RIHANNA LAUNCHES NEW SINGLE
“UMBRELLA” (FEATURING JAY-Z)
WORLDWIDE TODAY, THURSDAY, MARCH 29th AT 5:00 P.M. (EST),
WINNER OF 4 BILLBOARD 2006 MUSIC AWARDS: 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.”
NEW ALBUM DUE, JUNE 5th
Rihanna joins CoverGirl for ad campaign also starting in June
The countdown is on to the worldwide launch of the new single from multi-platinum international, award-winning Def Jam recording artist Rihanna, as “Umbrella” (featuring Jay-Z) makes its debut today, Thursday, March 29th, at 5:00 p.m. (EST) and can be heard on www.rihanna.defjam.com. “Umbrella, ” produced by C. Tricky Stewart, is the first single from Rihanna’s eagerly awaited third album (in two years), untitled as yet, set for June 5th release.
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
