Rihanna Glamour Magazine Interview:Rihanna On Chris Brown Assault
Rihanna Glamour Magazine Interview:Rihanna On Chris Brown Assault – After 8 months Rihanna has finally decided to open up about the aftermath of being assaulted by Chris Brown back in February.Rihanna who will be honored at Glamour’s annual Women of the Year event Monday at New York’s Carnegie Hall sat down with the beauty bible for a very intense interview to talk about her music,her upcoming CD,violence against women and the fight with Brown.Here is what she said.
Let’s talk about this past year—you’ve obviously been through some difficult things. How did the people around you help you cope?
My friends and family have been extremely supportive, and everyone has been there for me. But at some point you are there alone. It’s a lonely place to be—no one can understand. That’s when you get close to God.
Are you referring to the [Chris Brown] incident?
I am talking about starting with the night [before] the Grammys and then on. That was not the only thing that occurred this year. The picture leaking…it was one thing after another.
You’re talking about the photo [reportedly of Rihanna’s injured face taken by police after Brown assaulted her] that was allegedly leaked by cops. You handled that so well; you kept silent in the press.
It was humiliating; that is not a photo you would show to anybody. I felt completely taken advantage of. I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it’s my life. I was disappointed, especially when I found out the photo was [supposedly leaked by] two women.
How has this event changed you as a person, as a woman?
I’m stronger, wiser and more aware. You don’t realize how much your decisions affect people you don’t even know, like fans.
Do you think you’ve gotten your strength from your mom?
Definitely. My mom gave us the tools to survive…. My parents separated when I was eight or nine. I helped her raise my [youngest] brother, because my mom was working all the time. He’s my favorite.
Do you feel that this experience has laid the groundwork for coping with anything so public again?
It has taught me so much. I felt like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day. It was like, What, there are helicopters circling my house? There are 100 people in my cul-de-sac? What do you mean, I can’t go back home?
If you could offer a message to the millions of young women who look up to you, what would you tell someone who found herself in a similar situation?
Domestic violence is a big secret. No kid goes around and lets people know their parents fight. Teenage girls can’t tell their parents that their boyfriend beat them up. You don’t dare let your neighbor know that you fight. It’s one of the things we [women] will hide, because it’s embarrassing. My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see, and they have followed every step of my recovery. The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women, because I feel like I represent a voice that really isn’t heard. Now I can help speak for those women.
I think that’s a great message. What about your new album? What’s it like?
I was involved in a lot of the writing. I put everything I’ve wanted to say for the past eight months into my music. The songs are really personal. It’s rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s really hip-hop: If Lil’ Wayne and Kings of Leon like my album, then I’ll feel good. I would not change anything about it. Even if people don’t love it, I made exactly the piece of art that I wanted to make. It’s super fearless—which is exactly how I feel right now. I am in a really good place.
Justin Timberlake said it sounds a little more grown-up—do you agree with that comment?
I agree. I have grown up a lot since my last album. It [represents] exactly where I am at right now.
Jay-Z once said that your challenge as an artist was going to be to make people relate to you as a human being. What do you think he meant by that?
Before, there was an innocence to me. It was a perfect image. So the minute I did something imperfect, it was a big deal. I think that’s what he was referring to: People forget that after we get to our hotel rooms at night, we take a shower, we watch TV, eat room service and do normal things. Behind it all, we are still human beings.
Now let’s talk about your success in the world of fashion: You have become a fashion icon practically overnight. What does it mean to you as a performer, as a creative person, as a way to celebrate who you are?
Fashion for me is another way I get to express myself creatively. It is one of the fun things I get to do: to play dress-up, and create outfits and looks that aren’t typical. I am an artist, so I like creating things. Shoes are my favorite thing.
OK, so how many pairs do you own?
Too damn many! [Laughs.]
Your look has evolved from the beginning of your career.
In the first two years of my career, there were a lot of restraints on what I could do. I couldn’t wear certain colors of lipstick, like bright pink, dark pink or red; [my lips] had to be natural. Eventually, I stopped communicating with certain people at the label, and did exactly what I wanted to do. And that was to cut my hair, dye it black, change my clothes, change my sound. Really to just express myself.
