Rihanna

A green-eyed beauty with a sultry voice, Rihanna was discovered as a teenager on her island home of Barbados, and quickly signed with the venerable Def Jam records. Powered by a Soft Cell sample, her infectious dancehall/Caribbean single "Pon de Replay," from her album the MUSIC OF THE SUN, became the summer jam of 2005, peaking at number two on the charts. By 2006 she had become a worldwide sensation, and her second album, A GIRL LIKE ME, went platinum, boosted by a Nike ad song, guest appearances on ALL MY CHILDREN, and a film part in BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING. Further success followed with 2007's double platinum GOOD GIRL GONE BAD, which spawned the all conquering "Umbrella" - topping the UK singles chart for ten weeks in the summer of that year.

• pop
• r&b/soul