{"id":32772,"date":"2025-08-30T11:03:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T11:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/32772\/"},"modified":"2025-08-30T11:03:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T11:03:08","slug":"rihanna-releases-music-surprise-for-20th-anniversary-of-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/32772\/","title":{"rendered":"Rihanna releases music surprise for 20th anniversary of debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

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‘Smurfs’ trailer: Rihanna sings as Smurfette in new adventure<\/p>\n

Rihanna is a producer, songwriter and star of the new movie “Smurfs,” voicing Smurfette alongside co-stars James Corden and John Goodman.<\/p>\n

Twenty years after she released her debut album, Rihanna<\/a> is back with new music. Well, sort of.<\/p>\n

On Aug. 29, 2005, she released her first studio album, “Music of the Sun,” which featured the hit song “Pon de Replay.” Since her debut two decades ago, Rihanna<\/a> has soared to superstardom, eclipsing expectations in the music world with 14 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs<\/a> and nine Grammy wins<\/a> (as well as 34 nominations).<\/p>\n

To celebrate her success in the music business and beyond, Rihanna is releasing “R20” merch and a vinyl album boxed set, which are available for pre-order on her official online store<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Rihanna officially becomes a billionaire <\/strong>and Forbes names her the ‘richest female musician’<\/a><\/p>\n

The songstress herself shared a sweet note on Friday, Aug. 29, thanking her fans and those who “gave me a chance over the years.”<\/p>\n

“20 years ago, i left my country, my culture, my food, and family to embark on a journey that started with the release of my very first body of music!” she wrote in an Instagram caption<\/a> alongside a montage of her biggest career moments. “Thank you for the greatest first 20 years ever!”<\/p>\n

She went on to shout out “the most loyal, die-hard fans that don\u2019t play about me whatsoever,” her “hardworking teams” and “my family being my number one support system.” Rihanna’s message ended with one last note of gratitude: “I thank God, He\u2019s been very generous to me and the Glory belongs to Him!”<\/p>\n

In the last decade, Rihanna has semi-retreated from music. Despite the success of singles here and there and a buzzy Super Bowl halftime performance in 2023, she has focused her attention on her beauty brand\u00a0Fenty Beauty<\/a> and lingerie brand Savage X Fenty.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In lieu of another album, the singer-turned-entrepreneur, born Robyn Fenty,\u00a0launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 in partnership with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, which also preceded a short-lived luxury fashion line.<\/p>\n

In August 2021, Forbes announced<\/a> that Rihanna had become one of the richest entertainers in the world, estimating her net worth to be $1.7 billion at the time following the success of her cosmetic company.<\/p>\n

What songs has Rihanna released recently?<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, RiRi offered a small win to an ever-clamoring fan base:\u00a0Rihanna<\/a>\u00a0treated loyal listeners to “Friend of Mine,” a new single specifically for the “Smurfs” movie.<\/p>\n

Rihanna, who has not released a full album since 2016’s “Anti,” voices Smurfette in the film. This is the second such soundtrack she has contributed to for an animated movie, recording several anthems for\u00a0“Home,” a 2015 film<\/a>\u00a0she starred in alongside the “Big Bang Theory” star Jim Parsons.<\/p>\n

She also contributed the song “Lift Me Up” to the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack in 2022, performing the ballad at the 2023 Oscars.<\/p>\n

Contributing: Elise Brisco and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY<\/p>\n