Rihanna enjoyed a tidal wave of industry acclaim in 2006 with her second album A Girl Like Me, and its back-to-back #1 hits, "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful." At the 2006 Billboard Music Awards on December 4th, she took away four top honors, including Female Artist of the Year, Female Hot 100 Artist of the Year, Female Pop 100 Artist of the Year, and Hot Dance Airplay Song of the Year for "S.O.S." She finished out the year as guest performer on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve spectacular.
In June 2007, 19-year old Rihanna will be seen in her first ads as the newest CoverGirl, joining the ranks of Molly Sims, Christie Brinkley and Keri Russell. Rihanna reinforces the CoverGirl brand's heritage in music. The long list of famous CoverGirl models (which began in 1961) also boasts Cheryl Tiegs, Rachel Hunter, Tyra Banks, and Niki Taylor. "I've loved makeup and dreamed of being a CoverGirl since I was a little girl," said Rihanna. "Growing up, my mother was a makeup artist and I was fascinated watching her apply lipcolor, blush and mascara. Now I get to be surrounded by all of my favorites from CoverGirl!"
The Billboard Music Awards capped a gigantic year for Rihanna that also included:
* America's Teen Choice Awards' Breakthrough Female Artist and R&B Artist of the year;
* Canada's Much Music Award as Best International Artist;
* MTV Europe Music Award as Best R&B Artist;
* The European MOBO (Musicians of Black Origin) Award as Best R&B Artist;
* Japan's MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in A Video for last year's "Pon de Replay";
* The BMI Urban Awards tribute for "Pon de Replay";
* The World Music Awards honor as the Best Selling International Artist.
Rihanna's homeland of Barbados showered her with 8 major awards: Best Dance Single for "Pon de Replay"; Best Reggae/Dancehall Album for Music of the Sun; Album of the Year for Music of the Sun; Song of the Year for "Pon de Replay"; Best New Artist; Female Artist of the Year; Best Selling Female Artist of the Year; and Entertainer of the Year.
A Girl Like Me was the follow-up to Music Of the Sun, Rihanna's debut album of 2005, featuring her #1 Dance hit "Pon De Replay," a traffic-stopper in the U.S. and Europe that was certified a triple-platinum digital download by the RIAA. With its infectious taste of "Tainted Love" (the Soft Cell classic), "S.O.S." became Rihanna's second world wide phenomenon - hitting #1 in the U.S. and Canada, the Japanese International chart, the Australian singles chart, and European airplay chart.
Personally signed by Def Jam president and CEO Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter, Rihanna is a unique role model for West Indians back home and around the world. She created Believe, a public charity organization dedicated to assisting terminally ill children worldwide. Its mission is to assist and inspire children who suffer from life-threatening diseases including cancer, leukemia and AIDS. Believe raises funds and awareness for medical research, as well as for individual and institutional medical needs. The vision of Believe is to achieve what Rihanna has always strived for in her remarkable music career - "to inspire with hope, courage and love."