Let’s talk about that famous hair of yours. Your cut now is even called “The Rihanna” in salons!
Yeah, we cut it into a bob for the [Good Girl Gone Bad album] cover shoot, but then I went even shorter for the NRJ Music Awards [in January 2008]. My hairdresser just said, “I don’t feel like doing your hair anymore—I want to cut it.” I was like, Finally!
On to your charity work: What in your own life inspired you to start the Believe Foundation?
I have always loved kids. They are little adults with so much personality, and it is fun to work with that. Whether that means donating school supplies or medication, or [using my celebrity] to get them a bone marrow transplant, I want to help.
You actually helped a young girl and a mother of two, both of whom were suffering from leukemia, find bone marrow matches for transplants. How did that happen?
My manager sent me a video this little girl did for her best friend. It shows them playing, and then Isabelle says to the camera, “This is my friend Jasmina, and here’s how you can help her: Swab your mouth for DNA, and put it into an envelope.” They were both adopted and have the best bond—they are inseparable. The video made you fall in love with both of them. I was like, I have to help her. So I did a bunch of events to raise awareness. Just when we thought we were not going to find a donor, we found one. The other woman, Lisa, is a mother of two who was diagnosed with leukemia and was going to die if she didn’t get a bone marrow transplant. I knew she could not leave her two kids; that’s all that was going through my head. So we said a lot of prayers, sent out press releases and did events in order to get the word out. Her transplant was successful. She was in a lot of pain, but she was so strong and determined.
Wow, that’s amazing. So here you are, only 21, and you have already accomplished so much. Where do you see yourself in five years?
So much has happened in the past five years, I can’t speak for the next five. What I want is to continue to grow. Because I am never satisfied; I always want more. I always want to get better. I always want to climb another step.
Is it too early for you to think, I want to be in love, I want to have a family? Is that too far down the road?
I hope I find love in the next 10 years—that will be pretty annoying if I am 31 and still have never been in love! But yeah, I’d like to be in a great place in both my personal life and my career. I still want to be doing what I love. Whatever that is in 10 years, I don’t know.
Well, congratulations on being a Woman of the Year!
It is an honor. The women who are being honored are all such great inspirations to me. I look up to them.
Any thoughts on Rihanna being woman of the year?
Category: Celebrity Gossip
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
She Deserves it
I don’t agree, she so didn’t deserve it! fair enough Chris Browns assault on her was wrong but she needs to stop pulling this whole innocent thing, its like as soon as this whole assault happened everyone forgets how she was towards Chris brown. I’m not excusing his actions as what he did was very wrong but what about rihanna and all the things she did? a good % of people didn’t like her so all because this happens they change their mind? its mad. why is it everyone is all melting over her and oh so lovely? fair enough what she has been through was dramatic and emotional but come on!! i mean chis hitting her was wrong but why continue to wind him up? she wouldn’t like it if it was the other way round. i don’t like the fact that she is woman of the year she doesn’t deserve it, if anything i think women of the year should have been Jenifer Hudson or Whitney Houston.
TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THAT MAGAZINE HATER RIHANNA IS WOMAN OF DA YEAR DONT HATE DA PLAYER HATE DA GAME
I don’t see why she’s woman of the year. I understand she’s been through a difficult time, but it’s life. Many women suffer what she’s done. Instead of speaking out, she tried to stop the allegations and was rumoured to be dating Chris Brown. Her music is very dark and the way she dresses isn’t particularly a good influence for the young children. If she tried to maintain that innocence in the public eye, just like whitney houston did, I feel she would deserve it. Ever since the assualt, she’s gone a bit crazy.
