Rihanna is world's newest billionaire

Singer has entered hallowed halls of world's wealthiest with string of hits and successful business ventures, according to Forbes

Rihanna's net worth has joined one of the world's most exclusive clubs. EPA

Pop singer Rihanna's net worth has hit $1.7 billion, making her the world's wealthiest woman musician and second richest female entertainer after Oprah Winfrey, according to Forbes.

But the singer of hits like Diamonds and Umbrella doesn't owe all her success to music — she's also a highly successful entrepreneur with most of her wealth generated from non-entertainment business projects.

Rihanna, born Robyn Fenty in Barbados, is the founder of cosmetics company Fenty Beauty, which lauds itself as one of the world's more “inclusive” makeup brands, catering to a wide range of skin tones.

The rest of her wealth comes from her share of the Savage x Fenty lingerie company and her income as an entertainer, Forbes said.

Her singing career has been the price for her entrepreneurial rise, however — once famous for putting out an album a year, Rihanna has cut back on her music production and hasn't released a new set of songs since Anti in 2016.

After her first big hit, Caribbean-influenced Pon de Replay, hit dance floors around the world in 2005, Rihanna has never failed to make it to the top of the international charts, collaborating with the biggest names in modern entertainment and integrating a variety of musical styles into her songs.

The singer's success goes to show that drive and hard work (“work, work, work, work”) really does pay off.

LF01 jun style evo Rihanna 1

Rihanna, in a sequinned vest and cropped jeans, poses backstage during a MTV Networks Tempo Channel launch event on October 22, 2005, in Barbados. Getty Images

Updated: February 01, 2022, 5:01 AM