Rihanna Is Not The Person You Think She Is

Rihanna has been a bit of an enigma lately. While steadily releasing random singles throughout most of the year, there is still no definitive sign that her newest album, #R8, is actually coming out this year. Fans have been suffering through dozens of high fashion photo spreads, new brand collaboration and fragrances, but there is no sign of new music, and it's getting a lot of people talking. Everyone conveniently forgets that Rihanna has become one of the most recognized names and faces on the planet, and released seven albums in eight years. A few months ago, Rihanna was spotted at a shoot for Vanity Fair in Cuba, and the gorgeous cover is out and Rihanna has a lot to say about love and life, and she might surprise you.

The interview is one of the first times in a while we get a glimpse into the world of Ri-Ri, and honestly, some of the things she had to say really took me by surprise. Based on what we know of her public persona, Rihanna is a wild child with a DGAF attitude, and while she might be a confident and strong woman, her opinion of herself differs greatly. She says in Vanity Fair, “Honestly, I’ve been thinking lately about how boring I am. When I do get time to myself, I watch TV.”

Excuse me. Rihanna? Boring? She sure doesn't seem boring to me, but as it goes in the world of celebrity, things are not always what they seem. What I found most fascinating was her opening up about the media stories of her love life and how they differ drastically from her real life. She speaks of one of her only real relationships with baseball player, Matt Kemp, saying:

We were still dating … we were just three months in and I liked his vibe, he was a good guy, and then paparazzi got us on vacation in Mexico. He handled it well; I didn’t. I got so uncomfortable because now what? He’s not even able to be seen with [another] girl, because I’m dragged back into headlines that say he’s cheating on me, and I don’t even [really] know this guy. Some guys … I don’t even have their number. You would not even believe it.

Could she be talking about rumored fling Leo DiCaprio? Hmm. She also comments that casual sex could be fun, but denies that it is part of her life. “If I wanted to I would completely do that... I am going to do what makes me feel happy, what I feel like doing. But that would be empty for me; that to me is a hollow move. I would wake up the next day feeling like sh*t." Here is where I think Rihanna finds her strength; She is holding a rather different opinion than what most fans would likely assume, but that is what is real for her and makes her thrive and I support that.

She does admit, that a lot of her feelings towards relationship right now comes from a selfish place where she is figuring things out for herself. She continues:

When you love somebody, that’s different... When you care enough about somebody and you know that they care about you, then you know they don’t disrespect you. And it’s about my own respect for myself. A hundred percent. Sometimes it’s the first time I’m meeting this person—and then all of a sudden I’m ‘with them.’ It freaks me out. This industry creates stories and environments that can make you uncomfortable even being friends with someone. If you see me sitting next to someone, or standing next to someone, what, I’m not allowed to do that? I’m like, are you serious? I’m the worst. I see a rumor and I’m not calling [them] back. I’ve had to be so conscious about people—what they say and why people want to be with me, why people want to sleep with me... It makes me very guarded and protective. I learned the hard way.

It isn't always as easy as it seems. In the past few months, Rihanna has been linked to numerous actors and athletes, and plenty of mean names have been placed on her for being a woman who is not tied down to one man. Rihanna, I might not be a global superstar, but I know the struggles of being a single woman out there today. All those names are totally uncalled for.

And after all, let's not place all the weight of singledom on the ladies, OK? Rihanna maintains that men have lost their chivalry, saying, "It’s so sick. They won’t be a gentleman because that makes them appear soft. That’s what we’re dealing with now, a hundred percent, and girls are settling for that, but I won’t. I will wait forever if I have to … but that’s O.K." Amen. Anyway, Rihanna has a growing empire to tend to at the moment, so I'm pretty sure she's too busy for men who don't live up to her standards. “I’m fine being with myself. I don’t want to really let anybody in. I’ve got too much on my plate, and I’m not even worried about it," she added.

And when that guy does come into her life, Rihanna knows he's not going to be a cliche: “Not on a white horse. Probably on a black motorcycle.”

Clearly, she still is the same badass Rihanna she always was and will be.

Images: Giphy