Earlier today we got our first look at Rihanna‘s new music video for her song Wait Your Turn (The Wait Is Ova) and right now we get to see her on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Glamour magazine. Glamour is the first magazine she spoke with publicly about the assault she endured from ex-boyfriend Chris Brown back in February. In her coverstory interview, Rihanna opens up about that horrible experience in a very open way. Here is Rihanna‘s Glamour cover and some excerpts from her coverstory interview:
Months after being attacked by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna is speaking out about her healing process in December issue of Glamour magazine. “My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see,” she says. “They have followed every step of my recovery. “The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women, because I feel like I represent a voice that really isn’t heard. Now I can help speak for those women.” Named Glamour’s 2009 Woman of the Year, Rihanna, 21, will be honored in a special ceremony at New York’s Carnegie Hall on Nov. 9. In addition to opening up about her difficult year, the singer – and fashionista – will also appear in a pictorial spread, wearing clothing by Balmain, Gucci and Jason Wu. As for the massive scrutiny following the February 2009 attack, Rihanna says, “I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day.” And, she says, the past nine months have been a source of growth and strength. “I am stronger, wiser and more aware. You don’t realize how much your decisions affect people you don’t even know, like fans.” The singer has already released the power ballad “Russian Roulette” off her fourth album, Rated R, due in stores Nov. 23. “I’ve put everything I’ve wanted to say for the past eight months into my music,” she says. “[It's] super fearless – which is exactly how I feel right now. I am in a really good place.”
Rihanna‘s interview is much more substantive than is presented here. After the jump, check out a few photos from her Glamour photospread and read a few more quotes form this powerful coverstory …
Glamour: Let’s talk about this past year—you’ve obviously been through some difficult things. How did the people around you help you cope?
Rihanna: My friends and family have been extremely supportive, and everyone has been there for me. But at some point you are there alone. It’s a lonely place to be—no one can understand. That’s when you get close to God.
Glamour: Are you referring to the [Chris Brown] incident?
Rihanna: I am talking about starting with the night [before] the Grammys and then on. That was not the only thing that occurred this year. The picture leaking…it was one thing after another.
Glamour: You’re talking about the photo [reportedly of Rihanna’s injured face taken by police after Brown assaulted her] that was allegedly leaked by cops. You handled that so well; you kept silent in the press.
Rihanna: It was humiliating; that is not a photo you would show to anybody. I felt completely taken advantage of. I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it’s my life. I was disappointed, especially when I found out the photo was [supposedly leaked by] two women.
Glamour: How has this event changed you as a person, as a woman?
Rihanna: I’m stronger, wiser and more aware. You don’t realize how much your decisions affect people you don’t even know, like fans.
Glamour: Do you think you’ve gotten your strength from your mom?
Rihanna: Definitely. My mom gave us the tools to survive…. My parents separated when I was eight or nine. I helped her raise my [youngest] brother, because my mom was working all the time. He’s my favorite.
Glamour: Do you feel that this experience has laid the groundwork for coping with anything so public again?
Rihanna: It has taught me so much. I felt like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day. It was like, What, there are helicopters circling my house? There are 100 people in my cul-de-sac? What do you mean, I can’t go back home?
Glamour: If you could offer a message to the millions of young women who look up to you, what would you tell someone who found herself in a similar situation?
Rihanna: Domestic violence is a big secret. No kid goes around and lets people know their parents fight. Teenage girls can’t tell their parents that their boyfriend beat them up. You don’t dare let your neighbor know that you fight. It’s one of the things we [women] will hide, because it’s embarrassing. My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see, and they have followed every step of my recovery. The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women, because I feel like I represent a voice that really isn’t heard. Now I can help speak for those women.
Glamour: I think that’s a great message. What about your new album? What’s it like?
Rihanna: I was involved in a lot of the writing. I put everything I’ve wanted to say for the past eight months into my music. The songs are really personal. It’s rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s really hip-hop: If Lil’ Wayne and Kings of Leon like my album, then I’ll feel good. I would not change anything about it. Even if people don’t love it, I made exactly the piece of art that I wanted to make. It’s super fearless—which is exactly how I feel right now. I am in a really good place.
