Watch: Rihanna Tributes Lionel Richie With ‘Say You, Say Me’

Published: Sunday 14th Feb 2016 by Rashad
rihanna-1x-thatgrapejuice-lionel richie

Rihanna‘s storied decade long career has seen her pay tribute to many a legend before her (see:  Bob Marley, Madonna, Mariah Carey, and more).  Now, the Bajan bad girl can add a new name to that growing list:  Lionel Richie.

As reported here, Ri was one of many of today’s chart-toppers on hand at last night’s Musicare’s ‘Person of the Year’ celebration honoring the legendary R&B singer.  And, while fellow Grammy winner John Legend took on ‘Easy Like Sunday Morning’ and fellow pop songstress Demi Lovato opted to tackle his hit ‘Hello,’ the ‘Work’ singer took on the job of covering his 1985 Hot 100 #1 hit ‘Say You, Say Me.’

How did TGJ’s favorite island beauty fare on the classic number?  Tuck in below and give us your say:

HQ Video coming soon:

Go Ri!

Despite a few bum notes here or there, it’s always refreshing to see her tap into some level of conviction in her performances to remind viewers that she is not one-dimensional.  Here’s hoping the ‘Anti’ era sees many-a-performance like the one rendered above.

Your thoughts?

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  1. Ugggh February 14, 2016

    That was refreshing! Go Rih!

    • Surprise..(DEC 2013) February 14, 2016

      By refreshing u mean a DAMN MESS??

      • Ugggh February 14, 2016

        No as in, it’s been a while since I have heard Rihanna sing a ballad and she sang it very well. Back under the bridge you go troll. If anyone is being messy it’s you.

      • Flash Bolt February 15, 2016

        This rendition by Rihanna was very nice

    • You tried February 15, 2016

      It was OK! No shade but it felt like one of those singers that sing at a little cocktail party that no one stops and think about who is singing until they hit that note everyone knows “Off Key” and everyone turns like “Girl who is that.. They need to stop!” I was getting those kind of VIBES?? don’t know about you.. Maybe it’s just me

      • Alejandro February 15, 2016

        Lol @ You Tried. At least Rihanna sings live and isn’t pretending to belt notes that are being lip sync like the special ed blonde fake u Stan for.

      • You tried February 15, 2016

        @Alejandro
        Miss me with the weak shade! Seriously you kids are delusional and will say almost anything to defend these artist that don’t give 2f**ks about you! Oh thousands of people ARE in FACT roasting RIHS vocals and Her wardrobe and them terrible shoes all over SOCIAL MEDIA! U Navy can run and hide at little oh TGJ but numbers don’t lie anD THE SHADE IS HIGH IN NUMBERS????? mad or naw ??

      • Bienvenidos February 15, 2016

        Lol do u want her to be safe and lip sync like bey-fake?

    • Swiftly Sweets February 15, 2016

      Work is growing on me. Can’t wait for her to perform it live with my boo drizzy

  2. Surprise..(DEC 2013) February 14, 2016

    CATS AND DOGS MAKING A SCREECHING BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Attack It From The Back Miss Kitty Kat February 14, 2016

      B.+ch u need to sew that dysfunctional pvssy up so it stop hollering for unwanted attention.

      • Truth(Nicki WHACK and Adele FAT…WHET!!) February 15, 2016

        OMG THAT WAS A READ FROM HELL!!!!

      • Bienvenidos February 15, 2016

        @MissKittyKat WOWWW lmaooooo CLOCKED!

    • Danyboo February 15, 2016

      B**** QUIT HATING SHE DID THAT. RI SLAYED THAT BALLAD. MADE ME CRY.

      • Truth(Nicki WHACK and Adele FAT…WHET!!) February 15, 2016

        She did really good

  3. Attack It From The Back Miss Kitty Kat February 14, 2016

    Yaaaaaa Riri!!! 2016 is YOURS bish!!! Upppppp like 7-up!

    • Bienvenidos February 15, 2016

      2016 is already looking good for Rihanna. I wonder what music from her and Gaga together would sound like…

  4. Rihboy February 14, 2016

    ????

