Although it has been less than four months since the release of her Rihanna‘s ‘Rated R’ LP, fresh reports today are confirming that the model-turned-aspiring singer is set to release an entirely album ‘this summer’. According to insiders close to the project; after the tumultuous year the Bajan experienced during the recording period of her current LP (which was critiqued by some for being ‘too dark’), the 22 year old is keen to re-embrace a lighter-Popier sound, in the vein of previous hits ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ and ‘Disturbia’. {Source} {Source 2}
I can’t say I didn’t see this coming (a fact regular readers will know we’ve been calling out ever since ‘Rated R’ dropped). I mean granted ‘Rated R’ is probably Ms. Fenty’s best album to-date (which isn’t saying all that much), that dark (or as her folk would call it ‘edgy’) image she was trying to sell was just not cutting it with the masses – hence the so-so sales of the project despite 4 videos and an epic promotional push. I guess the current success of ‘Rude Boy’, the most playful cut on her record, has her label anxious to ‘go that route’ again. While I imagine they’re hoping it brings in the $$$, it kinda leaves me wondering still – ‘just what kind of artist is Rihanna?’ Four albums down the line and many still have not ascertained the answer to the question.
While I’m sure some will greet the news of more sheep-bleating on a CD with glee, I can’t say I share in that sentiment. Rushing through singles with the quickness and dropping a new album less than a year after the first was released (likely due to lukewarm sales) is on par with RiRi’s much critiqued re-release strategy (see: the 100 re-issues of ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’). I mean really. Saturation.com
To digest the absurdity of it all, one need not look further than Lady GaGa, who continues to enjoy chart-smashing success (BOTH ‘The Fame’ and ‘The Fame Monster’ are still in the top 10 on the Billboard 200), yet has only officially released one single since November – that being ‘Bad Romance’ – and has been on tour for the most part. I guess it goes to show folk will still buy records – if it’s worth their cash.
Still, it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.