9 Rihanna Music Videos That Are Basically Art | Screen Rant
The overwhelming support and affection that pop sensation Rihanna has received were earned, in part, through over a decade of brilliant and sensational releases. While her initial phase of success in the late 2000s was standard for a pop star, her continued output in the 2010s - paired with her bold business ventures - cemented her as a cultural phenomenon comparable to figures such as Kanye West and Beyoncé.
Many of the music videos that Rihanna has starred in throughout her career have reached creative heights normally reserved for other artistic mediums.
"Umbrella" was one of Rihanna's earliest hits, and it continues to be one of her most defining pieces. The song is well-crafted and well-performed enough to be regarded as legitimately artistic on its own, but its accompanying music video (in which Jay-Z co-stars) elevates it to a level of brilliance that few mainstream artists reach.
In the video, Rihanna's dancing manages to secure the audience's attention despite her not being accompanied by backup dancers until the end of the song - a feat that only an exceptionally charismatic entertainer could achieve.
This early Rihanna music video directly challenged gender norms (which were even more entrenched at the time of the song's release) by depicting a group of women performing car repairs without male accompaniment, rendering it one of the music videos by female artists that were ahead of their time.
The sense of female empowerment conveyed by this video was and remains transformative, and it is one of Rihanna's many contributions to popular culture that imparted practical value to audiences in addition to entertainment value. Her confidence in publicly staking positions on social issues is a notable contributor to her iconic status.
The perfect expression of despondency that Rihanna displays from her bathtub during the "Stay" music video is higher-tier acting than a fair number of professional actors are likely able to execute, putting it among the best music videos about mental health.
Paired with the haunting overlapping music and Mikky Ekko's subdued but effective supporting appearance, her portrayal of defeat and hopelessness communicates her emotional state to an extent that only legitimate art is able to. The "Stay" video is art, of course - a towering creative statement that makes Rihanna's exceptional capability as a storyteller evident.
This music video is thoroughly and indisputably bizarre, but its psychedelic tone and cartoonish graphics are what distinguish it from the leagues of mediocre works that artists routinely produce simply out of contractual obligation.
Rihanna refuses to be apathetic toward any strain of her work, and that dedication to originality is the impetus for some of her most captivatingly unique pieces. The "Rude Boy" video is one of the most glaring examples of Rihanna's confidence in challenging creative norms and producing work that is not guaranteed to hold mass appeal.
The music video for "Only Girl (In The World)" is visually stunning, incorporating color to an extent that might be considered excessive were it not so pleasing to the eye. Rihanna galavants through a meadow (with the flowers perfectly complementing her then-red hair) before dancing beneath a fireworks display after nightfall.
Where the "Stay" video dwells in bleakness and resignation, this one basks in celebratory joy, with the gorgeous scenery, crisp cinematography, and near-perfect performance by Rihanna communicating a state of unabashed satisfaction to observant viewers.
While some of Rihanna's music videos opt for abstract storytelling that aims to communicate emotions rather than concepts, the phenomenal video for the hit song "Needed Me" - directed by famous filmmaker Harmony Korine - more closely resembles a short film, depicting the singer following her lover to a strip club and killing him.
A key facet of Rihanna's brilliance is her commitment to making bold creative choices that ensure her audience's focus, whether or not viewers or listeners take kindly to their oftentimes-shocking execution. Rihanna's boundless confidence as an artist and as an individual is what has solidified her standing as a cultural force, and such confidence is readily apparent in the "Needed Me" video.
The music video for "We Found Love" depicts a deeply passionate whirlwind relationship between Rihanna and an unidentified lover, laden with physical intimacy, drug use, and heated argument. Such a romance is surely familiar to scores of audiences, and the video's representation of it is likely cathartic for those who have lived a similar experience.
This music video tells a narrative in such a descriptive and emotional fashion that it could legitimately be compared to literature, despite cultural critics' tendency to deny the validity of music videos as proper art.
The strongest sign of an effective artist is their ability to captivate. The music video for "Where Have You Been" displays Rihanna's effortless ability to draw fans' attention in such a way, incorporating exceptional choreography, costume design, and filming techniques in order to develop a world that those who view the video can live within for its four-and-a-half-minute runtime.
While Rihanna's emergence from a body of water at the beginning of the video and return to it at the conclusion is not elaborated upon, it adds an element of mysteriousness to the work that is key to high-quality entertainment and a contributor to its status as one of the best music videos of the decade.
This music video primarily communicates its message through visuals rather than through story, which can be even more effective at conveying emotions in many instances. Its incorporation of both color and black-and-white imagery is the primary element that renders the video unique and memorable, and the repeated visuals of galloping horses add a natural beauty that contrasts the focused shots of Rihanna's face to diversify the video's theming.
If art is the expression of emotion and perspective through creative outlets, the "Diamonds" video certainly qualifies.