We already know that Rihanna is one of our era’s most enduring pop divas, but she’s also now officially the youngest female self-made billionaire in America, per Forbes’ 2022 list. The 34-year-old new mom, whose net worth is approximately $1.4 billion, appears 16th on the list of richest self-made women in America. (The title was famously claimed by Kylie Jenner in 2019, but Forbes has since lowered Jenner’s net worth to $600 million).
Rihanna first became a billionaire in August 2021, which made her the world’s richest female musician, according to Forbes. In addition to being named the wealthiest woman musician in the world, she also became the second richest woman entertainer, placing behind Oprah Winfrey. Following the news, Rihanna was asked by photographers about how she felt about reaching billionaire status, to which she humbly replied, “God is good.” Unlike many other musicians, though, Rihanna isn’t raking in the dough from touring. In fact, she hasn’t had a music tour since 2016. So, where is all that money coming from?
Rihanna’s music is still a major source of income. Back in 2016, she made $11.1 million that year alone from streaming, sales, and royalties, and her music continues to be incredibly popular. On top of that, she’s part owner of the streaming service Tidal, which was valued at $600 million in 2017. In addition to music, she’s also made waves in the film industry: she was a costar in 2018’s “Ocean’s 8” and also had previously appeared in “Annie” and “Battleship,” among others. It’s clear that Rihanna’s diverse career has really paid off.
Outside of the entertainment industry, Rihanna has brought in plenty of paydays through endorsement and fashion deals. In 2017, Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty, a shade-inclusive beauty line, which was reported by Vogue to have made over $100 million in sales within 40 days of launch and a whopping $570 million in 2018. She’s had 11 fragrances, with her 2011 debut scent making over $80 million alone. She eventually started her lingerie line Savage by Fenty. Though Fenty’s luxury clothing line was shut down in 2021, the profits from it reportedly helped her reach billionaire status.
Even though it’s not her current source of income, a pretty hefty chunk of Rihanna’s lifetime net worth has come from tours over the years. For instance, BET reported that her 2011 “Loud” tour grossed $90 million, a good chunk of which went directly to the singer herself. She did even better on her next tour, 2013’s “Diamond World Tour,” which brought in over $140 million worldwide, with 84 out of 87 stops being completely sold out, as Billboard reported. By 2016, with her “Anti World Tour,” Rihanna was making money not just by selling tickets and merch, but with promotional deals. The New York Post revealed that Rihanna signed a contract worth $25 million with Samsung to promote the company during the tour.