Rihanna named woman of the year

London: Singer Rihanna has been named woman of the year by Italian Vogue magazine.

Rihanna was honoured for her charity work, pop success and her ability to tackle adversity in personal life, including troubled relationships with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown and drug addict father Ronald Fenty.

"Independent, energetic, the young Robyn Rihanna Fenty (only 23) is our woman of the year, and not just by virtue of numbers and figures but also, and foremost, for her kind and fighting spirit," contactmusic.com quoted a spokesperson from the magazine as saying.

"The same spirit that brought her from Barbados to the top of the music charts achieving a career which she has forged and mastered completely by herself (whose last move was to become the new ambassador for Armani)," it said. "Rihanna is the undisputed best contender to the role of queen of pop. Her career has always been based on the cunning use of sexiness and provocation.

"She has managed to cultivate her career despite the many tragedies affecting her private life: from her father's addiction to crack ... to the violence caused to her in 2009 by her then-boyfriend, Chris," the spokesperson added.

Rihanna had first graced the cover of the fashion magazine in September 2009.

Rihanna causes controversy as she admits starving herself before magazine photoshoot

Rihanna has caused controversy by admitting she starved herself ahead of a photoshoot for Esquire magazine.

The 23-year-old singer tweeted that she had been restricting her food intake before she was photographed for the men's publication.

She said on Wednesday: '#RihannaNavy I shot my first cover for Esquire yesterday with Russell James #rockstars*** Not much preparation for that besides wax+starve!!'

Maybe the Rated R singer was intimidated by some of celebrity photographer Russell James' previous subjects.

The Australian has worked with Victoria's Secret and appeared on America's Next Top Model alongside Tyra Banks.

However, whatever the reasons for Rihanna's admission, fans were quick to come forward to criticise the singer for her confession.One responded: '@rihanna starve?? why?? thats a bad message to your fans ri-ri im dissapointed'

Another said: '@rihanna how long did you starve??? That #rockstars*** doesn't seem fun!!'

Rihanna ignored the comments and later tweeted: 'British Vogue here I come....#ontothenextone

Fans will be wondering whether she regularly starves herself before a photoshoot.

Rihanna Among Participants In GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions

Rihanna will participate in the MusiCare's Back to School Charity Auction. The "S&M" singer is donating an autographed, framed magazine cover of herself.

Winning bidders will be able to win various prizes, such as meet-and-greets with Metallica, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Jennifer Hudson, Ke$ha, Def Leppard and Taylor Swift.

Lady Antebellum, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Paramore, Justin Bieber, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and Zac Efron are also donating a wealth of signed memorabilia, including guitars and posters.

Additional autographed prizes include signed guitars from Barry Manilow, Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro and Paramore, CDs and vinyl signed by Adele, Lady Antebellum, Smashing Pumpkins, Barbra Streisand and Steven Tyler, as well as framed magazines autographed by actor Russell Brand, Kings Of Leon, Lady Gaga, John Mayer, and actor Seth Rogen, among others.The Grammy Charity Online Auctions run now through Friday, July 29. Proceeds from the auctions will go to benefit the Grammy foundation's Grammy in the Schools programs, as well as their healthcare and addiction recovery programs.

Rihanna's Hairstyle Takes Turn for Worst

Rihanna recently stepped out in a new hairstyle that was shocking to say the least—and not in a good way. There's no doubt that the Man Down hottie is a Cover Girl. But since she released her Loud album, she just hasn't been able to get her look quite right.

If the Sideshow Bob hair wasn't enough, Rihanna had to take it one step further. MediaTakeOut recently caught her out and about and, well... it wasn't pretty. You can still see red, but this time around, it's more of a brassy, orange color on top of the singer's head. You know... the kind you get form a dye job gone wrong.

Plus the body of Rihanna's wavy weave was all wrong. But to make matters worse, it looked like the '70s threw up her romper. Please, someone call Stacy and Clinton, stat! There's a fashion emergency that needs to be resolved.One can only hope the Bahamian singer outgrows her Loud look stage soon enough. Sometimes Good Girls Gone Bad just do it better. A simple black pixie haircut is all Rihanna really needs to achieve true beauty.