Click HERE to read the entire online version of this interview. It’s an extremely interesting read … particularly because of how open Rihanna is thruout. Later on this week, Ri Ri will be featured on Good Morning America and then 20/20 on ABC to talk more about her life in the past 9 months … starting with the incident where Chris Brown brutally beat her. It cannot be easy but I do commend her for talking about this incident … mebbe her experience will help others avoid an assault like the one she endured.
Don’t get me wrong, I really like Rihanna. She’s a great artist, but to have her “honored in a special ceremony at New York’s Carnegie Hall on Nov. 9″ is a bit much, no? What did she do that deserves such honor? Women all over the world get abused by their significant other and go unnoticed. Is “Ri Ri” being honored because she’s a celebrity? Sorry, but her “speaking out” is a little late.
good gord, that girl is cute when she smiles! Photographers remember this!! snap this young lady smiling!
Good to hear her finally speak but dare I say it is all perfect timing for a release date? I still love me some RIRI but I think it is a strange coincidence!
i dunno. i dont find this interview worth much. shes still not really talking about anything….and i dont think she wants too, its just convenient timing. with people already getting over this look or “shock” thing shes trying..and the singles not gettin alot of good reviews….she needs to stir up news some how.
while I do appreciate her willingness to talk about (and we’ll see how much more open about it she is when she does the gma and 20/20 interviews), I’m really disappointed that she’s doing it right at the same time that her album’s coming out. it reeks of doing it just for the exposure, and not because she wants to take a stand against domestic violence. I don’t know…
Mr. G, Liz and Nicole, when is a good time for domestic violence victims to talk about their ordeal? I mean really. Does 3 months after the incident work for you, or 6 months, or 9 months, 1 year or 18 months? We should get this nailed down now so we can let other victims of violence know how to schedule their healing and introspection so that it matches your timetable. I think it is absurd that people gave her flack for not speaking up earlier, and equally absurd for people to give her flack for speaking up now. When such a hurtful and earth-shattering thing happens to a person, before they speak publicly, they need to fully understand what happened themselves. There is no typical timeframe for that to happen. Leave the girl alone!
@Krissy – anytime is good…..except when your singles are failing and you need press to promote your album.
if she didnt have a cd coming out, i’d bet my life she still wouldnt be talking about it.
What Nicole said…….I agree 100%
IMO, I think it is sad that you have rules that you impose on victims of domestic assault. Her profession is that of a singer. When will she ever not have another project coming out? If she had talked earlier, you probably would have blamed it on promotion for the single Run This Town. Not to mention, this interview was probably done a while before her singles were even released (she wouldn’t know how well they would do at that point). And yes, she probably is talking about it now because it is very unlikely that she would be able to do interviews about her cd and not have that topic come up. That doesn’t make her a bad person. I just think it is so crazy to not give her the benefit of the doubt and think, gee, maybe she has had 9 months now to reflect, and now she has the ability now to vocalize what happend to her, and is ready to share with the public. That doesn’t happen overnight, and sometimes that doesn’t even happen after months or years. Don’t let logic or humanity get in the way of your hate…
Agreed Nicole. She also never seemed interested in pressing charges and following through with them. She says she wants to give insight to teenage girls?!Well, up until now she gave them no insight. And now, it’s not like she’s strongly speaking out against it. She’s “meh” speaking against it. “Meh domestic violence is a big secret meh”. How about saying “Domestic violence is BS and hit that MF back and put his ass in JAIL!!!!” Also, her new album cover looks like she got hit in the eye again…who was the genius behind that?
