Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados, on February 18, 1988. Growing up, Rihanna led a relatively simple, average life on her island home. She attended Combermere, a kind of technical high school, and, despite having a natural singing talent, she didn't give much thought to performing -- aside from singing with her friends for fun.

At one point, though, Rihanna did enter a beauty and talent pageant at her school. Singing Mariah Carey's "Hero" as part of the talent component, Rihanna went on to win the competition. But that performance -- and singing in the shower or in front of the mirror -- was the extent of her musical experience before 2004.

Why Is She Famous?

Rihanna brought a little Caribbean heat to the summer of 2005 with the smash hit "Pon de Replay." She instantly caught the attention of the likes of Jay-Z and Sean Paul, and 2007, when she released her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, all signs indicated she would be a massive success.