Singer, actress and businesswoman, Rihanna, is now also the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to her home country of Barbados.
This new role comes with “specific responsibility for promoting education, tourism and investment for the island,” according to the Barbados Government Information Office.
This new title and new responsibilities come ten years after Rihanna was named one of Barbados’ cultural ambassadors in 2008, a job which mainly consisted of promotional work for its tourism ministry.
“Rihanna has a deep love for this country, and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education,” Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said. “She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home.
Mottley also praises Fenty for “raising the island’s profile across the world.”
To the dismay of fans, Rihanna has not released music since her Grammy-nominated album “ANTI,” which was released in January 2016. Instead, she’s been working on Fenty Cosmetics which launched in September 2017 and Savage X Fenty which made its New York Fashion Week debut this year.
“She has also demonstrated, beyond her success as a pop icon, significant creative acumen and shrewdness in business. It is therefore fitting that we engage and empower her to play a more definitive role as we work to transform Barbados,” said Mottley.
Rihanna said in a statement that she “couldn’t be more proud to take on such a prestigious title in my home country.”
“Every Barbadian is going to have to play their role in this current effort, and I’m ready and excited to take on the responsibility,” Rihanna said. “I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mottley and her team to reimagine Barbados.”