Reputable UK newspaper The Independent were less than impressed with Rihanna’s concert here in London at the 02 last week:Rihanna’s two backing singers, meanwhile, wear more tasteful cocktail dresses, and carry the songs. Her rougher voice cuts across them almost randomly, and is only strong when buffed by effects. Look at the video screens, and you can admire Rihanna’s looks, and diamond-encrusted mic. Look at the stage, and her real performance has no charisma, no defining persona. She could be a mannequin, or a hopeful rap video extra. Click here to read more…
Thankfully, it’s not just me who sees past all the hype.
Your thoughts?
i don’t really dig rihanna and i’m not sold on this ‘look’ her label gave her. she doesn’t have stage presence to headline a tour, that’s why she’s not in the states with it, there’s nothing magical about her on stage, her voice is subpar and annoying, her dancing leaves much to be desired, all she has is her looks, SHE NEEDS TO TAKE CASSIE AND GO MODEL, I SWEAR THEY BOTH FLOP WITH ALBUM SALES AND ARE F****** TO STAY ON THE LABEL, TELL ME WHERE AN ARTIST GETS 3 CD’S LIKE RIHANNA DID IN 3 YEARS AND GET 1 DECENT SINGLE OFF OF EACH UNTIL THE THIRD CD??
explain something to me.
how old are these reviewers? cause when i saw the videos on youtube, the crowd could not get enuff of rihanna.
rihanna is a pop star like janet and britney, they are NOT vocalists. pop music has nuffin with being the best singer at all, pop music has more to do with looks and the music. rihanna is a pop artist. if janet survived with her lipsingin ass fuh years, why rihanna cant? they both are not vocalists.
@T,
please. dont be mad cause ur kelly rowland cannot make it on her own as a singer, face it, she is a good backup singer to beyonce. she was out long before rihanna and could have garnered fans. btw, rihanna has many hits, cassie only has one. dont hate the player hate the game.
i too am not please with the way rihanna sings live but when i heard the man who discovered her in barbados say, that rihanna’s voice was distinctive, i now realised why she has the record deal cause she definitely does not sound like the others, her voice is quite unique, the only thing she needs is some good voice lessons. forget the dancing, the vocals should be there.
btw, rihanna was not in london last nite, she was in denmark last nite.
@sam,
keep hyping up kelly rowland aint gine make her successful like rihanna, she just does NOT have wat it takes to make it. that is how it is. cause i dont see nuffin special in kelly rowland besides being a backup singer to beyonce.
Also, her label wouldn’t keep putting her out if she wasn’t making money for them. She may not be seeing as much of it, but believe me they are.
I also agree that she is more a pop artist like Madonna and Britney. It’s not really necessary for her to have a powerhouse voice, as long as it’s distinctive.
And please STOP shoving kelly rowland down our throats. Great website!
For starters, let’s stop putting Rihanna in Madonna and Janet’s categories. Rihanna doesn’t even compare to Britney Spears! She can’t sing (like the artists listed above), but the difference is they sure as hell know how to give a great show. I’ve seen Rihanna perform a numerous amount of times and she always leaves more to be desired. Hell, you’d think she’d AT LEAST be able to show why they gave her a record deal, but she never does. She can’t sing OR dance. Why is she here? She’s nothing more than a robot for Def Jam. I won’t say she’s “f****** for contracts” or whatever people say. Why does she need to? Def Jam knows good and well that people will buy into her overratedness (lol). Even though she never sells albums; we can’t deny shes had more hits than artists who’ve been in the industry for awhile (i.e., Kelly Rowland). BUT, at the end of the day it doesn’t mean much seeing as how the music industry cherishes the untalented (i.e., 90% of Hip-Hop acts, Rihanna, etc.).
And to Sam, please, continue to keep me informed with Kelly. I’m disappointed with her “Ms. Kelly” re-release fiasco, but I’d much rather hear about her continuously than artists who prove their worth (or try to) with whack performances and dominatrix outfits.
She could be a mannequin, or a hopeful rap video extra.