I agree ever since the assault its like she has become a different person.
i dont think she deserved the beating, but i also dont think she should have pushed him to the limits, if she truley loved him she would have known his limits, and would have left him a long time before this sad incident had to take place…no woman or man deserves to be hit, but no man or woman deserves to be pushed to the limit either
Rhianna came to this country alone as a young girl and has been through alot, what people seem to forget when they blame her is , she caught him cheating and then he beat her because she was upset about it, how can you blame her, also what would you do if you caught the one you love cheating, how is getting mad over that pushing him to his limits? I don’t get women who blame themselves for what their abuser do and that is what many of you are doing. I Love Rhianna and she did what any women in love would do, the best she could.
I do not believe domestic violence is right I have been through it but this was a fight between two people look at the incident she not being truly honest I do not care if she caught him cheating. Thats not mean she deserves to throw a fit and it does not make his action right either. However what has she done besides start a fight, throw Chris under the bus, not be totally truthful (listen to the story he driving biting dong all this and driving sound like crap) she hit his a$s she just got her a@@ beat. Again I do not believe in violence either way. But she has not done anything to be women of the year. This is to boost records sales and make money. And thats why I d not respect it because thats not a real victims mind set. These are Kids and they both need to grow and learn we all had to. God has the last say look what they did to Michael and now he is dead the public killed him. These are young human kids!
if we can for give TI, R Kelly and countless others lets start with these to young people lets stop dividing and building Sorry about spelling and grammer
Glamour what happened to my comment? Did you take it off the blog?
youre all seriously ignorant rihanna didnt do jack to deserve what she got chris brown is a man, he shouldnt have laid his damn hands on her PERIOD theres no excuse for crap like that at all
she SOO didn’t deserve it! fair enough Chris Browns assault on her was wrong but she needs to stop pulling this whole innocent thing, its like as soon as this whole assault happened everyone forgets how she was towards Chris brown. I’m not excusing his actions as what he did was very wrong but what about rihanna and all the things she did? a good % of people didn’t like her so all because this happens they change their mind? its mad. why is it everyone is all melting over her and oh so lovely? fair enough what she has been through was dramatic and emotional but come on!! i mean chis hitting her was wrong but why continue to wind him up? she wouldn’t like it if it was the other way round. i don’t like the fact that she is woman of the year she doesn’t deserve it, if anything i think women of the year should have been Jenifer Hudson or Whitney Houston.
she so didn’t deserve it! fair enough Chris Browns assault on her was wrong but she needs to stop pulling this whole innocent thing, its like as soon as this whole assault happened everyone forgets how she was towards Chris brown. I’m not excusing his actions as what he did was very wrong but what about rihanna and all the things she did? a good % of people didn’t like her so all because this happens they change their mind? its mad. why is it everyone is all melting over her and oh so lovely? fair enough what she has been through was dramatic and emotional but come on!! i mean chis hitting her was wrong but why continue to wind him up? she wouldn’t like it if it was the other way round. i don’t like the fact that she is woman of the year she doesn’t deserve it, if anything i think women of the year should have been Jenifer Hudson or Whitney Houston.
I think to many of you are focusing on the assault as defining her. There is alot more to this young women than one relationship and an assault. What makes her women of the year is her accomplishments as an artist, her charity work and the way she dealt with the assault. This was a private matter that became public and in the face of critiscism she used her experience to help others. We can all speculate on the events that lead to the assault but it is not important. Bottom line is it happened and never should have happened under any circumstance, Rihanna took a negative experience in her life and used it to educate others. I never heard her crying the victim, it was not her that went public remember. She opened up to the public and shared her experience and is making it her responsibility to advocate for women and Teens. She can stand tall and be proud of all she has accomplished and for being an unpaid advocate for domestic abuse all the while remaining true to herself. Way to go girl, you desserve it.
she deserve even more.good beless her!
NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO HIT ANYBODY BUT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE MEN ARE STRONGER THAN WOMAN POINT BLANK PERIOD…IF A MAN GETS HIT BY A WOMAN! HE CANT FEEL THAT SH*T! LOOK AT RIHANNA SHES SO TINY. ONE BLOW BY A MAN HE CAN TAKE A WOMAN OUT..I DONT CARE WHAT YALL SAY…ITS A DAMN SHAME THAT PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT A MAN BEATING UP ON WOMAN..DAMN HYPOCRITES!