David LaChapelle vs Rihanna: pre-trial ruling in photographer’s favour

Early this year, David LaChapelle filed a copyright claim against the label of Rihanna, accusing the Barbadian singer of copying scenes from his images in her video clip S&M.

A pre-trial ruling by a federal court in New York went in favour of the photographer, meaning that the case can now go to trial.

However, copyright laws protect the works themselves and not the idea. According to the court, the subject of the photos is not copy protectable, but several compositional elements in the video are similar to that of the photographs, meaning that Rihanna and her label could be found guilty of copyright infringement. This could mean that the distinction between the idea for an artwork and the work itself will no longer be one of the defining aspects of copyright.

Rihanna is expected to defend her case in court. The ruling might be of some encouragement to Phillip Paulus, a German photographer who has also accused the singer of plagiarism.

Judge Throws Out Singer Rihanna’s Claims of Fair Use, David LaChappelle’s Lawsuit Allowed to Continue

Hot off the heals of Monday’s two posts about high-profile, design-based lawsuits moving forward, here we have yet another. You might recall that back in February, the story that singer Rihanna and her director had swiped concepts from David LaChappelle‘s photographs for one of her videos, moved quickly from internet chatter to a full-fledged lawsuit.

The singer’s legal team tried to fight the suit off, claiming that usual cry of fair use, but this week, PDN reports that a federal judge “refused to dismiss David LaChapelle’s copyright claim,” and even called the decision to try and fight from that angle “misguided and ‘unavailing.’” So now, assuming Rihanna and her record label don’t just settle with the famous photographer, the case will move forward starting in mid-August. Here’s a bit:

“Both works share the frantic and surreal mood of women dominating men in a hypersaturated, claustrophobic domestic space. Thus, I find that an ordinary observer may well overlook any differences and regard the aesthetic appeal of “Striped Face” and the “Pink Room Scene” as the same,” Judge Shira A. Scheindlin wrote in her decision.

She reached the same conclusion after comparing other video scenes to particular images by LaChapelle.

`Rock stars can`t be rock stars anymore`

Rihanna believes that rock stars aren't allowed to be rock stars anymore because of the pressure to be a good role model.

The 23-year-old singer said that people expect celebrities to behave perfectly, all of the time, which she believes 'takes the fun out of it'.

Talking about the restrictions placed on her, she told Glamour magazine, 'In the beginning of my career, it was really strict for me. I couldn't wear pink or red lipstick. It was just bizarre.

'We had a young fan base, and they were trying to keep me fresh. But I really just wanted to be myself. I wanted to be sassy, the attitude, all the things that I am.

'I want to set the right example and, at the same time, live my life.'I feel like pop stars can't be rock stars anymore because they have to be role models, and it takes the fun out of it for us, because we just want to have fun with art.'

And on the subject of her friendship with fellow pop star Katy Perry, she said the California Gurls singer was a 'breath of fresh air'.

'All my friends are guys, to be completely honest. But when I met her, it was such a breath of fresh air. I just couldn't believe this chick had no edit button,' she said.

'Katy and Lady Gaga came out of the gate exactly the way they think, the way they wanna dress, the way they wanna speak.'

Rihanna Plays Hard To Get

Rihanna who's currently on her LOUD tour and partying through her tour stops reveals she likes to play hard to get and men should have to earn her affection.

Rihanna covered the August issue of U.K Cosmo and revealed,

"I'm open to love. But guys should have to earn it because, the minute they get it, they want something else."

"Men are like hunters, they like the chase, so you have to keep 'em guessing. I'm like that too. I get bored fast. So if someone can make me laugh, that's the best."I'm turned on by different things. It could be the way he looks. It could be his intelligence. It's really a spontaneous thing," she added.

Rihanna who broke up with baseball star Matt Kemp has been linked with Young Money rapper Drake - the pair dated briefly in the past.

Rihanna's 'open to love'

Rihanna has revealed that she'd be happy to a start a relationship with someone and would like to meet a man who makes her laugh.

The 23-year-old singer, who is due to perform in front of fans with V Festival tickets next month, told Cosmopolitan magazine that she's "open to love".

