Like most celebrities, especially those whose breadth of an audience is vast, it is not uncommon to be categorized by the media as either a "good" or "bad" role model. Rihianna, despite the extreme success she has had in several realms of the entertainment industry, has numerously asked not to be called a role model. She was asked about making an appearance with "Hollywood's all-around good girl" (at least until the #KimExposedTaylorParty), Taylor Swift in an interview with NME Magazine, she said "In my mind, she's a role model; I'm not."
In this case, I think that Rihianna's unwillingness to be considered a role model is the very feature that in my opinion makes her one. She isn't trying to be a role model for anyone. I think most people that should be considered positive role models would themselves not feel that they are one as opposed to individuals trying to be what they think a role model should be. We all saw what happened with Taylor Swift in the past few weeks, she was encouraging girls everywhere to be like her, and is now being called fake and a liar by half of hollywood.
Rihanna's ability to be considered a role model is the fact that she doesn't encourage people to behave or act in ways that she does. She is a person that exudes confidence all-around. I mean it takes a lot of confidence to be a person in the spot light who will willingly do, say and wear whatever they want to without fear of repercussions.
She broke the cookie cutter pop-star stereotype that her original albums had created for her, and found and created an image all her own upon the release of her studio album, "Good Girl Gone Bad." She ignored the media's frenzy-like reaction to her image change and "loss of innocence." I have a lot of respect for her ability to have matured into her music, style and personality without consideration of outside opinions.
She does not stop at simply being another pop star. She is an accomplished and decorated performer, was the face of Dior, served as a creative director, fashion designer and perfumer (you can not deny that this is quite the resume). Rihanna is the youngest solo artist to earn 14 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, she was named Digital Artist of the 2000s and was in the top Hot 100 artists of the 2010s. She also earned a Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and was ranked as the fourth in Forbes list of most powerful celebrities in 2012.
These achievements by such a young artist in a short time show the younger generations how important self-confidence and self-pride are qualities to have. Rihanna encourages people to be themselves, and she shows us that we don't have to fit into any mold that we feel is set for us in order to have a fulfilling and successful life.
Keep doin' your thing, RiRi. Much love.
