Rihanna has successfully built a staggering $1.4 billion empire, transitioning from a celebrated musician to a savvy business mogul. According to Forbes, as of October 2024, her net worth is primarily attributed to her groundbreaking cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty, which has revolutionized the beauty industry with its inclusive approach.
Launched in September 2017, Fenty Beauty was co-created with French luxury conglomerate LVMH and quickly made waves in the market. The brand’s debut products were first available at Sephora, and it was met with overwhelming enthusiasm due to its extensive shade range catering to all skin tones. Within just one month of its launch, Fenty Beauty raked in an impressive $72 million in sales, according to The Guardian. This initial success paved the way for subsequent product expansions into haircare and skincare lines.
Rihanna’s commitment to inclusivity didn’t stop with Fenty Beauty. In 2018, she launched Savage X Fenty, a lingerie line that similarly emphasizes diversity in sizes and shades. The following year, she showcased Savage X Fenty during New York Fashion Week, featuring an array of stars like Bella Hadid and Normani on the runway. The fashion show was later made available for streaming on Amazon Prime, further solidifying Rihanna’s status as a multifaceted entrepreneur.
In 2021, Rihanna was officially declared a billionaire by Forbes, with her net worth estimated at $1.7 billion at the time. The majority of her wealth stemmed from Fenty Beauty, but her music catalog and acting career also played significant roles in her financial success. In February 2022, she announced that Fenty products would be available at Ulta stores in addition to Sephora, expanding her reach even further. By late 2022, Fenty had launched in eight African countries—Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—bringing its total availability to 17 countries worldwide.
As Fenty Beauty continued to thrive, so did its revenue streams. Reports from Forbes indicated that the cosmetics brand doubled its profits while Savage X Fenty generated an impressive $125 million in revenue in 2022 alone.
Despite being on a music hiatus for nearly eight years since the release of her last album Anti in January 2016, Rihanna has not been entirely absent from the music scene. She provided fans with a taste of new material when she released “Lift Me Up” for the Black Panther: Wakanda Foreve soundtrack—a song that earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Earlier this year, Rihanna made a triumphant return to the stage during the Super Bowl LVII halftime show and teased her fans about new music on the horizon. “I think that music, for me, is a new discovery,” she told Entertainment Tonight in June 2024. “I’m rediscovering things… I’m gonna start — give me a second!” Her words left fans eagerly anticipating what’s next for this multifaceted artist.
Rihanna’s journey from chart-topping artist to business mogul is nothing short of inspiring. With a keen eye for opportunity and a commitment to inclusivity across her brands, she has redefined what it means to be successful in both music and business. As she prepares to return to the studio and continue expanding her empire, there’s no doubt that Rihanna will remain a powerful force in both industries.
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