She came from Barbados and to America when she was really young and now she's one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Millions of albums and singles sold, 100m grossing tour.

People talk about Beyoncé's past with pageants and Girls Tyme and Taylor's struggle to find a label in Nashville but I think that coming from her background, Rihanna's success story is more impressive.

You also have to consider that she isn't a huge vocalist like Whitney, Mariah, Beyoncé etc. She didn't have a huge voice that commanded the attention of people in the industry. She had to get that attention on the appeal of her music and her image alone.

What do yall think?

not a single post

This is what made me make the thread. A lot of people forget that for some time she was the small Caribbean girl trying to make it big.

What exactly is her success story other then she came from the Caribbean and worked hard?

People usually start to tell their "story" on their way down when they're looking back etc

Rih is still going and young its not yet time to reflect

Um becoming the highest selling digital artist of all time is not an easy feat!

Better than having daddy hand you everything on a silver plate.

Well, what's the story to this? The lead up. Y'all saying it's ignored. Well most people don't know what it is. Like many people know how artists like Katy, Bey, Britney, Taylor, Xtina, Justin, Bruno, etc. started out. What they were doing before the made it big in order to try and make it big.

So I'm asking, because I honestly don't know, what is her success story?

Honestly she was found by rich people who thought she was beautiful and could make them a shitload of money, and she did. She didn't work her ass off before the contract, having tons of failed music groups and competing and perfecting her craft. She was a beautiful girl that could hold a note. Dassit. No Shade. Still love her.

Still inspiring how an Island girl could become so big

Her discovery was the perfect storm. Everything had to fall into place. It still blows my mind that her career became what it is. I'm proud of her. Her success story is definitely overrated.

Mess, just go on wikipedia

Came from selling clothes on the street and a potentially abusive childhood to worldwide stardom.

Because people don't really see her as being that talented and it doesn't seem like she worked that hard as opposed to just getting super lucky and being picked out

It's one thing to be from the slums and have hustled your way for years, writing songs and selling CD's out your trunk, etc to finally make it ala some rappers. It's another thing to have Jay-Z basically build you into something and set up everything for you.

Her story is unimpressive.

We have Nicki coming from a family with a drug addicted father who sold all her furniture in Trinidad, Britney coming from an alcoholic dad and emotionally abusive mother and working to support her family since the age of 3, Madonna who got raped after moving to NY to make it, Christina Aguilera coming from a physically abusive dad, etc. and their stories aren't even that noteworthy

After Joaquin Phoenix came out about his childhood (his parents were members of the cult, The Children of God), it's kind of hard to compare when it comes to success stories.

Just wait until the GP finally start to appreciate her (they are kinda starting to since unapologetic and the break between unapologetic and R8) people only usually start to talk about artists success stories when they are on their downfall, sad but true.

Katy sang on the subway and was dropped by three labels. Nicki had an abusive, crack addict father and was fired from Red Lobster.

Most of these girls have hard backgrounds. That's why they're all so determined and successful. They worked hard. That's why it's hilarious to see lowlives throw shade like they've accomplished anything of worth.

Because she comes off to people more as a label puppet than a self-made artist who had a vision.

She's a very lucky girl