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Rihanna’s ethnicity is mixed and comprises Afro-Guyanese ancestry from her mother’s side and then African, Irish, English, and Scottish from her father’s side. As for Rihanna’s nationality, she is a Barbadian and an American citizen.
Even though she has lived in the United States of America long enough to become a citizen of the country, Rihanna hasn’t pursued becoming an American. The only country she belongs to is her birth country, Barbados.
Where is Rihanna From?
Rihanna is from Barbados. The famous singer, actress, and businesswoman has never shied away from the fact that she is a Barbadian. She was born in Saint Michael, one of the eleven parishes of Barbados, on the 20th of February 1988. She also spent most of her early and teenage years in the country as she was raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, until the age of 16.
In Barbados, she attended Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School and then Combermere School before she officially relocated to the United States of America in 2005 to pursue her music career. She was only 16 years old when she left Barbados and moved to America after signing a major record deal. In her own words, she “didn’t look back” when she left Barbados. But this doesn’t mean she abandoned her heritage.
The “Umbrella” singer has mostly lived in the United States since 2005 when she first moved to the country. Having been a permanent resident of the country for so many years, she has since met the criteria for becoming an American citizen. However, the singer is seemingly not interested in this. She remains only a citizen of Barbados and often spends time in the country as her parents and relatives live there.
She Is Greatly Loved and Celebrated in Her Home Country
Gaining global acclaim didn’t make Rihanna forsake her country and heritage. She has openly talked about her home country and has actively sought out ways to make meaningful contributions toward the well-being of the nation. Because of this, and of course her music, she is greatly loved and admired in Barbados. She has an honorary title in the country as the Ambassador for Culture and Youth.
The sixth Prime Minster of the country, David Thompson, created a national Rihanna Day on the 22nd of February 2008. This has been celebrated yearly since then in honor of the singer. A decade later, sometime in September 2018, Rihanna was again honored by her country with an appointment as an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. With the appointment, she was officially bequeathed the special duty of promoting investment, tourism, and education in her country.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, she donated ventilators estimated to be worth $700,000 to her country. For putting the country’s name on the global map and for her contributions to Barbados’ well-being, she was named a National Hero of Barbados in 2021. This earned her the right to be regarded as “The Right Excellent” for the rest of her days.
Rihanna’s Background
| Full Name | Robyn Rihanna Fenty |
| Ethnicity | Afro-Barbadian and mixed Irish descent |
| Background | – Father: Ronald Fenty, of Barbadian and Irish descent |
| – Mother: Monica Braithwaite, of Afro-Guyanese descent | |
| Nationality | Barbadian |
| Place of Birth | Saint Michael, Barbados |
| Raised in | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| Cultural Influence | Caribbean; her music and persona often reflect her Barbadian heritage |
| Career Beginnings | Started singing at a young age in Barbados; later moved to the United States to pursue her music career |
| Global Recognition | Recognized as a global icon in music, fashion, and business; known for her influence beyond the Caribbean |
A Breakdown of Rihanna’s Ethnicity
The famous singer is a Barbadian of Afro-Guyanese, African, Irish, English, and Scottish descent. She has a complex ethnic heritage, thanks to her parents, Monica Braithwaite and Ronald Fenty. Per reports, her mother is a Barbadian of Afro-Guyanese heritage. This means the singer is Afro-Guyanese from her mother’s side.
The origin of people who belongs to the Afro-Guyanese ethnic group has been traced to West Africa and Guyana, a country on the northern mainland of South America. It is said that Afro-Guyaneses are descendants of slaves from West Africa brought to Guyana to work on sugar plantations during the Atlantic slave trade era.
Rihanna’s ethnicity becomes more complex when one looks at the lineage of her father, Ronald Fenty. From his side of the family, she also has African roots with a blend of Irish, English, and Scottish heritage. The singer’s mixed ethnicity has made her super aware of diversity as much as it has made her embrace inclusivity. She told The New York Times Style Magazine that inclusivity has helped build her brand.
According to her, she has been seeing diversity all her life and that’s all she knew growing up. Referencing the family she was born into, the singer stated that her father is “half black, half white” whereas her mother is a black woman from South America. Adding that she would be seen as black wherever she goes, Rihanna admitted that she doesn’t know if that is unfortunate or fortunate. However, she proclaimed that she loves being black.
Is Rihanna Jamaican or African?
Rihanna is not Jamaican but has African heritage from both of her parents. Her father is half black and half white, while her mother is a black Guyanese woman. So while the singer has African roots, she is not completely of African descent. This is so because she has European ancestors from her father’s side.
Given that most Jamaicans are of partial or complete African descent, it is not hard to see why people think she is Jamaican. Her genetic makeup is closely related to those of Jamaicans and she hasn’t made any attempt to distance herself from the ethnic group. It is said that she grew up listening to reggae music which originated in Jamaica.
The notion that she is Jamaican also stems from the belief that she speaks Jamaican patois in her songs. However, language experts have since concluded that what people take for Jamaican patois is Bajam creole, an English-based creole spoken in her country Barbados. For an untrained ear, Bejam creole could pass for Jamaican patois. Both are English-based creole languages with African influences.
Who Are Rihanna’s Parents, Ronald Fenty and Monica Braithwaite?
Rihanna’s father is Roland Fenty, while her mother is Monica Braithwaite. Ronald was born on August 16, 1954, and is currently 69 years old. Monica, on the other hand, was born on the 5th of April 1969 and is currently 55 years old.
Ronald and Monica are no longer married. They divorced in 2002 because Rihanna’s father was an alcoholic addicted to crack cocaine. He physically abused Monica so much that it brought about the end of their marriage. Because of her parent’s difficult marriage, Rihanna had a rough childhood but all that is now in the past.
Earlier in her career, the singer fell out with her father. But they have patched up their differences and are now on good terms. She currently has a good relationship with both of her parents and often visits them in Barbados. However, it seems the singer is closer to her mother than her father. While she once dragged her father to court asking for $75 million, she surprised her mother with a luxury five-bedroom mansion in Barbados.
FAQs
Where is Rihanna Originally From?
Rihanna is from the parish of St. Michael, one of eleven parishes of Barbados.
What Ethnicity is Rihanna?
Rihanna’s ethnicity is mixed. Her mother is an Afro-Guyanese, while her father is a Barbadian of African, Irish, English, and Scottish descent.
What is Rihanna’s Nationality?
Rihanna’s nationality is Barbadian. She was born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados. While she has achieved global fame and spends a significant amount of time in other countries, particularly the United States, her nationality remains Barbadian.
What is Rihanna’s Real Name?
Rihanna’s real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. She is widely known by her middle name, Rihanna, in her professional career as a singer, actress, and businesswoman.
What Country is Rihanna From?
Rihanna is from Barbados, an eastern Caribbean island and independent British Commonwealth nation.
Who is Rihanna’s Biological Father?
Rihanna’s father is Ronald Fenty, a Barbadian man who made a living as a warehouse supervisor.
What Nationality are Rihanna’s Parents?
Rihanna’s parents, Monica (née Braithwaite) and Ronald Fenty, are Barbadians.