However, in a warning to would-be suitors, she insisted: "Guys should have to earn it, because the minute they get it, they want something else."
The Barbadian star added: "Men are like hunters; they like the chase. So you have to keep 'em guessing."

She also revealed that when it comes to love, she finds it hard to reveal her softer side, claiming it's easier to act tough than to show vulnerability.

And when quizzed on her 'type', she said she's attracted to guys with a good sense of humour.

Rihanna will be taking to the Virgin Media stage at this year's V Festival, which is due to take place on August 20th and 21st.

Rihanna loud and kinky at Rogers

'VE always regretted not seeing Britney Spears in her prime.

It's not so much because I'm a big fan of her music as it is that I know she put on an amazing show, a spectacle for all in attendance.

But after seeing Rihanna on her Loud tour last Friday night at Rogers Arena, I'm feeling a little better, because whatever Britney did, I'm pretty sure Rihanna did too - in high definition.The show started when four video screens shaped like trashcan lids were lowered to the ground, cutting through various sexy images of the 23-year-old Barbadian singer all the while.

Then, she emerged. Dressed in a short, electric-blue trench coat and bright pink booties with neon heels, the R&B princess opened with "Only Girl (in the World)" and for the next two hours it seemed like she was.

The coat soon slipped off revealing what was essentially a multi-coloured sequined bikini as Rihanna belted her way into "Disturbia" and then "Shut Up and Drive."

Eight dancers all sporting highlighter-hued outfits surrounded the star for most of the night, in what turned out to be a very kinky show. I'm talking air humping, stripping, chains - at one point, the red-headed beauty asked "Hey Vancouver, who wants to come up here and get freaky with me?"

Thousands of girls and hundreds of guys in the crowd screamed deafeningly in response.

Review: Rihanna turns up sex appeal

Rihanna certainly knows how to excite a crowd.

She does so by belting out big dance-floor hits and she does it by crooning through equally appealing ballads. She accomplishes it with the help of a live band, which does a great job refashioning her radio singles for the stage, as well as with the assistance of a killer dance crew. She wins with big production numbers, full of all the outlandish bells and whistles one now expects from a true pop spectacle, but she also triumphs in the stripped-down settings.

Above all else, however, Rihanna uses pure sex appeal to get the job done. And she certainly succeeded on Thursday night at Oracle Arena.

The Barbadian R&B star's fourth concert trek, the Loud Tour, is one of the sexiest road shows to touch down in the Bay Area in ages. The Oakland outing was bawdy, naughty and erotic -- to an extent that might've made Madonna blush at times -- and perfectly in step with the star's overall sexy makeover, underscored by the recent album titles "Good Girl Gone Bad" (2007) and "Rated R" (2009).The 23-year-old vocalist got the party rolling in high style as she opened the show with a dizzying take on "Only Girl (In the World)," one of the six singles released (thus far) from her fifth and latest CD, last year's "Loud."

The opening production was such an onslaught on the senses that it was initially hard to focus on the intended theme -- if, indeed, there was one. She made her entrance via gigantic ball, wheeled into view by dancers wearing bizarre neon jumpsuits and something resembling catcher's masks, and she looked great in a metallic blue mini-raincoat, which really wouldn't have provided much protection from the elements.

She'd soon shed that raincoat -- maybe because the forecast didn't call for rain - and boogie about in a heavily jeweled bikini, which looked like something Cleopatra would've worn on a sunny day down at the Nile. Oh, yeah, and she'd do it during "Disturbia" — although, at this point, the music still seemed like an afterthought.

After things settled down a bit, it became easier to understand how the theatrics matched with the music — mostly because Rihanna made it simple for us. The staging for "Shut Up and Drive," for instance, was basically just an old car, which the band's guitarist -- Nuno Bettencourt, of Extreme fame -- would climb upon to solo.

Things got a bit raunchy during the cover of Prince's "Darling Nikki," as Rihanna appeared wearing a fitted tuxedo and used a cane to spank her scantily clad female dancers. She'd lose the tuxedo, and be stripped down to sexy under garments by those same dancers, as Bettencourt wailed through another guitar solo. Yeah, it was in bad taste. The guitar solo, that is.