Barbados declares Rihanna a national hero

Barbados declared hit singer Rihanna a national hero at its republican celebrations in her hometown of Bridgetown.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that the 33-year-old would be conferred with the honour of National Hero of Barbados to cheers. Rihanna was called up before the crowds to be congratulated by Mottley.

"May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honour to your nation by your works, by your actions," Mottley told Rihanna, a reference to her 2012 chart-topping single 'Diamonds'.

According to the Daily Mail, Rihanna is the second woman in Barbados history to be given the title of National Hero after religious leader Sarah Ann Gill, who died in 1866. She is also only one of two living Barbadian National Heroes — the other is 85-year-old cricketer Sir Garfield.

In 2019, Forbes declared Rihanna the richest female musician alive with a net worth of $600 million and in 2021, she officially became a billionaire. She became the richest female musician in the world with a net worth of an estimated $1.4 billion. Much of her fortune comes from her 50% stake in her Fenty Beauty cosmetics line.

The ceremony also marked Barbados' transition to a republic and the relinquishment of British hold over the Island.