  5. Weezy Tha Goat February 14, 2016

    Beautiful women, vocals not so beautiful though.

    • Ugggh February 14, 2016

      Says the goat

      • Tyler Makiavelli February 14, 2016

        Do you even know what G.O.A.T means???

  6. Take his ass to red lobster ? February 14, 2016

    She better do good at the grammy’s tomorrow !

  7. Brunswick February 14, 2016

    Ok miss riri! Do ya thang girl I see u

  8. RihNavy February 14, 2016

    Queen.

  9. Rima’s Assistant February 14, 2016

    SLAY MUHVUH!

  10. BGKC ?? February 14, 2016

    ????????????????????????

  11. LB February 14, 2016

    Love this, very well done Rihanna

    • Surprise..(DEC 2013) February 14, 2016

      Really u consider that good!!!! NAVY STANDARD…LMAO

      • LB February 14, 2016

        Hive standard is anything less than a GED, off you go troll.

      • Surprise..(DEC 2013) February 14, 2016

        LOL…..SO G.E.D FOR THE HIVE AND S.T.D FOR THE ENTIRE NAZI???

      • rosy February 15, 2016

        Why don’t you go crawl under a rock I need to go defend bey now from the nypd on the next post so navy you got this

      • Swiftly Sweets February 15, 2016

        Lol speaking of STDS I know Bey got her share of those sleeping with the industry pimp. Kiiiiii Her minions are the UNICEF ambassadors for the unhealthy v**** gay h** keep spreading.

  12. iSpeakTruthNoFallacy February 14, 2016

    WOW! Riri you are really trying to prove these people that you actually have pipes! I see you baby girl. Now, if you perform Love On the Brain like that at the Grammy’s tomorrow night, I will n** all over that damn television screen.

    • Take his ass to red lobster ? February 14, 2016

      I thought she was gonna perform work? She said shes performing Love on the brain?

      • iSpeakTruthNoFallacy February 14, 2016

        No, actually she hasn’t indicated what exactly she’s performing. It would make sense for her to perform work since it’s her current single. However, it has been confirmed that Drake will not take the stage with her. Furthermore, I remember her saying that she was going to perform Love On the Brain at last years Brits but decided to save the song for something more special, and I don’t think there’s anywhere more special to perform that song then on the Grammy stage. Work will do fine once the video comes out

    • Anti(hives scared of R8) February 14, 2016

      According to rumors she will perform Kiss it Better and Work.

      • iSpeakTruthNoFallacy February 14, 2016

        OOoohh I’d love to see her perform Kiss It Better; that sh*t gon be s***. If she’s going to do all that, then I need to see a superstar performance like she did at the AMA’s in 2010.

      • Flash Bolt February 15, 2016

        Kiss it better is so so ssso good man

    • shakira stan February 14, 2016

      Does it make sense. When work is current unprompted lead single or are you secretly wishing for it to flop?

      • iSpeakTruthNoFallacy February 15, 2016

        I don’t wish Work to flop as i do want it to be her 14th number one hit, but I don’t think it fits the Grammys.

  13. Kitteneyez February 14, 2016

    Very good Riri! Hope u serve vocals like this at the grammys tomorrow night and perform Love On The Brain

  14. Gee February 14, 2016

    Rihanna did a pretty good job with this performance.

  15. King Mark111 /.\ February 14, 2016

    Great job Rihanna. She has her own voice.

    • LB February 14, 2016

      Fenty X Puma, the fashion line slays

      • King Mark111 /.\ February 14, 2016

        I heard there’s a men line. I gotta support my girl. Lol

  16. christinastherealtalent February 14, 2016

    I don’t think she’s the go to gal to pay tribute to those who can actually sing!

  17. Lets be Real February 14, 2016

    Why do i feel like we compliment her with kiddy gloves? It wasnt as awful as normal but it wasnt worthy of standing O. I think the gp has just come to accept that long gone are the days of pop singers at least keeping key and pitch. The last of those mohicans are Justin T. Bey, usher and a few others.

    • Tyler Makiavelli February 14, 2016

      Don’t forget P!nk

    • King Mark111 /.\ February 15, 2016

      JT that was off key during his whole Grammy performance JT?

