair in all the colors of the rainbow just for fun. With no less pleasure, she sings, starred in videos and answers questions - from pleasant to painful.

You are only twenty-three, and already ten of your songs have been at the top of the charts. You already beat Mariah Carey.

Don't stop there - it's time for you to leave The Beatles behind!

Come on. I feel like I'm at the very top. Even if I jump down a little, I will still find myself in more than worthy company.

In the meantime, everyone is worried that you are back in the company of Chris Brown...

Everyone went crazy. And I just subscribed to his Twitter. I say to everyone who is surprised: “Guys, this is a damn Twitter, not an altar in a church.” But people like to make an elephant out of a fly, I'm used to it, because I will probably have to endure empty rumors for the rest of my life.

By the way, you became an active user of Facebook and Twitter precisely after the incident with Chris, when everyone thought that you would shut up.

I just didn't understand social media at first. Why should I tell about my life to some strangers?! But then I realized that my fans are forced to believe anything: websites, newspapers, rumors, because they learn too little from me myself. Now they do not need to trust any gossip, because there is an opportunity to learn everything from me directly.

Your fans, like Lady Gaga's fans, have a separate name. Gaga's Little Beasts vs Rihanna's Sailors. Gaga calls herself the Mother of Monsters, do you?

And I don't name myself. Because I don’t look at them as my followers at all. We are more like soul mates. We are always there, and I need them even more than I need them.

And what about Katy Perry? Beyonce? Keisha? Now women set the tone in world music, and it seems to me that music has not been so cool for a long time!

Katy is not only your rival, but also a friend. You even threw a bachelor party before her wedding to Russell Brand.

Yes, she is like a sister to me. I really love this girl! Before I met her, I had almost no contact with women, except for purely work contacts. It's been that way since childhood.

Silk dress, embroidered with sequins, miu miu; golden ring(right) with diamonds, Adler; golden ring(left) and bracelets with diamonds, property Rihanna

Prefer to be friends with guys?

To be completely honest, all my friends are men. So making friends with Cathy was like a breath of fresh air.

You can be friends with men on an equal footing, but it is much more difficult to build the same equal relationship.

I don't even see it great sense. I believe that it is the guy who should dominate the relationship. I want to feel like a lady from time to time. I already decide too much in my life. If I’m also in bed for a man, then in FIG I need it at all!

Who knows you. For example, your style has become more aggressive. What for?

Well, my music has changed. And I can't imagine one without the other. Everything in my art is connected. Style, music, makeup and, by the way, hairstyles!

And we have already begun to fear your explosive image.

Do not worry! Of course, I always try to change and look different, but in my heart I still remain myself - sassy, ​​cheeky and militant.

New album Rihanna's Talk That Talk is out now.

October 2009. She doesn’t have a holey pocket, but there is a curly-haired forelock!

October 2009. Role model: short haircut, pencil skirt and bustier with a massive necklace.

October 2010. This traffic light does not have a green light. So passers-by and passers-by are simply numb.

We present to your attention the translation into Russian full interview With Rihanna, which was shown on the program 20/20 on November 6, 2009. Rihanna told ALL THE TRUTH about the incident in February this year, about his feelings and relationship with Chris Brown:

Translation: Phantomik, subtitles: Plazik.

If you copy the translated interview, do not forget to include a link to website.

Interview with text:

Rihanna: I had a dream, I had an idea. I knew what I needed to do. This is what I was going to do. The only thing I wanted to do was music. In Barbados, this is an unattainable goal. It's a small island away from the United States.

Is it true that as a child you sang to the whole world with a comb?

Rihanna: I don't regret it, neither does my mom. So I started writing my songs

Did you really fall in love and was it your first love?

Rihanna: "but definitely my first big love. He played a lot. It was a great feeling to grow up and be yourself. We were best friends. And we fell in love with each other. Fall in love with your best friend- it can be scary.

Scary?

Rihanna: We fell in love quickly. And the more we fell in love with each other, the more dangerous we became for each other, because it was like an obsession. I was very happy. It was like a gust of wind.

That photo taken at night, after the attack.

Rihanna: I was shocked, humiliated; I got angry; and everything again. When I see her, all these memories pop into my mind. That's why I just don't want to see her.

Why did you feel disgraced?