^^^ OUCH!!! These critics be harsh boiii!!!!
crit·ic
–noun 1. a person who judges, evaluates, or criticizes.
2. a person who tends too readily to make captious, trivial, or harsh judgments; faultfinder.
I think that people should take a critic’s critique or review for what is really is. It’s an OPINION people and more times than not these acclaimed or proclaimed ‘critics’ are going to be harsh and extremely over critical but you can’t blame them that’s what their job title calls for them to do. That’s my take on this. As far as rhianna, she’s going to do her regardless lol & hopefully she improves @ her craft. That’s all I have to say.
and u guys wonder y my gurl kelly hasnt sold-its becuase wack ass haters that wont give the gurl a break. this post wasnt even about kelly but yet yall bring her up. its sad really and im amazed that kelly is still givin it all shes got when ppl like yall haters are out there putting everyone down when yall prolly work a miserable 9-5 and hate on someone who is trying to succeed. and as for rihanna-ive never liked her. she iight but thats where it stops-atleast kelly has a atcual voice and is a vocalist and not singer and can actually dance. kellys problem is that she doesnt have good mamgement behind her (talent with no push) while rihanna has all the push with no talent. if kelly had rihannas promo team -then hands down u know shed be a major problem.
sam i cant believe u would post sumfing lyk this up this review isfrom the indepent a british newspaper which is widely known to be racist so u know even if ne1 performed the most spectacular show they’dsay the same thing plus i dont care if ne1 thinks im playing the race card coz this newspaper is not targeted for a young black male n im sure chris brown aint gonna b pleased bout the things u sayin bout his girl in the interview
The reason why Kelly is not successful has nothing to do with “haters” like us. If she comes out with material I like, then fine. But, we as consumers have too many choices and it’s easy for her to fall by the wayside. In addition to us being in a recession in the US, I have to be very selective of the entertainment I buy (lol). Look at the positive reviews that Michelle is getting for her new song. If you come correct, people will support you.
Now for Rihanna. I don’t think people are saying that Rihanna is as good as Madonna or Janet, just that the music styles are the same. I liked Good Girl Gone Bad a lot. I liked it more than I expected to.
I AM SO OVER PEOPEL SAYING RIHANAN CANT SING……DO U REALIZE THAT OUT OFF ALL THESE PEOPLE YALL GROUP HER WITH (JANET, BRITNEY, MADONNA) SHE IS TEH ONLY ONE THAT ACTUALLY SINGS LIVE, AND THE FACT THAT SHE HAS NEVER TAKEN VOCAL LESSON…THATS JUST RAW TALENT, SHE IS ONE OF FEW ARTIST WHO ACTUALLY SOUND THE SAME WHEN THERE LIVE AND WHEN THEY RECORD AN ALBUM…ALL THE HATING DOESN’T DO ANYTHING BUT HELP HER…SO KEEP HATING LIKE KATT WILLIAMS SAID IF U GOT 15 HATER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR MAKE SURE U GOT HUNDREDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR…..AND BY THE SHE IS A GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTIST WITH HER OWN NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN HER NATIVE COUNTRY….HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT…..
y r u all hating on Kelly cuz he posted a review about Rihanna he wasn’t hating he was just posting it because its outrageous i couldn’t believe a critic would write it …but really don’t talk down on KR because her music really is amazing .. f*** sales no1 is selling … look at the charts about 50% of the albums don’t have certifications
I went to her concert in Paris, man she sucks ! I paid a lot on my ticket, and I did not get any entertainment at all, she’s not a pro, she can’t dance, she doesn’t know how to lead on stage, background singers sound better than her, she did a little bit of playback, I was so furious, but that confirms that she’s totally crap as an individual live artist, thanks to Jay Z & co she got a great CD “GGGB”, but she has to realize that people buy CD’s & tickets to hear some of her voice, but you know I can excuse her cuz she’s only 19, she’s not aware that she’s just “marketing & business” in Jay-Z’s house, so I’m never going to buy tickets & Cd’s from her music
i didn’t need this review to know this. ciara bodied her at her own concert in december. rihanna is stiff and boring. her 10 minutes will be up soon
chick needs to stop. she has no talent period.
