Rihanna Says She Is Not A Role Model Like Taylor Swift

Rihanna has no plans to join Taylor Swift on stage. NME breaks the news.

“Rihanna does not see herself joining the list of people to appear with Swift. Speaking to NME for the cover feature of the all-new free magazine, distributed in more than 500 locations on Friday, September 18, Rihanna says: ‘I don’t think I would. I just don’t think it makes sense.'”

Rihanna goes on to tell NME that her brand is completely different from Taylor’s and their audiences aren’t the same. She says that Taylor Swift is a role model, unlike herself. Rihanna also tells the magazine that her album, tentatively titled R8, just isn’t done. Many suspect the reason the album isn’t done is because out of three singles released this year, only one made the top 10. Idolator talked about Rihanna’s problems earlier this year.

“The singer is known for dropping radio-ready singles that would head straight into the Top 10 with the click of her blunt-holding fingers, yet recently that has not proven to be the case.”

Idolator goes on to note that Rihanna was focusing on endless magazine covers rather than hit singles. Earlier this summer, she released a video for her single “B***h Better Have My Money,” which charted, but not as high as most of Rihanna’s singles. The video was very controversial, with the Guardian detailing the uproar.

“Depending on which commentator or social media spat you choose, the video – viewed 12 million times since its release – is either an empowering challenge to music industry stereotypes or a racist and gory piece of misogyny.”

The Guardian added that a headline of one site read, “Not Safe for Work or Feminists,” while Twitter said Rihanna was glorifying violence against women. There are also a lot of people on Twitter who think Rihanna’s video was racist. However, the Huffington Post said Rihanna’s new video is brilliant. They admit that the sexualized violence in the video was graphic and disturbing, but it summed up everything Rihanna’s fans loved her for by being edgy and unapologetic.

“Unapologetic” has been the word that has probably been most used to describe Rihanna and that’s where she differs from Taylor Swift, who has always released a statement to clear up any PR troubles. Rihanna has always been very much like Madonna in pushing boundaries of perceived taste, feminism, and even race. Let’s hope Rihanna continues to push boundaries when her new album is finally released.

[Photos by GVK/Bauer-Griffin and Michael Hickey / Getty Images]