Ademola Olonilua
Singer, Rihanna, and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, have bonded over their need for “total privacy in their lives”, according to an insider.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is believed to have met Rihanna in her acting days, but really bonded with her only after the singer moved to London. What drew them closer than ever was their similar taste in terms of style and their shared need for privacy, according to an insider. They told Radar Online: “They actually have a lot in common in terms of style and a shared need for total privacy in their lives.
“They’ve bumped into each other a few times before Meghan was super famous and have a few mutual acquaintances on the Hollywood social scene who’ve put them in touch again recently.”
Rihanna is just one of the many A-listers Meghan and Harry can count among their friends.
Their wedding, celebrated on May 19 last year, saw Hollywood stars and famous showbiz personalities sitting on the benches of the splendid St George’s Chapel, on the grounds of Windsor Castle, alongside with members of the Royal Family.
Among them was actor, George Clooney, who earlier this year claimed the Duchess of Sussex was being “pursued and vilified” in the media like her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
He told the Press Association, “They’re just chasing Meghan Markle everywhere; she’s been pursued and vilified.
“I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to see that. She’s a woman who is seven months pregnant and she is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that Diana was, and it’s history repeating itself. And we’ve seen how that ends.”
Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer, Amal, are often dinner guests of Meghan and Harry, as they have a home in Sonning, Berkshire.
Clooney said, “We live not too far from one another and we have dinners and stuff and we’re friends with them for all the reasons that you’re friends with anybody.
“They’re just really nice, fun, kind people, they’re a very loving couple, and they’re going to be great parents.”
Other A-listers close to the Duchess of Sussex are Serena Williams, who is believed to have thrown and hosted a lavish baby shower in New York to celebrate Meghan’s pregnancy, and TV presenter, Oprah Winfrey.
Just like Clooney, Winfrey stood up for Meghan, saying the Duchess has been portrayed by the press in an “unfair” way.
She told CBS This Morning, “I think she’s being portrayed unfairly, and I feel that if people really knew her, they would know that she is not only everything that we perceive her as being—graceful and dynamic and holding that position—but she just has a wonderful, warm, giving, loving heart.
“I see all the crazy press around her. I think it’s really unfair.”
Rihanna: Richest female musician in the world
Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, she is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, fashion designer, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and one of the most influential contemporary recording artists, she is known for embracing various musical styles and reinventing her image throughout her career.
Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the US in 2005, when she signed with Def Jam Recordings to pursue a music career. Rihanna is officially the wealthiest female musician in the world. With a fortune of $600m (about N216bn), she’s richer than Madonna, Celine Dion, and even Beyonce. According to her label, Roc Nation, she has sold more than 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks, making her the second-best-selling digital artist of all time. But all that wealth didn’t just come from her music. Rihanna got her start as a musician. She was discovered by an American record producer at age 15 and shortly thereafter was signed on by Jay-Z. Since then, she has had 14 No. 1 songs, and in 2016, made an estimated $22.3m (about N8bn) from her music alone, not to mention her world tours like “Diamonds,” which generated a total of $137m (about N49bn) in revenue. But these days, most of her wealth comes from partnerships, campaigns, and endorsement deals, like the million-dollar partnership deal she made with Puma in 2014. Puma brought Rihanna on as its creative director, and sales rose by a reported 16 per cent in the first six months.
Turns out everything Rihanna touches seemingly turns to gold. In fact, her fans are 3.7 times more likely to purchase products from her than any other celebrity, according to a study published in 2016. And that fan-based loyalty is worth tens of millions of dollars when it comes to her cosmetic and clothing lines. Rihanna’s most profitable partnership is with the luxury conglomerate LVMH.
In 2017, she partnered with LVMH to develop a cosmetic line called Fenty Beauty, which generated more than $550m (about N220bn) in its first year. It initially sold foundation shades but has since expanded to other products like lipstick, lip gloss, body glitter, and more. Rihanna holds an estimated 15 per cent stake in the $3bn (about N1tn) company, and she teamed up with LVMH again in 2019 to launch Fenty, a new high-fashion house based in Paris. It’s the first new fashion house LVMH has started since 1987, and Rihanna is not only the first woman of colour to lead a major fashion house, she’s also the youngest. Fenty debuted its spring line in May 2019, featuring strong shoulders and futuristic accessories.
So with these deals and revenue streams pouring in, what does Rihanna do with all of her money? For one, Rihanna has proven to be quite the entrepreneur with smart investing. She reportedly put $34m (about N13.7bn)of her own money towards building Fenty with LVMH, and she also has a business eye in the real-estate market. She purchased a mansion in LA for $6.8m (about N2.5bn) and later listed it for $7.4m (about N2.7bn). As for where she lives, she’s currently in a seven-bedroom home in London where she pays rent of $20,363 (about N7m) a week, and when she travels, it’s on private jets and yachts.
In 2011, she chartered a yacht for $300,000 (about N108m) a week to take her around the French Riviera, and she’s not afraid of an expensive night out. In 2013, she reportedly spent $8,000 (about N2.8m) in one night at a Miami strip club and on another night dropped $17,000 (about N6.1m) at a strip club in Houston with rapper, Drake. Rihanna also enjoys dishes prepared by her personal chef, Debbie Solomon, and she reportedly spends $38,000 (about N14m) a week on her beauty regime, keeping a personal makeup artist, dermatologist, and lash technician on staff. So yeah, she enjoys living lavishly, but she also likes to give back.
In 2012, Rihanna established the Clara Lionel Foundation, named after her grandparents. The foundation aims to provide quality education and health care to children worldwide. She also hosts an annual Diamond Ball to benefit the foundation. Throughout the course of her career, Rihanna has become a highly influential global icon with her brands thriving and net worth growing.
Having sold over 250 million records, Rihanna is one of the best-selling music artists worldwide. She has earned 14 number one singles and 31 top 10 singles in the US, and 30 top 10 entries in the UK. Her accolades include nine Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and six Guinness World Records.
Endorsements
Rihanna has ventured into other businesses and industries. In October 2005, Rihanna struck an endorsement deal with Secret Body Spray. In 2010, Rihanna featured in the Optus commercial, in conjunction with Optus supporting Rihanna’s ‘Last Girl on Earth’.
The same year, Rihanna also featured in a Kodak commercial along with rapper. Pitbull. In October 2010, the singer released an eponymous book. The book featured photos from Rihanna’s ‘Last Girl on Earth’ and served as an accompaniment to her fourth studio album in 2011.
Sources: express.co.uk, wikipedia.org
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