Rihanna’s a billionaire! Forbes names RiRi the world’s ‘richest female musician’ – again – as her worth soars to US$1.7 billion (thanks, Fenty Beauty)

Forbes announced on Wednesday that Rihanna has reached the ranks of Oprah Winfrey – who is one of the richest entertainers in the world and the world’s first black female billionaire – by officially joining the three-comma club. This might come as little surprise to those who have glimpsed inside her US$13.8 million Beverly Hills mansion.

The publication now estimates her net worth at US$1.7 billion, with most of it coming from her hot cosmetic brand Fenty Beauty. This merely reinforces her status as the richest female musician on the planet, a title she’s held since 2019 when she was rated to be worth US$600 million.

In lieu of another album – which fans are still waiting for since 2016’s acclaimed Anti – the singer-turned-entrepreneur, born Robyn Fenty, launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 in partnership with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. The brand’s launch focused on inclusivity with a then-unprecedented 40 shades of foundation, prompting the “Fenty Effect” which saw other brands expand their shade ranges for complexion products. Now the brand covers everything under the sun of make-up, from brushes and blushes to lipsticks.

Forbes estimates US$1.4 billion of her worth to come from Fenty Beauty and US$270 million from her fiery lingerie brand Savage X Fenty – the business magazine said the rest of the US$1.7 billion is sprinkled in from the Barbadian star’s music and acting career.

Rihanna made history in 2019 when she launched her luxury fashion house Fenty under the ever-expanding LVMH umbrella. The 33-year-old performer became the first person since 1987 to launch a new house with LVMH (the last person was Christian Lacroix) and the first woman to create an original brand there, as well as becoming the first woman of colour at the top of an LVMH maison.