      • Blacklist February 15, 2016

        How quickly we forget how people were dissing Ushers live vocals over the years when his album wasn’t selling as much as before… That man went on CB’s “New Flame” and shut them up. U can’t follow these haters, they only big u up when it suits them.

    • ItsReigning February 15, 2016

      Why do I feel a sense of jealousy whenever someone praises Rihanna’s live performances?
      (
      Your faves have all these gut wrenching vocals but no one charts their voices nor even cares. I understand this must hurt.
      (
      The world love Rihanna’s unique tone. Just get over it.

      • Bienvenidos February 15, 2016

        Lol @ their faves vocals not being chartable

  18. iSpeakTruthNoFallacy February 14, 2016

    One thing though, I hope she changes up that hair for tomorrow night. It’s a cute, edgy cut that’s reminiscent of her GGB days, but I need something elegant. Oh and another point, she better come right on that red carpet. Although she made up for it for the extravagance at the Met, I was not a fan of that pepto bismol, ice cream, quinceneara look she had last year. I need something like that 2011 Jean Paul Gaultier see-through mesh gown.

  19. Applause February 14, 2016

    The hive is extremely jealous of this young black woman yet their fav is so pro black hm

    • Tyler Makiavelli February 15, 2016

      So, because Beyonce is pro black we are all of a sudden obligated to like Rihanna?
      What huge contributions has she ever made for the Black community???

      • Blue Ivy Rod February 15, 2016

        A*** glam campaign? the hospital for her country? how about the Clara linonel foundation? or are you saying black people only exist within the states?

      • ItsReigning February 15, 2016

        Tygress stfu u hateful bitter woman. This young star doesn’t need to use her people as scape goats to stay relevant like BeyondHope

  20. Applause February 14, 2016

    Btw Rihanna did decent you would swear she was giving Ciara national anthem teas the why the hive is going off.

  21. Stephon Jackson February 14, 2016

    She did what she could… The unique Caribbean pop tone is her saving grace. She’s damn sho’ ain’t nobody’s supreme vocalist… But, Rih CAN sing & carry a tune. Like, Mark said… She has her own distinctive voice & sound. Overall, decent performance. Can’t wait for the Grammy’s 2morrow!

    • A&R February 15, 2016

      Right on. I would just add that she also has the ability to do more. Rihanna has a very unique vice and great vocal potential but does not invest in it like those who want to be known as vocalist. Every time she slows down to perform a ballard it seems like….if she would have spent a little bit more time rehearsing…. Just took a little bit more interest in working with a coach that commits her… She would be a monster. Say what you want… This girl has all the it factors needed to be the best but she doesn’t care enough. It’s almost hard to watch. Like, it’s talent unexplored. I just wished she fully commit to this s***! Damn it, Rih! You’re blessed. Plz realize it before it’s gone.

      • Navy Gravy February 15, 2016

        It seems like she’s scared. It’s like she doesn’t want to take risks with her voice on stage because she doesn’t believe in it. I think she wants people to know that she can sing and carry a note but she doesn’t want to hear it herself or something. You can tell by the way she pulls the mic away when she goes in for bigger notes that she doesn’t trust herself. its hard to watch because the range and the ability is all there. She has such a unique voice. She better SLAY, and I mean SUH-LAYYYYY, the Grammy stage tomorrow, especially if she’s singing ‘Love on the Brain’, no more lazy performances, it’s time to prove! I’m talkin cayenne pepper, honey & lemon water, tea, apple cider vinegar, do-ré-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do all week kinda SLAYAGE B****!!!

  22. Tyler Makiavelli February 14, 2016

    10 years in and Rihanna still cant perform live without getting out of breath 000.01 seconds into the performance. SMH girl no ones hating, rih is a superstar with TERRIBLE performance skills, truth hurts.

  23. Cough Cough February 14, 2016

    Not bad by ANY means but not unique, inspiring or unique. Boring. Watch it once then never come back to it again, like all of her performances.

    • Yeah, I said it February 15, 2016

      Stfu b****, don’t you have a Brandy 90’s has-been subway concert to go to. Don’t forget to refill that metro card h**.

