When you think of the word "superstar," images of celebrities like Beyoncé or Jay Z probably come to mind. But some under-the-radar singers may not be as famous as them but have just as much potential to someday become super famous. One such singer is Rihanna. Rihanna was a virtual unknown when she was discovered in 2003 by record producer Evan Rogers while performing at an amateur singing competition in her hometown of Barbados. Rogers signed her to his company Reve Records, and helped her get signed to Universal Music Group the following year. In 2005, Rihanna released her first single “Pon De Replay” which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and launched her career as a recording artist. Today, Rihanna continues to expand on that success with hit albums and performances at sold out concerts around the world. Let’s take a closer look at why she’s such an up-and-comer, and why we think she’ll only continue getting bigger from here.
She has a knack for writing hit songs.
One of the most important skills for a musician to have is the ability to write hit songs that the general public loves and wants to hear again and again. Rihanna has shown throughout her career that she has this ability in spades. Her debut album, “Music of the Sun,” included the hit song “Pon De Replay” as well as “First Last Goodbye,” which she wrote herself and for which she won a “Soul Train” award for Best Dance Track. In her first five years as a recording artist, she wrote the lyrics to five number-one singles and the lyrics or music to eight top-five singles. Since then, she has continued to churn out hit after hit, with her most recent album, “ANTi,” including the hit songs “Work,” “Needed Me,” “Kiss It Better,” and “Love on the Brain.”
Her performances are incredible.
Part of what makes a performer a superstar is their ability to captivate their audience with their performance. Whether it’s their sense of style, their dancing ability, their singing, or all these things, fans can walk away from the show saying “Wow, she’s the real deal!” Rihanna has this ability in spades. She is famous for her unique and somewhat androgynous style of dress, incorporating lots of leather, denim, and sheer fabrics, as well as for her amazing dancing ability. Her dancing has been described as aggressively sexual and she’s been known to incorporate it into her singing as well, making her a one-of-a-kind performer.
Her name recognition is through the roof.
Another sign that a musician is a superstar is when they become so well-known that their name becomes almost synonymous with their profession. People who don’t even follow Rihanna’s music know who she is and what she does, and this is a great sign of the success of her career. Rihanna’s name recognition is at an all-time high right now. In an analysis of Google search terms, Rihanna was found to be the most-searched-for musician by far. She outranked artists like Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Drake by an average of 12,000 searches per month. Her name recognition is likely to grow even more as time goes on, too.
Her fan base is growing and they love her.
Great artists have a way of inspiring their fans to fall in love with them. From the first time a listener hears one of their songs, they feel an almost immediate connection to the musician and their music. Rihanna has inspired this type of love in millions of people around the world. Her fans love the fact that she’s unapologetically herself. They love the fact that she incorporates her Barbadian heritage into her music and her performances. They love her edgy fashion sense and her unique voice. And they love the fact that she doesn’t appear to take herself too seriously. Rihanna’s fan base is also growing as time goes on. With every new album and every new tour, her fan base seems to grow. And her most recent tour, “The Anti Tour,” was particularly successful, with over one million tickets sold.
Her videos are extremely popular and help to build her brand.
Another thing that can help to define a musician’s brand is their music videos. Fans who watch a performer’s music videos over and over again can start to pick up on certain themes and motifs that are unique to them. Rihanna has always had a very edgy, sexy, and sophisticated style when it comes to her music videos, sometimes to an extreme degree. Her videos have featured everything from nudity to murder, and while they’ve drawn criticism from some quarters, they’ve also helped to build her brand by giving her fans something that’s uniquely hers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we think that Rihanna is a great example of a musician who has the potential to someday become a superstar. She’s got all the necessary qualities, including an edgy style, a unique and undeniable sound, a very big fan base, and an ability to write hit songs. Her name recognition is through the roof, and her fan base is growing. She’s also got the experience and the track record to back up her reputation as a superstar in the making.