Rihanna: Because it's... because I fell in love with this person. It's unbelievable that this is the person I fell in love with ... So much, so unconditionally that I returned. It's humiliating to see your face like this. It is humiliating to admit that it really was and admit it. She talks about how she and Chris were driving home from the pre-Grammy party. He was driving. And here's what happened in those 30 minutes: She read a message on Chris Brown's phone from his ex-girlfriend, and Rihanna got pissed off.

Rihanna: I accused him of lying and he didn't even tell me the truth. I kept telling him, "I won't leave you." I could not stand his lies, he could not stand that I would not leave him, since everything was obvious, he had no choice, the whole truth was in that message. And all this resulted in his cruelty against me. And… he was disgusting. We read the police report. It was alleged that he hit her head on the passenger window and punched her in the left eye.

Was your mouth really full of blood?

Rihanna: Yes...

I will quote: “I will beat you like that when we get home” and also “Now I will actually kill you!”

Rihanna: I knew he was saying that to intimidate me. But there was no soul in his eyes, only emptiness. So I didn't know what could happen. He was absolutely furious. When I looked at him, I did not see a person in him. It felt like he had nothing to lose, when in fact he had something to lose. It wasn't the person who says, "I love you," it wasn't those eyes. She says that with the same fury he continued to drive. When she desperately tried to call her assistant, he threw the phone out the window.

The police report states that he tried to grab you by the throat twice and simply beat you several times: hit your left ear once and hit your fingers. Did he beat you?

Rihanna: Yes.

They claim that he grabbed you so hard that you couldn't breathe and started to lose consciousness.

Rihanna: I didn't pass out, but it was hard for me to breathe.

What did you do to protect yourself?

Rihanna: I was just trying to stop it. I wanted it all to end. I had no interest in hurting him.

Maybe she did something: she hit him, made him angry? What do you say about this?

Rihanna: It's not true, I can tell right away, because even if I hit him first, it wouldn't give him the right to do the same to me. You can't forgive him for what he did.

Did you hit him? Have you thought that "This is my fault"?

Rihanna: No. I didn't hit him. We had an argument.

Verbal dispute?

Rihanna: Yes, verbal.

Was it the influence of alcohol?

Rihanna: No! We weren't drunk

How did you think it would all end?

Rihanna: That's the only thing I've been thinking all the time, "When will this end? When will it end?" When people heard that I was screaming, he stopped the car, someone ran out of the neighboring houses, I continued to scream, and soon someone called the police. I was beaten, covered in blood, my face was covered in blood. I didn't know how to get home. The only thing I could do was to leave the car and walk, with a bloody face. So I didn't know what my plan would be. I didn't have a plan. The whole night was out of my plan.

Has he done this before?

Rihanna: No. But we have already reported that we read another police report, which refers to two previous incidents.

He pushed you against the wall several times.

Rihanna: No, he didn't push me against the wall.

What then happened?

Rihanna: He pushed me against the wall.

And you say it didn't happen?

Rihanna: When I said it didn't happen, I mean there was no black eye, no bruising, it wasn't a fight. There is something else that she did not plan and did not want to tell the world about: it is what her father did to her mother.

Was it an attack?

Rihanna: Yes.

Physical?

Rihanna: Yes

Cruel?

Rihanna: Yes

Did he beat her?

Rihanna: Yes. These were multiple cases. It was... I can't say it was the norm, but it was unexpected when it happened. It was always unpleasant for me when this happened, and I could not sleep because I was very scared. I always tried to pull him away, pounded on his legs, tried to get between them, broke glass bottles just to prevent it.

Did she go to the hospital, to the doctors?

Rihanna: No, she never went to the hospital, but... one day he broke her nose... but she would never go to the hospital, because it's not something that other people need to know about. She hid it all behind the walls of our house. I always said: “I will never allow anyone to do like my father, never!” I have always said this. Her fans were shocked by what Chris Brown did to her, but even more shocked by what she did after. Millions of dollars, influential friends; but then everything changed. She says that immediately after the incident, she became the same as many other offended women, filled with incomprehensible feelings and at a loss as to where to go and what to do.

Rihanna: The thing is, you start lying to yourself, believing that the physical wound will go away... you want it all to go away; you don't want those memories to reappear. So, thinking that the physical pain will go away, you push it into the background and unconsciously deceive yourself.

What lies are you talking about?

