The Barbadian singer is set to release her new album Loud next month. She is fiercely proud of the record, and says she’s been influenced by the people around her.
Rihanna explained her mother, Monica Fenty, has been the most powerful person in her life. Their bond is so close the singer thinks she’s slowly morphing into Monica, she and can’t believe how similar they look.
“She’s definitely had the most influence on me,” Rihanna laughed in the British edition of OK! magazine. “Even now I see a lot of her coming out in me – even in my facial expressions. I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m Monica Fenty!’”
The 22-year-old, famous for the worldwide smash Umbrella, has previously named Mariah Carey, Madonna and Cher as people she looks up to.
The star had a tough upbringing, which she believed helped shape her and made her a stronger person. Rihanna believes that adversity when she was young propelled her to stardom today.
“In life, every negative that happens leads to something great – you just can’t see it at the time. I wouldn’t be the woman I am without the bad things that have happened to me,” she explained. “My skin wouldn’t be this thick, and you need that in this industry.”