Rated

A living tapestry of pop culture, innovation and authenticity, Rihanna has solidified herself as the icon of a generation.

- BY GERALDINE AMOKO

I left home as a teenager, and I left everything I knew: my family, my friends, my food, my culture," she said in an interview. "And I came to a big city by myself, and the only option for me was to win."

Hailing from the humble streets of Barbados, who could have predicted that a 17-year-old girl with a dream to sing would go on to become a household name that inspires a generation. The world first came to know Rihanna as the green-eyed teen from her catchy debut single 'Pon de replay'. The song went on to be a smash hit. From then on, we would come to experience various sides of the superstar through her music. We would feel the reckless abandon of her dance-pop anthem 'We found love'; her bold, reggae-fused persona in 'Man down'; the empowering lyrics in her upbeat ballad 'Diamonds'; her hip-hop bravado in 'Pour it up' - and that's just a few of her singles. To count them all is to understand why Rihanna has been named top-selling digital singles artist of all time, with nine Grammy Awards to her name.

And in the midst of this feat, she's also showed us her acting chops - starring in five films including the heist comedy blockbuster Ocean's 8 as well as Battleship alongside Liam Neeson. Eight albums later, with almost two decades in the game, Rihanna's influence stretches across industries, from fashion to beauty and haircare. Ever versatile, she is the quintessential global sensation whose multi-talented nature knows no bounds as she continues to capture audiences the world over.

SHE'S A BUSINESS, MAN