Barbados Eyes Museum to Honor Island-Born Icon Rihanna

Barbados officials are considering dedicating a museum to their native daughter and music icon, Rihanna, to celebrate the 31-year-old pop singer’s achievements.

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Recently named the richest female musician in the world, Rihanna — born Robyn Rihanna Fenty — has soared to success with more than one single topping charts around the world since she moved from the Caribbean island at age 16 to pursue her dream.

Her childhood in Bridgetown, Barbados, was filled with challenges as she struggled to rise to the top while caring for her father, who struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction. However, her luck changed one day when a U.S. music executive overheard her and two classmates singing and offered to help her establish a music career. In 2005 she was signing a music deal with Def Jam and in 2018 she was named Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, entrusted to oversee Barbados' education, tourism and investment sectors.

“Anybody who could start going to school on a ZR [route taxi] from Westbury to Waterford and could now be the most successful woman entertainer in the entire globe in my view deserves to be recognized in her life as a living legend of Barbados as well,” said Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley during an event at Kensington Hall, London.

At age 18, Rhianna “didn’t say 'I want to build a business' or 'when I build a successful business', she said 'when I build my empire' – and I’ve never forgotten that — and she has built an empire and is still building it,” Mottley said.