Rihanna: Initially, you start to think that you could say something like that to get him to hit me and do it. You go over it in your head and eventually you tell yourself “Stop!” I haven't spoken to anyone about it, not friends or family. I don't want people to look at me and feel sorry for me. I felt very lonely. There was a time when I cried, there was also such that I sat and watched TV all day. I couldn't even get to my house, because there were about two hundred people outside, with cameras, paparazzi, journalists, fans, neighbors. Helicopters circled over the house, so it felt like I went to bed like Rihanna and woke up like Britney Spears. It all looked like chaos. If I felt depressed, what did he go through? Again, lying to myself… I had to protect him. The whole world hates him now: his fans, his colleagues, he lost me. I told him: "Just don't do stupid things."

You mean hurt yourself?

Do you think he could... he could kill himself?

Rihanna: I had all sorts of thoughts going through my head because I didn't... I knew he should never have done that. It would be unforgivable if I returned, and I thought about it a lot. But getting back to him is exactly what she did. March 1st, three weeks after the incident, she flew to Miami to be with Chris Brown. The fans were confused.

Did you think it was over and you could be together again?

Rihanna: Actually, I didn't know, I experienced a lot of emotions.

Did you tell him that you forgive him?

Rihanna: No. For me it was all confusing. I still loved him, but I thought about the reality of this situation. It felt like I built this empire and the man I loved beat me up and because I'm going back to him, I have to lose her - No! And even then, you begin to deceive yourself again, and I felt that I was acting selfishly, I could not allow this. It's selfish if I supposedly help him. But when I realized that my selfish act for the sake of love could result in some young girls simply being killed, I could not come to terms with it. I couldn't be held responsible for them to come back. Even if Chris never hit me again, who's sure their guys wouldn't do it either? Who is sure that they will not kill these girls? And these are young girls, and I just didn't realize the impact I had on their lives before it all happened. For me it was like waking up. I realized everything.

How and when did you stop it?

Rihanna: Almost immediately after Miami. I returned to Los Angeles. I told him that I couldn't do it. I was so offended by him, I tried to figure it out, and I understood that I could do anything, that my word was decisive. And he knew, he knew it, and he asked, “You hate me, don't you? You hate me?" And I lied and said: "No." But so it was; everything that connected me with him was irritable: the fact that he was near me, that he talked to me - it was irritable for me. So in the end I said, “We can't do this. I couldn't keep doing it.

It was last time when did you talk to him?

Rihanna: I talked to him after that, but there was no relationship anymore. He didn't take it well. Naturally, he did not want us to leave, but I knew what decision I had made for myself. He decided to change public opinion by writing a song for her. And apologies, as they say, change a man.

When you heard it, what did you think?

Rihanna: I didn't hear her.

And don't you want to?

Rihanna: No. He attended the Larry King show with his mom and explained that when he was little, he saw his stepfather hitting his mom, although he denies it. "I was scared to sleep..."

Rihanna: He forgot about the pain he experienced with his mom then. Chris became famous very, very early, in a very early age. Many things come with fame, and the most dangerous of them is freedom. There are no limits, no restrictions, everything is perfect and no one else exists. New opportunities come up and you don't know what's right and what's wrong, and you just do what you want. And another apology from Chris Brown - a video that was made online. She says that this is the first time she has seen this video.

Just wondering, after you've seen it and heard it, what do you think about it?

Rihanna: It feels like…. that it was recorded with a teleprompter. Sounds like he's reading. I knew that he was very bad because he did it. I just don't know if he understood the extent of what he did. I think he does not realize that if you hit a woman, then the face, the broken arm, the black eye - all this will pass, this is not a problem, but there will be a spiritual scar, this is a memory, you constantly remember this whether you like it or not . And it hurts. So I don't think he understood it. They never do it, they don't know it, they can't know it.

What do you want to hear from him?

Rihanna: Nothing, nothing, really. The only thing I want is for him to take it like a man and take responsibility and not look for ways to feel sorry for himself. August 2009 Chris Brown sentenced to six months public works, the year of mandatory court attendance and, despite Rihanna's objections, the judge forbade him for five years to approach the performer closer than 100 yards and 10 yards during social events.

Rihanna: I didn't want it because it was really unnecessary. And I didn't want it to interfere with my work, because if I was going to attend the event, I had to think, "Oh God, I have to stay ten yards from Chris." It's revealing, it's too much and doesn't matter to me.

Is it possible?

