Rihanna

Singer Born on the island of Barbados, Robin Rihanna Fenty traveled to the U.S. at age 16 with dreams of stardom. In 2004 the singer auditioned in the office of then Def Jam President Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, and he was so impressed that he wouldn’t let her leave until she’d signed a contract. Since then Rihanna's career has been a straight climb to the top. Her first reggae-flavored hit, “Pon De Replay,” paved the way for a string of nine #1 singles—from “S.O.S.” to “Umbrella” featuring Jay-Z to “What’s My Name” featuring Drake in 2011. Rihanna has sold more the 25 million albums worldwide, and collaborated with Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Vybz Kartel among others. She has also modeled for Gucci and launched her own fragrance, Reb’l Fleur. The winner of three Grammy Awards, Rihanna is an honorary cultural ambassador of Barbados. Rihanna also founded the Believe Foundation to help terminally ill children.