      • King Mark111 /.\ February 15, 2016

        !!!!!!!!

      • Cough Cough February 15, 2016

        But that brandy subway concert will serve more vocals than Rihanna is even capable of dreaming of. So ur point is what? Brandy sang Whitney Houston and slated… Rihanna sang Mariah Carey and… Well, she rihanna’d…

      • Cough Cough February 15, 2016

        Slayed****

      • Yeah, I said it February 15, 2016

        The only thing your fav is serving is flops, b****! How’s “Zoe never after” doing? I’ll say it for you h** “Canceled”! Now worry less about Rihanna, and worry more about your fav who’s BEGGING for parts on Broadway…oops

  24. yesterday was Aaliyah 37birthday to the good music February 14, 2016

    Not bad nice

  25. Yeah, I said it February 14, 2016

    Stfu b****, don’t you have a Brandy 90’s has-been subway concert to go to. Don’t forget to refill that metro card h**.

    • Cough Cough February 15, 2016

      Lmfao it isn’t my fault Rihanna’s not a sanger…. Be mad a newports, black&milds, Coke & weed… Not me.

  26. Smile February 15, 2016

    She did that!

  27. Keegan Parker February 15, 2016

    QUEEN OF VOCALS I HAVE REPLAYED THIS A MILLION TIMES

    • ItsReigning February 15, 2016

      Rihanna doesn’t have to be a vocalist like Whitney. She slays where UNIQUE TONES are concerned. Hence, she will forever be Queen of people’s eardrums! Queen of chart worthy voices! Queen of unique tone! Queen of good music!

      • Stupendous February 15, 2016

        Preach! Anti is on repeat.

  28. Hush February 15, 2016

    Um, no. That was comedy.

  29. TruthTeller2016 February 15, 2016

    That was dreadful! An off key mess.

  30. King Beyloved February 15, 2016

    Lol please leave this girl alone as she did well. Smh

  31. Blacklist February 15, 2016

    She did well. Why all the fuss whenever rihanna performs? We know what her tone is by now so why are we still expecting Whitney Houston? She is a good singer with great music.

  32. Alejandro February 15, 2016

    Lol they want rihanna to beyinspired and lip sync chile but this ain’t that other fake bish

    • Flash Bolt February 15, 2016

      This!^^

    • What now February 15, 2016

      KIIIIIII

      • Stupendous February 15, 2016

        Hahaha

  33. JanStan February 15, 2016

    Hmmmm. This wasn’t bad (for her), but she is just so lifeless. Its a sad case when THIS is considered ‘conviction’. I saw more conviction from the Zombies on Walking Dead last night kiii!!!

  34. Alejandro February 15, 2016

    Anyway gaga n riri should do music together

    • JanStan February 15, 2016

      Yes! I’d SOOOOO be here for that. A banger which is where Rhi excels at. That would be everything (and the only thing that would work).

      • JINX February 15, 2016

        Did y’all see that a Rihanna Red hair Gaga wore at the Grammys? Kii

    • Hotline Bling February 15, 2016

      I can see RiRi motivating GaGa to play with “her bad romance” side… On a track. It would be so fierce chile!

      • Ashanti tribe February 15, 2016

        Lool they do have tht in common

  35. Alejandro February 15, 2016

    Can’t stand that fake blonde

  36. Hotline Bling February 15, 2016

    Is the video for work going to be out anytime soon? That song is fire… I believe a mashup/medley with “Work ” can slay at the Grammys

  37. Ashanti tribe February 15, 2016

    What song is she performing tomorrow?

  38. Anti-Singing Garbage voices February 15, 2016

    Auch Auch my ears are bleeding.

    She needs 2 leave those kind of songs for real singers like Beyonce etc.

  39. Flash Bolt February 15, 2016

    Does beyonce even sings live anymore?

  40. Bienvenidos February 15, 2016

    If she performs work I’ll lose my voice screaming! Lol that is my jam. Grammys looking interesting this year

  41. Stupendous February 15, 2016

    I can’t wait to see her perform at the Grammys!! What will she wear? What song is she going to perform? Kiss it better and work are my votes

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