Yeah i agree with the reviewer, I have been a fan since Music Of The Sun so when i heared Rihanna was coming to the UK i went to see her, She has zero stage presence (Unlike Janet,Madonna & Britney) She can’t dance (Ciara wiped the floor with RiRi) And she wasnt all that vocally BUT Rihanna does sell records Good Girl Gone Bad has sold over 4 million copies i mean it aint 1999 anymore! No one sell’s 30 million copies of one album (Like Britney,Mariah & Madonna has) I just cant see Rihanna being around past her next album or Kelly Rowland for that matter
The show before that was the same she is selling s**. Brit, Janet and Madonna should never be mention in the same breath as this girl. Reviewers have an objective mind and see beyond all the hollaring of a teenage fan.
Rihanna
(RDS, Dublin, Ireland – February 27th, 2008)
It’s been a sensational ride to fame for the 18-year-old who caught the attention of Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson’s superproducers Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken. Struck by her combination of dancehall, calypso, reggae and soul, Rihanna recorded her first album 2005’s Music of the Sun and this year’s A Girl Like Me.
Her show was a Disney-esque choreographed fantasy of non-stop hip-swivelling, sassy attitude and personal endearments and a string of funky, sugar-free hits, such as We Ride, Unfaithful, Kisses Don’t Lie and the Soft Cell-inspired SOS that, even by hip-hop standards, was surprisingly forgettable. The music took a back seat to fashion as Rihanna had a hard time singing in tune, while her dancing was little more than strutting back and forth. Meanwhile, her hyperactive DJ kept telling us to make some noise, which I thought Rihanna was already doing sufficiently well on her own!
Notwithstanding, Rihanna’s bubble-gum-sing-along-type music, namely Hate That I Love You (featuring Neo on her latest album Good Girl Gone Bad), Shut Up And Drive and her biggest hit to date Umbrella, remixed with a rocksteady outro, found its mark.
But really did you expect something different for her.
@ anonymous said, than everyone is racist she is what she is and she gets what she deserves she does not sing live she sings along with, if it was not for the backtracking and them backup singers lord help y’all for really wasting y’all money. Raw talent now that was too funny. Nothing talented about this chick at all. The some what nice reviews are funny instead of addressing the issue of her singing they put it on her clothing instead read with an open mind and you will see, some reviewers are nicer than the others but it’s all the same she cant sing and has no stage performance what so ever. She can hollar sing, what, I love you and so on but that is the extent of her talent.
First & foremost i DONT think Rihanna can sing!!!! I Dont even think that the Girl has stage presence……….she is boring!!! And wayyyyyyyy too Overrated!!!! Iam Not going to jump down anyones throat for their opinions but how can you compare rihanna to kelly rowland? for goodness sake Kelly CAN Sing………she just Needs the riite guidance…….Which means getting a new management team,and the best music producers and Song writers!!!! The thing about rihanna is that she has Catchy songs but when it comes to singing and performing, she SUCKZ BIGTIME. For example her performance with morris Day @ the grammy awards……..i was so excited, but she was so stiff with that big ass STACK OF HAY she called a DRESS!!!!!!it seemed to me she was too busy trying to be cute than entertaining the audience!!! If i had to choose whether to pay money to see beyonce Or rihanna in concert..i would choose Beyonce because Not only can she sing BUt she is a Damn good Entertainer and i know my money aint goin down the drain!!!!!!!!!!
It’s sad for me to say this, but since Rihanna’s success with ‘Umbrella’ i’ve taken closer notice of her live performances and I have to agree…..
She falls flat, it’s like watching a girl prance around in her bedroom singing into a hairbrush…
There’s no artistry there.
All the other singer’s mentioned had STAGE PRESENCE…forget the ability to blow like Whitney etc, you don’t need that to be talented or mezmirizing on stage— u need personality. U need to be able to morph into characters that make people entertained or stunned (appreciative of music) NOT your LOOKS (sorry Rihanna, ur a stunner but not a superstar).
