The likes of Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, John Legend, and many more have performed at private wedding ceremonies. But the moment Rihanna joined the list by choosing to perform at India-based businessman Mukesh Ambani’s son, Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding celebration, it suddenly became something akin to a crime she shouldn’t have committed.
For those who don’t know, Rihanna was in Gujrat, India to perform at a mini concert held on March 1, 2024, for billionaire heir Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding celebration.
She sang her biggest hits – “Work,” “All of the Lights,” “We Found Love,” etc – and left on March 2. The positive section of social media focused on her electric performance, the fact that she had an amazing time, how much love and admiration she received from celebrities and the public alike, and was praised for being the down-to-earth wonder she always is.
But not everyone has been able to keep the itch to judge under control. Thankfully, it didn’t matter if someone was a Rihanna fan or not as many didn’t waste a second to shut down the nasty statements.
Body-shaming Rihanna and questions about a third pregnancy
Comments about how Rihanna looked “out of shape” at her performance soon escalated to mocking queries about her being pregnant for the third time. I am having a hard time comprehending how her body shape and weight is of concern to anyone but her. Does she owe some responsibility to the world to just snap back to her pre-pregnancy body because ooh, insecure trolls can’t help but project?
As for her being pregnant – genuine curiosity about her possibly getting ready to welcome her third child is fine, but poking fun at her for the same? But as I said, while the naysayers were loud, the ones ready to not let such negativity soar were louder.
Displeasure over Rihanna’s reported $9 million paycheck to perform at Mukesh Ambani’s son’s wedding
From calling Rihanna out for not putting out another album to being reduced to a “wedding singer,” restless minds have been unable to accept that singers performing at massive wedding functions is nothing new and certainly not a practice the “Diamonds” singer started. Some have even seen mere second-long snippets of her performance and jumped to pass their judgment, happily mocking the reported millions she charged for just grooving on the stage.
Comparisons between Rihanna and Beyonce
Everyone has and often chooses to have different trajectories in life. But in a since-deleted post, Rihanna was pitted against Beyonce, with the Twitter user comparing what the latter was doing when she was 36 and how the “Love on the Brain Singer” doesn’t perform like Beyonce. So, for the sake of this argument, every artist out there should compare notes so their style and career directions match to appease skeptics?
I could just map out Rihanna’s whole career, her ever-growing popularity, or what a successful businesswoman she is, but someone’s fame and success shouldn’t be mandatory factors when it comes to treating them with respect or well, taking a step back to stomp on the urge to judge them for choices you, me, or anyone else has absolutely no right to criticize.
In fact, if you are running out of things to praise Rihanna, how about lauding the fact that she broke her tradition of running late this time?