Rihanna is one of the most beloved icons of our time. To celebrate the bad gal on her 36th birthday, we put together a gallery of some photos that show her being just that. Click inside to check it out!

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in Saint Michael, Barbados. She grew up listening to raggae music. Fenty attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and Combermere School. Although she wanted to graduate from high school, she chose to pursue a musical career instead. After impressing music producer Evan Rogers in an audition, Rihanna (with the help of Rogers) began recording demos with the intention of sending them to labels. One of the labels that her demo was sent to was none other than Def Jam Recordings. Soon after in early 2005, she auditioned for the label, where she blew Jay-Z and Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid away. After signing with Def Jam, RIhanna, Jay-Z and his team spent the next three months recording and completing her album. Her debut single ‘Pon De Replay’ peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. Her first album Music of the Sun was released in August of 2005 and debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200. The album sold two million copies worldwide, a precursor to her career trajectory.

Since Music of the Sun, Rihanna has released seven more studio albums (A$AP Rocky has told fans that she is currently working on her ninth album). Selling over 250 million records worldwide, Rihanna is the second-best-selling female music artist of all time. Her accolades include nine Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards (including the Icon Award), 12 Billboard Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, the NAACP’s President’s Award, and an Academy Award nomination. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2018. As of 2024, she is the wealthiest female musician, with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.

Outside of music, Rihanna is acknowledged for her humanitarian involvement, entrepreneurship, and influence in the fashion industry. She established the Clara Lionel Foundation, cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, and fashion house Fenty under LVMH (becoming the first black woman to lead a luxury brand for LVMH). Rihanna has also dabbled in acting, starring in major roles in films like Battleship and Ocean’s 8 to name a few. Out of all of the things she juggles on her plate, she takes the most pride in being a mother. Her and A$AP Rocky have two beautiful sons named RZA and Riot. Over the course of her career, Rihanna has shown that there is no limit to what she can do. Whether it be making music, acting, building business, giving back or raising children, Rihanna has done it all her way. To celebrate the icon and her undeniable legacy, check out a gallery of her being thee bad gal that the world has come to love! HAPPY 36TH BIRTHDAY TO RIHANNA!