Tag Archives: Rihanna

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Song of the Day #473: ‘Russian Roulette’ – Rihanna

rihannabarbOne of the first thoughts I had after hearing about Chris Brown beating up Rihanna (right after “let me get my hands on that motherfucker”) was that I couldn’t wait to hear what Rihanna would do with the whole situation on her next album. I’ve been dying for new music from her anyway, loving Good Girl Gone Bad as much as I do, but with meaty material like a public domestic violence incident to work with, she was bound to come up with something memorable.

I was right. The first single from Rihanna’s upcoming album, Rated R, has been released and it is powerful and disturbing and clearly inspired by those dark days earlier this year. Titled ‘Russian Roulette,’ the song uses that deadly game as a metaphor for an unhealthy (and, yes, violent) relationship.

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Song of the Day #433: ‘Take a Bow’ – Rihanna

rihanna4Rihanna’s presence on this list might seem obvious. She’s an artist who makes her living selling her appearance and sexuality as much as her music. But she’s pretty much the only singer of that sort I like who works for me in both areas. I listed Shakira and Christina Aguilera as two performers who shouldn’t have to sell sex to sell CDs, but that’s probably because I don’t find either of them all that sexy. Rihanna, on the other hand…

But it is still very much about the music. On the flip side you have Beyonce, somebody to whom Rihanna is often compared. I find Beyonce sexy as hell but her music doesn’t do much for me. I’ll never change the channel if I come across her on TV but I have no interest in listening to any of her albums. I discovered Rihanna through her music before knowing much about her appearance.

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Song of the Day #356: ‘Shut Up and Drive’ – Rihanna

rihanna_supI continue to be endlessly impressed with Rihanna’s last album, Good Girl Gone Bad. To put it in terms of Michael Jackson, which seems to be required these days, it’s as chock full of hits as Thriller.

I just picked up Rihanna’s previous album, A Girl Like Me, and though I haven’t had a chance to listen to it all the way through yet, the first single ‘SOS’ is as groovily infectious as the new stuff. I don’t know how she has managed to float to the top of all the similar singers out there. She doesn’t write any of her songs so it’s probably a matter of her (or her management, or both) recognizing top songwriting and producing talent and lining her up with the right people. She also has a great presence and is a strong performer, so maybe it’s the writers and producers who want to be in business with her.

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Oh no he di’int…

rihanna3So the big news this Grammy night is that Rihanna and boyfriend Chris Brown both pulled out of their performances at the last minute because he (allegedly) beat her up in a car earlier today. She called the cops and they’re currently looking for him.

Police haven’t confirmed that Rihanna was the victim — only that Brown is wanted for questioning in a domestic violence incident. But sources are leaking that she is indeed the woman involved.

What. The. Fuck?

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In praise of Rihanna and ‘Disturbia’

rihanna2Halfway through presenting my countdown of 2008’s top ten songs (which has already been signed, sealed and delivered) I realized I committed a major blunder in overlooking one of last year’s gems, Rihanna’s ‘Disturbia.’

I bought her multi-platinum album Good Girl Gone Bad toward the end of December but didn’t consider it for my year-end list because it was released in 2007. However, three bonus tracks on the edition of the CD I have were released in 2008. Silly me.

First, let me sing the praises of this album. I know I’m a year and a half late to this party, but that’s not gonna stop me from raiding the snack table and jumping in the pool with my clothes on. Good Girl Gone Bad is, put simply, the best album of its kind I’ve heard since… maybe ever.

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