Rihanna: I can't answer that question right now because you never know what will happen in the future. He was my best friend and we loved each other, we spent two years of our lives in a great relationship, so it all starts here and goes beyond certain time. And love doesn't go unnoticed.

I think there are people who saw this photo and think that now it separates you forever.

Rihanna: I have absolutely no desire to be with him. I can't imagine how we can be together again, but I'm not God and I can't predict the future. In fact, it's a little annoying that certain feelings still remain.

Do you hate him?

Rihanna: No. I want him to be fine, to have a great career, wonderful life and for him to grow up and accept it as something to go through in order to grow up and learn from it. I think it's definitely possible to change. It depends if you want it."

How about if you now meet someone or become interested in someone?

Rihanna: I'm not dating anyone right now, I don't want to date anyone. Now this is too much for me. Right now, she stands at a crossroads where feelings collide with reality, joining the one and a half million women across America who are victims of domestic violence every year. Some of them may be watching us today, some we don't know, and some have already told us how they found a way out. Rihanna is back to be the face of Cover Girl once again. Corporate conditions were quite satisfactory, except for one condition - not to return to the offender.

Rihanna: I don't know for sure, but it's normal for a company like this to be concerned about my decision. Therefore, after I started saying: “It’s okay, I’m coming back or who cares if I die,” if I were in the place of this company, I wouldn’t want it either.

You don't deny that a woman needs to think seven times before leaving.

Rihanna: Eight or nine really But she claims it will never happen to this girl who dreamed of moving away from a small Caribbean island and starting life with the bold confidence that made Rihanna a star.

It always seemed that something like this could happen to someone, but not to her. She always looks strong.

Rihanna: I'm strong. It happened to me. I didn't give a reason for it. I didn't. It happened to me and it can happen to anyone. And I'm glad it happened to me. Because now I can help young girls who have gone through this. I will say this to any girl who has been the victim of domestic violence: don't react to love. Forget about love. Just get out of this situation and evaluate it with a look from the outside. Only then make a decision. Because love is blind. She is so blind.

Thank you very much for the translation Phantomik"ku!

Well, it's been a year for Rihanna! (As she says herself, “Rihanna went to bed and Britney Spears woke up.”) We bow to her not only for her songs and unique style, but also for the message to young girls that she expressed in this interview. " domestic violence – a big secret", - says the singer, - "I want to give the girls as much detail as possible about this ... to help them talk."

Rarely does a pop star come along that is so visually appealing, and her music sounds literally everywhere, that the eyes of the whole world are riveted on her. Now it is obvious who this superstar is. Her name is Robin Rihanna Fenty. 21-year-old Rihanna's resume is capable of making any veteran pop industry green with envy. Since being signed by Jay Z to Def Jam in 2005, four of her songs have reached number one on the charts and over 12 million albums have been sold. This figure, by the way, will soon increase after the recent release of her new album called "Rated R". Throw in Rihanna's self-invented Parisian-chic-urban-punk style, and perhaps the most famous haircut ever, and you've got a recipe for fan frenzy. Along with increased attention to her person comes a great desire to do good deeds. In 2006, Rihanna quietly founded the Believe Foundation, which provides essential educational supplies and medical supplies to needy children, and personally helped two leukemia patients find suitable spinal cord donors. Of course, it's impossible to talk about Rihanna without remembering the February night when ex-boyfriend Chris Brown brutally beat her. But now that Chris Brown has been cut from her life, Rihanna shares her story to speak up on behalf of victims of domestic violence.

Let's first talk about your life before success came to you. You are one of the few pop stars that have emerged in the last few years, hailing from the islands.

Rihanna: I never even dreamed that my career could become so successful. I grew up in an ordinary house in Barbados, and we did not live in the best area. But I never realized that we were poor, my mother never let us feel poor. She did not have a soul in me. She gave us the feeling that anything is possible and gave me that sense of self-confidence.

- How much did you sing as a child?

Rihanna: All the time - in the shower, for pillows and soft toys, for my cousins and sisters. But I knew that I wanted the whole world to hear my music. It was my dream. I could make demos during the holidays, but my mom always said, "You don't drop out of school until you sign a contract." And even when I signed with a record company, they still made me go to school.

- You had an audition for Jay Z at Def Jam. How it was?