Call me a hater, but i can sit through Kelly Roland, Britney, Janet, Beyonce etc and see that theres some type of care and goal going into their performance… I can even sit through Omarion, Ciara and CB and know they PERFECTED their dance moves…felt what the music was doing.
Rihanna, i WISH to HELL i could appreciate for more than her looks and choice of clothing cuz I think she’s a charming girl….but no, i can’t….
Hopefully someone in her camp will make her develop a more believable persona on stage… so I can look at the next ‘up and coming’ and say “O…I can tell she’s influenced by Ri…” or better yet…she’s just a Rihanna wannabe…. I doubt it though.
Ok…Yall star fanatics are being extra childish!!! real talk… how ignorant can u be for goin off on this man cause he posted a review…come on now…lets get it together…Now what I think is sad is that ppl gettin on here sayin…she might not be the best vocalist but she’s unique…that s*** is extra dumb…Ive said it time and time again if thats the case we could all be millionaires doin tours around the globe…yall are buying an image…and its sad that we are buyin into images instead of true talent…Im sorry call me a hater all u want to cause I truely do hate the fact that all the real talented ppl are gettin overlooked and passed up everyday because they dont have a certain look…its a sad shame…dnt get me wrong Rihanna is beautiful and she has an amazing style…she has amazing fashion sense…but be a model or something…and let tha real talents get they shine on…come on yall quit buyin into repetitive hooks and lets just be real…I want to be entertained…and if they cant dance then I want them to sing a chill up my spine…ok!!! lets be real babies cuz this is gettin sad!
Love her music but i’m always waiting for her to bring it in live performances…
she has yet to deliver & i suspect that she can’t.
I swear i’m not a hater but as a pop artist if you can’t bring it live then its no good.
who is Kelly Rowland ? oh u mean BEYONCE and dem? oh her, she will be nothing more that, RHIANNA IS THE TOTAL PACKAGE, she has some of everything and KELLY DOES NOT. people want to see RhiRhi, nobody’s talking and KelKel. and since when can janet jackson sing? has she ever hit a high note? has modonna ever hit a high note? U DONT HAVE TO SING IN POP, U CHANT
rhianna will always be better than kelly and it HURTS yall to see this CARIBBEAN girl make it big
I saw Rihanna when she came to Newcastle. Her concert was highly entertaining, having a great dance routine and a strong voice. Hope Rihanna comes back to Newcastle in the near future.
Rihanna can sing…….BUT! she needs to work on her timing, pitch, tuning… cuz she sounds SO DAMN careless at times. Watching her perform is ok (only because she’s so damn HOT) Yes i said it. Rihanna is incredibly beautiful but is that enough to keep me entertained?….
Probably.
All honesty, she just needs great marketing ….no one will even notice how off-key she sounds at times. Image is everything in this business and Ri knows how to works it! I’m all for CARRIBEANS making it, so quit bringing nationality into this (thats an easy cop out). She just needs work vocally and needs some type of performance work /stage presence and she’ll be good.
…and i agree with recent posts, if u can’t dance or put on a great visual show (i.e. Ciara/Janet/Omarion/ChrisBrown/Madonna/Britney…list goes on) and not depending on ur dancers to carry a show…then u better be able to BLOW and sing in tune.
Forehead Fenty gets on my nerves. The only thing she’s good at is annoying me. *lol*
Every performance I’ve seen of hers has been sub par. All she does is walk up and down a damn stage and sometimes she doesn’t even do that. Her backing dancers put on more of a show than her and that s*** ain’t right, surely. She needs to buy The Beyonce experience DVD as well as a couple of Madonna’s and Janet’s and watch how a chick is supposed to handle her business on stage.
Bull! The journalist says Rap video… funny how the white based media express the views of black performers… but in the next breath mentions Madonna in a different context.
Yes, she looks like a tart and has sold a hell of a lot more records since… well, wearing less. She remains classy on the red carpet but the concert attire is just ridiculous.
Back to the music…. i haven’t seen her live so i cant comment on that.