As we all know, Taylor Swift is one Pokemon away from having featured every living being on the planet join her onstage on her 1989 tour. Well, guess what, us — there’s one Pokemon she’ll never get: Rihanna.
“I just don’t think it makes sense,” Rihanna told NME, in their first-ever free issue. “I don’t think our brands are the same: I don’t think they match, I don’t think our audiences are the same. In my mind, she’s a role model — I’m completely not.”
To be honest, I think Rihanna’s admission makes her even more of a role model, since, a) she’s proudly been herself since arriving on the scene over ten years ago, and b) no one should be walking around pegging themselves as a hero. (Especially since we’re all people, and people are flawed.)
But I’ll tell you this: I do like that Rihanna is acknowledging how incredibly strange it would be to take to the stage and sing “Bad Blood” — a song I just . . . I don’t know you, guys, I just don’t think it’s for me — considering she’s also the woman who brought us “Bitch Better Have My Money” a.k.a. the official anthem of Women Who Freelance, everywhere.
So no, their brands aren’t the same. And may we all join hands and give thanks that this is something Rihanna is confident enough to assert and to put out there. Especially because her comments weren’t defined by anything other than honesty and professionalism and fact. It’s not a bad thing that Taylor Swift and Rihanna are different. It’s not a bad thing that Rihanna joining the 1989 tour wouldn’t make sense — it’s just fact. Two artists are allowed to be different and to exist and to thrive without having to get their BFF on. We can all just go to work and live. (Whether in the music industry or in real life — you choose.)
But on the flip side, Rihanna also assured NME (and in turn, us) that her new album is coming. Just not right away.
“It’s not done!” she announced. “To me, it’s never done until it’s done. Until the final moment.”
And she sees us, fans. She can sense our thirst.
“No matter what I post online, within three comments there’s somebody saying, ‘Where is R8?’ I could post anything. Nothing else matters. They don’t care about anything but that. But it makes me excited, because I can’t wait to give them something great.”
That’s because Rihanna’s our best friend and she cares about us and it’s okay, you can still be a living, functional person and not be welcomed to the stage by T-Swift.