Rihanna: I was nervous like never before. Last night I couldn't sleep. I tried on a lot of different outfits and makeup options. I remember how I started trembling as soon as I saw Jay Z. I thought he would be sitting at the table in a suit smoking a cigar. But he was absolutely relaxed, in sneakers and a T-shirt. And then the audition began. I knew it was either all or nothing. When it was over, the Def Jam staff said, "You can't leave the building." They closed the door and the lawyers worked until one or two in the morning to finalize the deal.

- This is literally the definition of how success is achieved overnight!

Rihanna: A few weeks later, the first single ("Pon de Replay") hit the radio. Then we shot a video, and the song went up in the charts. I was in the top ten, along with the artists from whom I took an example. Jay Z constantly told me: “It doesn’t happen, so don’t get used to it.” I realized how special this moment was.

- What was the most valuable advice that Jay Z gave you?

Rihanna: At the beginning of my career, he said: "You probably good man good things happen to you, but you need to remain unassuming.” What struck me about him is that he is famous artist and yet completely simple. I figured, since he's talking about it, it's true.

Let's talk about the past year. You have gone through some hardships. How did the people around you help you cope with all this?

Rihanna: My friends and family were very supportive and everyone was by my side. But at some point you feel alone. This is a purely personal problem, no one is able to understand. It is at such moments that you draw closer to God.

Are you referring to the Chris Brown incident?

Rihanna: I'm talking about the period from the night before the Grammys. This is not the only thing that has happened this year. The photo that got into the press ... everything went one after another.

- You're talking about a picture (of a beaten up Rihanna taken by the police after the attack by Chris Brown) that the police allegedly released. You handled it well, didn't speak to the press.

Rihanna: It was humiliating, it's not the kind of photo you can show to anyone. I felt like I was being used. It seemed to me that people made this a funny topic for discussion on the Internet, and this is my life. I was disappointed, especially when I learned that two women sold the photo to journalists.

- How did this event affect you as a person, as a woman?

Rihanna: I have become stronger, wiser, and more aware. It's hard to imagine how much your decisions can affect people you don't even know, like your fans.

- Do you think that you inherited the strength of character from your mother?

Rihanna: Definitely. My mother gave us everything we need to survive... My parents separated when I was eight or nine years old. I helped her raise my little brother because my mom worked all the time. He is my favorite.

- Do you think that this experience laid the foundation for coping with another public scandal?

Rihanna: This taught me a lot. I felt like I fell asleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. Such was the level of hype in the press the following day. At that moment I thought: “What is it? Are helicopters circling over my house? There are hundreds of people in my alley? What does it mean, I can't go home?"

- If you could speak to the millions of young girls who follow your example, what would you say to those who find themselves in a similar situation?

Rihanna: Domestic violence is a big secret. No child tells everyone they meet that their parents are fighting. Teenage girls can't tell their parents that their boyfriends hit them. No one will let his neighbor know that he is fighting. This is one of the problems that we women hide because it's embarrassing. My story has spread all over the world, and every step of my recovery has been closely watched by the public. Positive side my situation is that people can learn from it. I want to give the girls as much detail as possible about this because I feel like I represent a voice that is usually not heard. Now I can help these women to speak.

- I think it's a great message. And what about your new album? What is he?

Rihanna: I was involved in songwriting a lot. I put everything I wanted to say in the last eight months into my music. The songs are truly personal. It's rock 'n' roll, but also real hip hop. If Lil Wayne and Kings of Leon like my album, then I'll be happy. I wouldn't change anything about it. Even if people don't like it, I created exactly the piece of art I wanted. He's very fearless, which is exactly how I feel right now. I am surrounded by a really good atmosphere.

- Justin Timberlake said the album sounds more mature. Do you agree with this remark?

Rihanna: I agree. I've matured a bit since my last album came out. The new album reflects who I am now.

Jay Z once said that your job as an artist is to get people to associate with you as a person. What do you think he meant by that?

Rihanna: I used to be surrounded by an image of innocence. It was perfect image. Therefore, every moment when I did something imperfect became a whole event. I think that's what he meant. People forget that when we get into our hotel rooms in the evening, we take a shower, watch TV, eat food ordered in the room and do ordinary things. Behind all this, we are still human beings.

- Now let's talk about your success in the fashion world. You became a style icon almost overnight. What does this mean for you as a performer, as a creative person, as a way to stand out?

