Rihanna Declared A National Hero At Barbados Inauguration; How Much Is The Fenty Mogul's Net Worth In 2021?

Rihanna has officially been declared a national hero by the new Democratic Republic of Barbados as the pop star and fashion mogul continues to be the wealthiest female musician in the world with a net worth of $1.7 billion.

Barbados awarded Rihanna, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, the honor of National Hero of Barbados on Monday in a ceremony at Bridgetown that was met with cheers and celebration from the crowd, according to al-Jazeera.

Rihanna, the 11th person to be declared a National Hero of Barbados and joining iconic cricketer Garfield Sobers as the only living people to receive the award, was honored with this distinction days after Barbados removed Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state and declared itself an independent republic.

“May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring [honor] to your nation by your works, by your actions,” Prime Minister Mia Mottley said during the ceremony.

Rihanna is world-renowned as a pop star, with over fourteen No. 1 hits in the United States, the latest being 2016’s “Work” from her last album "Anti," making her one of the most successful pop musicians of the 2000s and 2010s, according to Billboard.

She has largely disappeared from the spotlight to focus on her fashion and beauty group of companies Fenty, which carries the makeup brand Fenty Beauty as well as Victoria’s Secret competitor Savage x Fenty. Both brands cater to women of color, and Savage x Fenty is marketed specifically to women whose body shape differs from the conventional beauty standards, the Guardian reported.

Though her music made her rich, her Fenty brands have made her a billionaire. It is estimated that the Fenty brands are worth an estimated $1.4 billion, with her partnership with LVMH for Fenty Beauty clinching Rihanna an annual $550 million in revenue, more than other competing brands, according to Forbes.

Many credit the inclusivity of her brands to her success, and a lot of growth is expected to occur in the future as she aims to grow her fashion and beauty empire through targeting the needs of the neglected demographic of women of color.

“She is creating a brand outside of herself. It’s not just about Rihanna,” Shannon Coyne, consumer product consultant, said. “Even if you don't like her music, she’s created a real style in the fashion and beauty space.”