| Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is | | | | Rihanna also toured with Gwen Stefani, which |
| an R&B singer from the Caribbean island of Barbados. | | | | undoubtedly helped promote the album.In April 2006, |
| Rihanna was first discovered in Barbados by music | | | | Rihanna released her sophomore album, A Girl Like |
| producer, Evan Rogers, who along with his partner | | | | Me, which would peak at #5 in the U.S. and #6 in the |
| Carl Sturken, assisted Rihanna in recording a demo to | | | | U.K. The lead single, SOS (Rescue Me), climbed to #1 |
| be sent to record labels like Def Jam.Upon auditioning | | | | on the Billboard Hot 100, Pop 100, Hot Dance Music |
| for CEO Jay-Z, Rihanna was signed right there on the | | | | Club Play, and became the biggest first week digital |
| spot. In August 2005, she released her debut album, | | | | single ever, selling over 169,000 copies in its first |
| Music of the Sun, which she co-wrote. The album | | | | week.Her second single, Unfaithful, written by Ne-Yo, |
| peaked within the top ten in the U.S., Canada, and | | | | became her third top 10 hit in the U.S. Rihanna has |
| the top forty in the U.K., propelled by the hit single | | | | several endorsement deals under her belt, including |
| Pon de Replay, which climbed to #2 on the U.S. | | | | ones for Nike and J.C. Penney. She also had a cameo |
| Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. That year, | | | | role in Bring It On 3. |