Perhaps it’s because Robyn Rihanna Fenty has ostensibly taken over the world—record sales exceeding 200 million, accolades ranging from Grammy Awards to Time’s list of the 100 Most Influential People to a fashion icon lifetime achievement award—that many expected her latest musical output, Anti, to be some sort of career-defining masterwork. But those following more closely know that ever since Rihanna branched beyond dance-pop with 2007’s record-breaking Good Girl Gone Bad, the Barbadian beauty has established herself as a supremely confident artist who pursues only her own path.
Eighth studio album Anti is the soundtrack of a world RiRi has created for herself. Noticeably absent are the huge dance anthems that made her a household name. In their place are addictive, edgy gems like “Consideration”—where Rihanna declares, “I got to do things my own way, darling”—bonus track teaser “Sex With Me” and undeniable dancehall-flavored smash “Work,” a track that proves Rihanna can make a monster club hit on whatever terms she prefers.
Always sexy and soulful, she brings a new diversity of sounds with her latest work, all of which will be on display when the Anti World Tour rolls into Las Vegas this weekend. Expect a memorable performance. Rihanna at Mandalay Bay Events Center, April 29 & 30.
