Glamour: Let’s first talk about life before you made it: You are one of the few pop stars in recent years to come from the islands.
Rihanna: I would have never dreamed that my career would be this successful. I grew up in an average home in Barbados, and we didn’t live in the best neighborhood. But I was never aware that we were poor; my mom never made us feel that way. She loved me unconditionally. She made us feel anything was possible and instilled in me such confidence.
Glamour: Did you sing a lot as a kid?
Rihanna: Always—in the shower, to pillows and stuffed animals, my cousins. But I knew I wanted my music to be heard worldwide. That was my dream. I was able to make demos whenever I had vacation time, but my mom always said, “You are not stopping school until you get signed.” And even when I got signed, she still made me go to school.
Glamour: You auditioned for Jay-Z at Def Jam. What was that like?
Rihanna: I was nervous as hell. The night before, I couldn’t sleep. I was trying on a million different outfits and makeup
. I remember seeing Jay-Z and starting to shake. I thought he would be in a suit, sitting behind a desk with a cigar. But he was totally chill, wearing sneakers and a T-shirt. Then I went into audition mode. I knew it was all or nothing. Right away, the Def Jam people said, “You can’t leave the building.” They closed the door, and the lawyers stayed until 1:00 or 2:00 A.M. to do the deal.
Glamour: That literally is the definition of overnight success!
Rihanna: In a matter of weeks, the first single [“Pon de Replay”] went to radio. Then we shot a video, and the song just took off. I was in the Top 10 with huge artists who I looked up to. Jay-Z kept telling me, “This never happens, so don’t get used to it.” I saw how special that moment was.
Glamour: What’s the most valuable piece of advice Jay-Z’s ever given you?
Rihanna: In the beginning of my career, he said, “You must be a good person, because good things are happening for you, but you have to stay humble.” One thing that intrigued me about him was that he was such a huge artist and really down-to-earth. I felt like if he was saying this, it must work.
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