Rihanna has taken a page from Beyoncé‘s playbook and channeled her inner cowgirl for the cover of Vogue China.
On Monday (March 25), Riri took to Instagram where she gave fans a tantalizing glimpse into her upcoming Vogue China cover spread. The picture-perfect post features the global superstar in a reflection shot, sending waves of excitement through the fashion world. “vogue china april issue loading…”
Earlier, the Barbadian entrepreneur disclosed that she’s extending her billion-dollar Fenty empire to China, expanding its presence in Sephora stores. “China Fenty fam!! I’m thrilled to announce our expansion in Sephora stores starting April 1st – are you all set?” she wrote, accompanied by a video clip introducing various products from her makeup line.
According to Forbes, as of June 2023, the “We Found Love” singer’s net worth is a whopping $1.4 billion — thanks to earnings from diverse ventures including beauty, apparel, and music, among other things — making her one of the richest female musicians in the world.
Gracing the cover, Rihanna adorned herself in a floral embroidered ensemble, flawlessly complemented by a coordinating cowgirl hat, striking jewelry, and bedazzled nail extensions, epitomizing the essence of cowgirl chic.
While not identical, the look evoked memories of Rih’s western-inspired ensemble for the cover of Vogue U.K.’s April 2016 issue, featuring a rhinestone encrusted cowboy hat and a coordinating white leather jacket.
While the cover certainly turned heads, fans were primarily intrigued by whether the theme hinted at new music, specifically a potential collaboration with Queen B, who recently announced a significant shift toward country music. “Are you featured on Beyoncé’s album??? IS THIS A HINT????” questioned one user in the comment section.
“Please let this cowboy look mean she’s one of the surprise collabs on Cowboy Carter!! [blows smoke emoji],” a second comment reads.
Another user agreed, suggesting that Beyoncé and Rihanna joining forces “would be nice.”
In similar news, Beyoncé recently unveiled cover art for her highly anticipated Cowboy Carter album — aka the next installment of her “Renaissance,” era, set to arrive on March 29 — while hinting at a few surprises.
“Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii,” she began, in an Instagram post on Tuesday (March 19). “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant,” she continued, in the caption of the post, featuring the singer clad in a red, white, and blue ensemble atop a horse, while holding an American flag.
“This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history,” she added.
She continues: “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.
“I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.”
Discussing the central theme of the eagerly awaited project, she elaborated, “I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.
“This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”