Pandemic Playlist: Celebrate '15 Years of Rihanna' with these Top 5 songs that made us fall in love with RiRi
Exactly 15 years ago, Rihanna dropped 'Pon de Replay' and shot to international fame. Fans of the iconic singer even trended the hashtag #15YearsOfRihanna on Sunday, May 24. And as we all patiently await the release of her ninth album, here's a quick walk down memory lane to appreciate some of the singer's best songs that also perfectly match our quarantine mood.
'Disturbia'
This uptempo dance track became an instant hit, but despite how upbeat the track itself is, the song's lyrics and themes are quite dark. Revolving around the experience of anguish, anxiety, and confusion, 'Disturbia' was a song that Rihanna was determined to have on the repackaged 'Good Girl Gone Bad' album, personally approaching ex-Def Jam boss LA Reid and recommending the track be released as the follow-up single to 'Take a Bow'. In an interview with MTV News, Reid stated that it was "the first time Rihanna actually came to me and said, 'Here's the song I want to put out.'" Reid saw this as Rihanna taking control of her own music. For the singer herself, the experience was about finding herself, and in the process, giving listeners something they could relate to.
While 'disturbia' is the Latin plural for 'disturbances', the word has also come to refer to 'dystopia', or an imagined place where everything is bad and the world is in a state of total degradation. The song makes several references to a dystopian world, one that 'disturbs' you, in addition to exploring themes of pleasure and pain. And that makes this song extremely relatable in this day and age.
'We Found Love' (featuring Calvin Harris)
One of the best-selling singles of all time as well as Rihanna's longest-running single, this electronic dance track featuring Calvin Harris became an instant hit and proved to be a massive boom for the latter's career. Funnily enough, the song was originally recorded by UK singer Leona Lewis, who later stated it annoyed her that it wasn't her on the hit song, though she admitted it probably wouldn't have done as well had it been released any other way.
Both the song and its video revolve around two lovers who try to hold on to an unsustainable relationship. While the song itself doesn't explicitly refer to drug use, the video likens the relationship to addiction in a rather literal way. And while the song originally referenced to the pursuit of love against all odds, including trying to find it in a "hopeless place", it now takes on a new meaning as we all try to find a sense of community and togetherness in these seemingly hopeless times.
'Umbrella' (featuring Jay Z)
Often referred to as a 'ride-or-die anthem' 'Umbrella' was yet another smash hit for the at-the-time still relatively new artiste. The song's super catchy lyrics which repeated the 'ella' from 'Umbrella' because one of the earliest viral memes, long before memes and virality were all the rage. With this song, Rihanna established herself as a force to be reckoned with as she effortlessly dominated the charts and found plenty of airplay. And despite this song being released in 2007, it continues to be a favorite that many still choose to cover.
Hilariously, the song also sparked the 'Rihanna Curse' wherein it appeared to cause rainfall wherever it went. The connection led to Def Jam collaborating with British umbrella manufacturer Totes on a line of Rihanna umbrellas. But jokes aside, the song itself revolves around being there for the person you love, no matter what. It's a song that declares a person's loyalty to their lover, as they promise to never let anything get in between them. The song also states that by uplifting one another, both lovers can "shine together." And that's a wonderful message to keep in mind right now.
'Diamonds'
Written by Sia in only 14 minutes, this song has had quite the evolution. It started out as a Kanye West-style hip hop track that was developed by producer Benny Blanco and his team. When Sia heard the song she fell in love with it and penned the chart-topping hit in record time. With her input, it took on a more pop ballad sound and she recorded the demo in 12 minutes. And when the track finally made its way to Rihanna, she instantly fell in love with it and put her own vocals on it, creating one of her best hits to date.
The song reminded people that Rihanna was more than just an artiste who put out club bangers. She worked hard to match Sia's vocals on the track, and the results were so good even Sia had a hard time believing it wasn't her own voice until she personally saw the files. Lyrically and thematically, the song is both an ode to loving oneself as well as an uplifting anthem that states everyone is special in their own way. The song also has connotations of a relationship wherein the love is so strong and powerful it mimics the effects of ecstasy.
Overall though, the song carries an important message: that you can choose to be happy by finding the light within yourself and cherishing the good things life has to offer.
'Believe It'
Despite desperate please from her fans, Rihanna has chosen to not release any new music in recent years. She was rumored to be releasing a reggae album in 2019, but that never panned out. But in 2020, the singer gave her fans a massive surprise when she featured on Canadian rapper PARTYNEXTDOOR's track 'Believe It', marking her first appearance on a single in three years, after she featured on NERD's 2017 track 'Lemon'. 'Believe It', the fourth single off PARTYNEXTDOOR's newly released album 'PARTYMOBILE', also features Drake and Bad Bunny.
The song is a mid-tempo R&B-pop tune that revolves around a relationship and two lovers imploring one another to "believe in their connection," and while Rihanna only sings two lines on the track, it was enough to send her fans into a tizzy. And since there's still no word on her next album, this remains all we're likely to get from the Barbadian singer anytime soon. For anyone that has been slowly losing hope as they await Rihanna's glorious return, this song is sure to remind you that not all good things must end. Maybe once the quarantine lifts, Rihanna will grace us with 'R9'. All we have to do is 'Believe It', and maybe it'll happen.
Pandemic Playlist is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained instead of feeling drained while you're isolated at home. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) to refresh your mood every day.