Rihanna covers the first issue of the NME free magazine, which is — as the label indicates — is completely free. The mag will only be distributed in the United Kingdom, which is a bummer. This sounds like an expensive undertaking for NME, but perhaps a sponsor is fitting the bill. Rihanna looks gorgeous, and I see the “smoking hot” theme at work, but the cover still makes me cough.
In this interview, Rihanna fields questions about her long-gestating album, R8. This probably won’t be the real album title if the thing ever arrives. It’s a little mind boggling to realize Rih put out seven albums in seven consecutive years. Then she skipped 2014, and we still haven’t seen album numero ocho. She sorta blames Kanye for it here, but it’s really a matter of competing schedules. (He’s on Kardashian time now?) Rihanna also reveals why she’ll never appear onstage as one of Taylor Swift’s many guests:
She’ll never join Swift onstage: “I don’t think I would. I just don’t think it makes sense. “I don’t think our brands are the same; I don’t think they match. I don’t think our audiences are the same. In my mind she’s a role model, I’m not.”
On the missing album: “It’s not done! To me it’s never done until it’s done. We just have to wait to get back in the studio together. His schedule and mine are totally opposite right now, but I think this month we’ll be back in the studio. I have so many songs I love – and they’re so different – that it’s hard to actually put them all on the same album.”
She loves her fans:“No matter what I post online, within three comments there’s somebody saying, ‘Where is R8?’ I could post anything. Nothing else matters. They don’t care about anything but that. But it makes me excited, because I can’t wait to give them something great.”
[From NME]
Seeing Rihanna and Swift onstage together would actually freak me out a little, just from the incongruity. Rih’s correct, she and Swift are polar opposites, and they’d have nothing to talk about in the same room. Can you imagine? Swift: “Olivia Benson.” Rihanna: “Have you seen my weed?” Swift: “Calvin is dreamy!” Rihanna: “Whatever.”
Rihanna’s perfume promotion continues to inspire.
Photos courtesy of WENN
Nor would I want the Fenty Based Gawd to be collected by Prim Awkward Baby Princess of the Heart Sparkle… people have to give Rih a break on that new cd, she had back to back cds and tours for YEARS she can take a break and enjoy her life a little
Taylor Swift a role model. How?
Riri’s way of saying prim and boring, without having to deal with public backlash.
Oh ok. That explains it. Thx!
She’s just an ‘edgy’ popstar like Miley does she think she’s axl rose?
MARKUS ERECTUS HATH SPOKEN!
Taylor is the perfect girl,Rihanna plays the bad girl and Miley is the edgy girl
Not. Is. Isn’t…in the order you listed.
Curious as to why you use the word ” play” in reference to riri, while the other two just “are”?
I think riri doesn’t care as much as the other two. Miley plays edgy and I bet Taylor isn’t as perfect as her or team.
Riri is more relatable because she’s not as perfect.
I’m calmer now that I know she’ll not be there with Taylor.
What’s up with the 80’s vibe in her perfume ads?
It’s all Very ELEGANZA! , no?
It’s Very ELEGANZA ….with just a hint of Lee Press on Nails.
Actually, judging from her expression, this is what I think her perfume probably smells like.
Why would she need to? Taylor’s squad is only ever around to support Taylor, Rihanna doesn’t need to wander around behind her like a sad puppy dog acting like Taylor just cured cancer at of these events.
Btw has Taylor ever just showed up to support one of the girls in her squad? I feel like all we ever see is the opposite……
Agree. She is building up quite the enemy list. Very immature.
Never been to a Taylor concert but I sure as hell won’t be attending another rihanna one. This chick showed up an hour late, high/drunk and was just horrible. She cannot sing at all nor can she hold a note. I didn’t even feel sorry for her when the audience started chanting “Beyoncé Beyoncé”. Even she knew she fucked up badly. Im waiting for her album tho so I can cop about two singles (the rest are usually average fillers).
PS: she really sounds like a tortured island bird
I heard she was notoriously late for concerts. You’re funny, she f’d up badly but you want her album! I always find myself defending her when clearly she doesn’t need my defense or anyone elses. Not a fan of Beyoncé, watched Obsessed the other day and was rooting for Ali Larter….lol. It’s all good, everyone has their own taste. OMG just realized I might have offended the Bee Hive, they are a mighty group……Beyoncé Rules!!!!!
Seriously tho WHERE’S R8???
Don’t play with my heart Riri </3
They’re both successful young women in their industry. I can’t imagine going to a Swift concert even on a double dare. I absolutely would go to Rihannas. She gets and I think embraces her bad girl image, but when push comes to shove, I bet Rihanna has a lower bedroom companion list than Taylor. Rihanna doesn’t hide behind the lollipop and roses image, she owns it. Plus, she didn’t shade Taylor, she told the truth. But RiRi where is R8????
You would go to one of her shows? I don’t get why people pay money to see her show up late, walk around drunk and lip sync. What a waste of money and time.
On the contrary I don’t know why people pay all that money to go see Taylor and a bunch of Victoria secrets models and off springs of reality stars and what not. My friend worked on Taylor’s concert in the summer and she said it was awfully infantile and vapid, those kardashians and hadids were there and my friend said she everyone over 12 who’s actually payed for the show.
wow, why does it matter how many “bedroom companion” either of them have? Slut shamming much? You know that females like sex too right?
