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Rihanna built her dance-pop in summer 2005. "Pon de Replay," and continued to demonstrate such hit potential in subsequent years (e.g., "S.O.S." in 2006; "Umbrella" in 2007; "Disturbia" in 2008). However, it was the singer's third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, that made her a full-fledged international pop star with a regular presence atop the charts. Born with full name Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, Barbados,in Saint Michael, she presented a sure "mega-star" superior class as a immature child, often gaining beauty and talent competitions.
That stardom came when Rihanna meet with Evan Rogers. The New Yorker was holidaying in Barbados with his married woman, a domestic of the island, when he was enclosed to Rihanna. Rogers had worn out a long time bringing forth pop hits for many superstars as *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Laura Pausini, and Rod Stewart, and he tendered the precocious one, Rihanna, an opportunity to record. Along with Rogers' production collaborator, Carl Sturken, Rihanna recorded a lot of exhibits that sparked off the interest of the Carter Administration -- that is, the newly appointed Def Jam president Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. This led to an audition, and Rihanna both got and accepted an on-the-spot offer to sign with Def Jam.
Come summer 2005, Def Jam timely rolled out "Pon de Replay," the lively leadoff single from Music of the Sun. Produced almost by Rogers and Sturken, the song synthesized Caribbean rhythms with urban-pop songwriting. "Pon de Replay" caught fire almost in real time, rising all the way to number 2 on The Billboard Hot one hundred and contesting the half-summer reign of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" atop the chart. The first appearance album spawned one other hit, "If It's Lovin' That You Want," which also broke the Top 40. Rihanna's follow-up effort, A Girl Like Me, saw even greater success and spawned three sizeable singles: a chart-topper ("S.O.S.") and two Top Ten hits ("Unfaithful," "Break It Off").
Rihanna's 3rd album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), carried on her great success when signaling a reorientation. Whereas her past two albums had been imbalanced -- often weighed down by faceless balladry and canned Caribbean-isms -- Good Girl Gone Bad was a first-rate dance-pop album, stacked with more chart-topping singles and blustering coactions with Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Timbaland, and StarGate. The lead single, "Umbrella," shot to number 1, as did "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia." ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
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