Global superstar Rihanna marked two decades in the music industry penultimate Friday, sharing a heartfelt message of gratitude to her fans, collaborators, and family. The milestone sparked renewed excitement about the possibility of new music from the Grammy-winning artist.
In a post on X, Rihanna reflected on the journey that began with her 2005 debut single Pon de Replay and her first body of work. “20 years ago, I left my country, my culture, my food, and family to embark on a journey that started with the release of my very first body of music! So many of you were a part of my life and career since the very beginning, and some of you have joined the adventure along the way. I’m forever grateful to all of you,” she wrote.
She expressed her appreciation for her fans, describing them as “the most loyal, die-hard fans that don’t play about me whatsoever,” and also thanked the teams, mentors, and industry figures who believed in her early on. “I just wanted to take this moment to say thank you! Thank you for the greatest first 20 years ever!” she added, closing her message with the hashtag #R20 and a prayer emoji.
The post quickly generated a wave of celebration across social media, with fans praising her career highlights—from her nine Grammy wins, movie features to her billion-dollar Fenty empire. It also reignited speculation about new music, as her last studio album, Anti, was released in 2016.
Fans took to X with comments reflecting the widespread anticipation for a new album. While Rihanna has not officially announced any new project, her anniversary tribute reinforced her gratitude to those who have supported her journey from Barbados to global superstardom.
The 36-year-old, who has sold more than 250 million records worldwide, praised her fan base, credited her family as her strongest support system, and acknowledged the executives, DJs, producers, writers, choreographers, designers, and others who helped shape her career.
The Barbadian singer Rihanna has released eight studio albums, two remix albums, one reissue, seven box sets and three extended plays. Since the beginning of her career in 2005, Rihanna has sold 60 million album units and 215 million digital tracks worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.
In addition to taking the charts by storm, RiRi has also conquered the world of acting, having appeared in several films and television shows including her voice in the Smurfs Movie, where she takes on the role of Smurfette. Her movie features include: Las Vegas (2005), All My Children (2006), Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006), Battleship (2012), This Is The End (2013), Annie (2014), Home (2015), Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017), Bates Motel (2017), Ocean’s 8 (2018), Guava Island (2019) and The Smurfs Movie (2025).
