ANTi: A Portrait of Rihanna as an Artist
FOR EVERY GIRL WHO'S EVER SEEN A BIT OF THEMSELVES IN RIHANNA
I vividly recall watching the colorfully decorated, bronzed and gorgeous island girl perform to Pon di Replay during peak video airing times on MTV and BET. I was a high school girl, acutely aware of my prettiness, perched on the couch in my parent's living room wishing I was Rihanna. Rihanna, after all, was perfect.
Cute face, small waist, protruding forehead covered with golden bangs, lips with that adorable indent on top perfect for wearing red lipstick, a sweet island inflection in her speech. Perfection.
I watched as she clawed her way to pop stardom with songs like “If It’s Lovin That You Want”, “Disturbia” and “Umbrella”. Radio hit, after hit. A home run every time. Perfection. Plasticky, pop, perfection.
Some of those early hits, like “SOS”, still shuffle their way into my playlist and I’m taken back to a specific time and place and memory and I think, “does Rihanna even remember these songs like I do?” I mean, they were great songs to dance to, toss my hair around and get dressed for class to but none of it felt from the heart. Does she cringe when she hears them? Turn it up and dance along? Or abruptly reach to change the song so not to relive that memory?
The back to back albums kept coming as we met a different girl. A transformed version of the little island princess. Insert Instagram and an I Don’t Give A Fxck attitude in the wake of her incident in the car on the way to the Grammy’s. Insert a certified pop star growing up in the golden age of social media.
We watched her smoke blunts, rock daggers as fingernails, dance in Carnival costumes, get caught in the crossfire of rumored celebrity relationships, get into it with fans via twitter, celebrate being a Pisces baby, visit home for family birthdays and Christmas all while continuing to kick the industry’s ass and put money in the pockets of lots of label executives.
This new version of Rihanna is the closest we’ve ever gotten to being friends with a celebrity at top tier, platinum status. Friends in our heads, that is. But we know so much - can you really blame us?
But musically Rihanna continued to be just what she was on the day she was plucked from Barbados and polished by Def Jam. Pop and perfect.
So with the release of ANTi I held my breath and pressed play. No matter what, she could do no wrong, but honestly I wanted some depth. I listened, and what I asked for, I received.
Based on what we’ve watched and learned of Rih Rih over the past 7 albums including a nearly 3 year break, the lyrics, the feeling and the delivery of Anti feel like the girl in the @BadGalRiRi Instagram posts. It feels like she crossed out the words on some of the songs developed for her and replaced them with her own. It feels like she told her label that she’s taking her time and smearing this project in her own signature RiRi Viva Glam lipstick.
In this 16 track project Rihanna’s given us herself on her best and worst days. She’s captured her beautifully flawed perfection in an album that feels like art. And, for me, it feels like myself. Finally. Thanks Rih, for lyrically capturing my every moment.
My Life According To ANTi
- For when I slip into day dream mode at my job: “I needed you to please give my reflection a break from the face it’s seeing now. Oh darling would you please give my reflection a break from the pain it’s seeing now.” - Consideration ft. SZA
- For when bae is being indirect and I’m not having it: “Don’t say that you miss me, just come get me.” - James Joint
- For when it’s time to cut the bullshit after a text message argument: “Man fuck yo pride, just take it on back boy, take it on back boy.” - Kiss It Better
- For when I’m starring in a music video in my head on the way to the office: “But I wake up and act like nothing’s wrong. Just get ready fi work, work, work, work, work, work.” - Work
- For when I realized I’m actually obsessed with him: “Gotta get up outta here and you ain’t leaving me behind. I know you won’t cause we share common interests you need me, there ain’t no leaving me behind.” - Desperado
- For when I was feeling like Petty LaBelle after a breakup: “I bet she could never make you cry, cause the scars on your heart are still mine” - Woo
- For flirting at the bar for free drinks: “Used to trip off that shit I was kickin’ to ya, had some fun on the run though I’ll give it to ya” - Needed Me
- For when bae shows up with a fresh haircut: “I want you to homicide it, go in slow but I want you to pipe it” - Yeah, I Said It
- For that time I said fuck it and fell in unrequited love: “I can just hear them now, how could you let us down, but they don’t see what I’ve found or see it from this way around” - Same Ol’ Mistakes
- For when I tried to fight real love, at the beginning: “Why does it have to feel so strange? To be in love again, be in love again, be in love again” - Never Ending
- For when I was fed up with dating: “I’m tired of being played like a violin. What do I gotta do to get in your muthafuckin’ heart?” - Love On The Brain
- For when we stumble home on the weekends: “You’re like my fire, let’s stay up late and smoke a J” - Higher
- For when space is needed and I’m just trying to understand: “If you’d let me I’d be there by now, close to you” - Close To You
- For accurately describing my dancing at most day parties: “Yassssss bitch, let me see you get it” - Pose
- For times that I cannot disclose: “Tonight all night I’m Monroe, even if I am alone” - Sex With Me
