UNDRESSING RIHANNA’S HARD EXTERIOR

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing Rihanna perform live for a taping for NBC’s New Year’s Special with Carson Daly. Entering the stage in a fur coat that swallowed her tiny frame, Rihanna quickly unrobed and got down to business (sorry, this is not meant to sound dirty). Wearing nothing but a cropped fur coat underneath (with midriff showing) and black gloves with top hat in tow, Rihanna grabbed her crotch so much, you’d think she was playing the part of Michael Jackson. For real, it became distracting, maybe she had an itch? I’m not sure, but all jokes aside, it was an incredible show. Up first was the attitude-driven The Wait is Over, then onto the new single Hard, and then came the whole freakin’ kit and caboodle, when out of nowhere Jay-Z popped onto the stage to join Rihanna for Run This Town & Umbrella.

But if you look close enough, undressing the girl of these anthems of attitude, behind the hard persona, Rihanna’s vulnerability can still be seen. As I’ve written earlier, I am not a huge fan of her new image. I prefer artists’ vulnerable sides in general, because I feel that is where the real truth lies, the more substance-driven truth that may be covered up by topless photoshoots in GQ, and rough songs about violence and revenge. And on Rihanna’s wonderful new record (even in all its explicit labels), the track that stands out the most to me, is the least HARD of them all–a vulnerable, unique, honest track about the images left after love. Backed by Will.i.am, the song Photographs is a sure-fire winner.

Check out Rihanna’s softer side in Photographs, featuring Will.i.am, below.