Umbrella…the victim doesn’t press these kinds of charges, the STATE does! Have you ever thought that maybe she didn’t offer any insight because it is very confusing situation to be in? How do you spot an abuser? You can’t, so it usually leaves women very confused, insecure, and weary of their own judgement. How do you expect someone in that situation to immediately start offering advice to others, when they don’t even trust their own perspective?
she’s deciding to be a voice for women now? i dunno, i feel like she should’ve said SOMETHING a little sooner. i mean, she didn’t have to tell us all about it the next day, but a statement about at least letting us know she’s just trying to cope would’ve been a little better than her going around acting like nothing happened.
@Krissy – i wouldnt have said anything about it having to do with Run This Town (for one thing it wasnt even her single). but like maribella said…saying SOMETHING, instead of nothing at all would have been better. to go from acting like nothing happened at all..to now do atleast 2 interviews about it…like i said…convenient.
Give the girl a break. The people that give her a hard time always make me think they are Chris Brown trolls or something. I don’t like her new music, but seems people are being a bit harsh.
You really would need a comment to know that she was coping with something? Really?
Krissy, this chick had a very PUBLIC beating. It played out daily. She is surrounded by advisors–Family, friends, career advisors, and legal advisors. And she is rich. And she has had months to focus on her thoughts and feelings. I’m not talking about you or some 16 year old who doesn’t have Rihanna’s position and is in an entirely different situation. Rihanna is not speaking out strongly enough. She doesn’t sound outraged about what happened to her. Maybe we will never know the full story of what went on but she is a public figure and the message she is sending to teenage girls is not a strong one. Right now her message is about how PUBLIC it was when she just wanted it to go away. We all can understand that—but it was on the NEWS–everyone became involved which means she has to deal with. We gave her time and she hid for months. And we supported her. Everyone was on her side. And were still talking about it. It’s never going to go away. So, it’s time for her to have an opinion about it. And it’s ok for the rest of us to have an opinion about it too–because she has had time to form an opinion and this seems to be it unfortunately–which gives everyone the right to say what they think about it. Unless, she has more insight to say to 20/20. And then people will comment about that. You’re right, maybe she like other women is confused, needs more time, and weary of her own judgement. But I guess as you say, that’s why the STATE jumps in and presses charges for the victim. Because I’m afraid she never would have. And that’s what’s sad. Maybe, she just doesn’t want to be the spokeswoman for domestic abuse. That’s understandable. But then maybe she should just say that—”I don’t want to be the spokeswoman, I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to do music”. But she isn’t, she’s being honored as woman of the year for basically surviving, and if she’s going to put herself in a position where the abuse is going to come into public focus again—she should have more of a message to say since she knows her decisions affect the people around her she doesn’t even know. Her fans, other women and victims of abuse. This is an opportunity for her to be strong and get a clear message out there about how wrong her abuser was–and instead she’s talking about how embarassing it was, and that maybe other people because of what happened to her will speak up about their abuse—–but clearly Rihanna herself won’t be speaking out about it, or her attacker, in any real sense anytime soon. I understand her position and that of other victims, but I wish as a very public victim she would try to talk and speak out about it more.
Lulz
Krissy got owned.
It doesn’t matter if she is rich or has “position”. She is a HUMAN BEING and deserves time to recover and heal from what happened to her. It is amazing that you judge her based not on what you know, but what you assume (“i’m afraid she never would have” pressed charges). It is not up for you to decide whether she would or wouldn’t have pressed charges if it were up to her. The facts are that she cooperated with the prosecution and showed up to testify if they needed her. Anything more than that is just pure speculation. Here is another “maybe” that you didn’t consider. Maybe she wasn’t ready to be a spokesperson for domestic abuse just months after it happened. Maybe she is ready now. I also find it incredibly amazing at how you degrade what she does have to say. These are pieces of her first interview, and already you think it is ok to judge her and say it isn’t enough? Or it isn’t strong enough? I think she is incredibly strong for being ready to talk about this less than a year after it happened. I think it is incredibly horrible to watch a person go through something so awful, and then judge the insight that they are sharing from that experience.
ST, you must be the type of person Rhianna was talking about when she said, “I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it’s my life.” Not a game, sweetie.
@ST LOL