Rihanna: Fashion for me is another way of creative self-expression. This is one of the fun activities for me: playing with clothes and creating atypical outfits and looks. I creative person and I love to create. Shoes are my weakness.

- Okay, how many pairs of shoes do you have?

Rihanna: Too much! (Laughs.)

- Your image has changed significantly since the time when you just started your career.

Rihanna: In the first two years of my career, there were many restrictions on what I could do. I was not allowed to wear certain shades of lipstick, such as light pink, dark pink or red, my lips had to look natural. At some point, I stopped communicating with some people from the record company and began to do what I wanted. And that meant cutting your hair, dyeing it black, changing your wardrobe, changing your sound. Truly express yourself.

Let's talk about your famous hairstyle. Your haircut is now even called in the salons “under Rihanna”.

Rihanna: Yes, we got a bob cut for the Good Girl Gone Bad album cover photo, but then I cut it even shorter before the NRJ Music Awards (January 2008). My hairdresser just said, "I don't want to style your hair anymore, I want to cut it." And I thought: “Well, finally!”.

- Let's move on to your charitable activities. What inspired you to create the Believe Foundation in your life?

Rihanna: I have always loved children. They are small adults big share personality, and it's fun to deal with it. Whether it's a donation school supplies or drugs, or using my celebrity status to find them a bone marrow donor, either way, I want to help.

- You helped a little girl and a mother of two with leukemia find bone marrow donors for a transplant. How it was?

Rihanna: My manager sent me a video that this little girl made for her best friend. They play in it, and then Isabelle says to the camera: "This is my friend Jasmina, and here's how you can help her: clean out the DNA from your mouth and put it in the concert." They are both adopted, and very close, they are inseparable. This video will make anyone fall in love with both of them. I decided that I should help. Then I organized a series of events to draw attention to this problem. Even when we thought that we would not be able to find a donor, we found him. Another woman, Lisa, is a mother of two who was diagnosed with leukemia and would have died if a bone marrow donor had not been found for her. I knew that she could not leave two children, all this was spinning in my head. We prayed a lot, sent out press releases and hosted events to do our part. Her transplant was a success. She experienced a lot of pain, but she was very strong and determined.

- Yes, it's impressive. So that's what you are, you're only 21 years old, and you've already done so much. Where do you see yourself in five years?

What Rihanna said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey will surely come as a surprise to all her ardent fans. The singer admitted that she misses Chris Brown very much and that every little thing reminds her of him. It seems that for the fact that he beat her three years ago, Rihanna no longer takes offense at him. She believes that Chris needs her, Rihanna, help.

"I felt that only person who hates him is himself. The environment was strange and confusing. Even though I was angry and betrayed, I felt that he made this mistake because he needed help. And who would help him? No one said that he needed help, everyone said that he was a monster, without delving into the essence. And I was very worried about his condition," Rihanna explained.

Describing your feelings after terrible night, the singer recalls: "It was embarrassing, it was humiliating. I lost my best friend. It was as if everything I knew about him suddenly disappeared overnight."

However, now Rihanna says she misses Chris: "There are a lot of things that remind me of him. A lot of nice moments that we had. Even the little things - hotel rooms, venues, music, songs. Sometimes I really miss him."

Rihanna was credited with novels with Shia LaBeouf, Josh Hartnett and Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp, but they were not the heroes of her novel. The perfect man she describes it this way: “If everything was my way, I would like to find a person who would love me, appreciate me, but for this he needs to be aware of my value. He must know what I am worth, and he can understand this if I know what I'm worth I want to be respected But I also want to have fun I want to laugh I want to laugh more than anyone I already have everything else and all I want is a partner a gang that would enjoy it with me."

Rihanna's appearance on Oprah's talk show completes the circle. A month after that same incident, the TV presenter publicly addressed the singer: "If a man hit you once, then he will hit you again. I'm very sad because of this. Love should not hurt. If I were your friend, Chris and Rihanna, I would call you and advise you to wait a while. Talk to a psychologist. Take care of yourself. And heal yourself first."

Meanwhile, Chris is far from thrilled about Rihanna rinsing dirty laundry in public. Edition radar online. com conveys that Brown wants Rihanna to stop talking about the incident. Chris de is very embarrassed that she again began to stir up the past in an interview with Oprah. Prior to this, she had already given several in-depth interviews - both to TV presenter Diane Sawyer and to a number of magazines, and Chris does not understand why she retells the events of that night over and over again.