@itzblissy: What progress you’ve made in such a short time. I’m proud of you. Just a few Taylor Swift headlines ago you were defending her slut-shaming of Camila Belle and talking about how you’d rather your daughter be a mean girl than a ‘sl*t’. I agree with everything you said HERE, and hope your feminist, sex-positive stance applies to all women, and not just Taylor Swift or other women you like. People sure can change! 😉
I agree that ‘image/appearance’ and sexual history don’t necessarily have to do with each other, but that one doesn’t make the other ‘better’ or dishonest. I don’t care what they’re doing, as long as those involved want it and as long as they (and their supporters) aren’t jumping on any slut-shaming or homophobia bandwagons.
They are polar opposites and I find it really tasteful of RiRi to not diss Taylor or hate on her. That takes class. She just says it like it is.
That being said I don’t mind but she needed to take a break. Her music was getting tired because she was just pumping it out album after album after album. Hopefully her R8 album its home for her.
I’m loving the makeup and styling on the perfume ad, she looks like a Barbie doll in the best way.
Truth be told I think she pushed the album back to continue to work on it because this time around the response to all her music has been lackluster. Most of her singles didn’t chart how they usually do and it seemed like she was bouncing from ‘take me serious’ to ‘nah, just playing I’m fun-ratchet’ to ‘I have a deep message’ – no strong theme. So she went back to the drawing board rather than having poor sales.
Have to admit this year more than others she does seem a bit all over the place.
Can you imagine RiRi standing next to Ms Unicorn Princess wearing one of her many nips showing outfits?
That would be glorious!
She’s right, she and Swift will not click anyway. Taylor is going to be busy with baking cookies and staging the next girl power instragram photo while Rihanna is going to be busy with her weeds and cocaine snorting. Lol.
When was the last time she released an album? I know she releases singles which always go on top.
i suspect Rihanna is not doing as much drugs as people think she doing.I also suspect she knows exactly whats she doing and is a lot smarter than people give her credit for. The girl put out 7 albums not singles 7 albums in 7 years fulfilled her contract with her label..then opened her own label.the fact that she has gone three year without an album, stayed relevant and nabbed major contracts with DIOR, Stance, PUMA. I am guessing she is working on her own mini empire and getting control of her business life more than people think…i suspect she will surprise a lot of us ..but maybe i am wrong..but i don’t think so
Well Calvin used to lust after Rihanna on his Twitter back when he was unknown. Rihanna ( and Rita ora) is probably closer to his type. (Although I doubt Rihanna would be interested)
But Taylor is good for his brand, and the guy is nothing if not super ambitious.
1) The real reason Rihanna won’t join Taylor onstage? She refuses to be upstaged by ANYONE, obviously. Who is she trying to fool with that “I’m not a role model” nonsense?
2) She can declare herself to not be a role model all she wants, but that doesn’t change the fact that lots of people, including young girls, look up to her and emulate her behavior. She has to know this, but as long as she keeps making money off her image, she probably doesn’t care.
3) The REAL reason her album is delayed is because the songs that were supposed to be featured on it, like American Oxygen and FourFive Seconds, didn’t do as well as expected. As a result, her team made those demo songs and had to write songs they thought would be received better.
Actually FFS has sold 5million WW and BBHHM has sold 2 million WW American Oxygen is the only one which didint do well. She barely promoted any of these singles . she was gone 3 years and still managed to sell and hit Billboard charts .
2. Celebrities should not be role models, Look at your role models , The Duggars, Bill Cosby, Jessica Simpson, Britney… the list long …were are they now. Sometimes you so called role models are the worst.
3. She can upstage Taylor any day. …i have seen Taylor live she is weak as hell that’s why she needs to bring all these celebrities to make up for weak stage game.
4.Rihanna is no price but Taylor Swift is not either ..they just people who happen to be entertainer not role models
Just because they shouldn’t be role models doesn’t mean they aren’t role models. If a ton of young people are looking at you and modeling their behavior after yours, then you’re a role model whether you like it or not.
Not a fan, eh?
I’ve never been a Rihanna fan, but she earned a couple of points with me for her response to the Taylor question. That basically was a really polite way of saying, “No, Taylor and her ‘squad’ are corny as fuck.” I’m here for it, Rih.
She could have stopped at “I don’t think our audiences are the same.” But, nope!
Why is she wearing a balloon on her chest?
People like to see shades in whatever pop stars say about each other nowadays, but I think she’s just being honest. RiRi and TayTay have absolutely nothing in common. Look at her squad, it’s all interchangeable pretty vanilla girls. Rihanna would make no sense there.
That said I thought her and Paul McCartney were an odd pairing too.
In other words: “she’s dishonest, I’m not.”
Okay, no, I don’t think that’s what she meant. But I do mean it. I’m not a fan of Rihanna’s — I don’t particularly care about her either way — but I respect that she doesn’t pretend. Taylor Swift? Uh, well, I respect that she knows how to make money by using the misogynistic virgin/whore dynamic to her advantage, I guess.
I laughed out loud at “She’s a role model, I’m not.” Good for her. I don’t have any doubt she’s throwing some shade Swifty’s way, but she has it coming by the boatload. What I love about the so-called “feud” between TS and the “evil” Katy and RhiRhi is that the latter are particularly good about making her look like a psychotic middle schooler by carefully choosing their moments and statements. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all middle school (no offense to middle schoolers, mind you), but if Swifty wants to play, these two will always outmaneuver her. Record sales? Who cares. It’s a fickle business and they’ll all be forgotten soon enough.