Rihanna opens up about motherhood, new music and more: 'Everything changes when you have a baby'
The singer and businesswoman talks about how being a mom has changed her life.
Rihanna is opening up about life as a mom.
In an interview with British Vogue, Rihanna, who is the magazine's March cover star, got candid about pregnancy, the birth of her son and parenting with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky.
"Having a kid honestly unlocks another side of life where you're now in the matrix with the people who've already had kids," she said. "You come to have a different respect for moms and dads."
The singer and Fenty Beauty CEO added that "everything changes when you have a baby."
"Oh my God, it's legendary," she went on. "It's everything. You really don't remember life before, that's the craziest thing ever. You literally try to remember it -- and there are photos of my life before -- but the feeling, the desires, the things that you enjoy, everything, you just don't identify with it because you don't even allow yourself mentally to get that far because... Because it doesn't matter."
How motherhood has changed her
When her son was born in May 2022, Rihanna said that it was a "beautiful" experience.
"I cannot believe it," she said. "Essentially, from one person I became two. You walk into the hospital as a couple and leave as a family of three. It's nuts. And oh, my gosh, those first days are insane. You don't sleep. At all. Not even if you wanted to."
She added, "You're just going through the motions, and even then you're so paranoid. Because you're like: they trusted us to come home with this baby? This new life? With us?"
When asked about her relationship with A$AP Rocky amid this new chapter of their life, she said she is moved by his bond with their son.
"I'm just sitting on the sidelines when they're together," she said. "I'm literally the girl trying to get into the boys club, waiting for my turn. He is obsessed with his father. And I'm like: 'Didn't I give birth to you? What is going on?'"
"Their connection is undeniable," Rihanna added. "The second Rocky makes eye contact with him he is on fire."
On being protective of her son
Rihanna, who has been private about the details of her life and protective over releasing pictures of her child, is photographed in the March issue with photos of her 9-month old son, whose name has not yet been revealed.
The images, which were shot by photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin on the beach in Malibu, California, show Rihanna with her son and A$AP Rocky.
During the photoshoot, according to British Vogue, the family was spotted by paparazzi; the couple worried were taking photos of their son.
"It's the thing you never want to happen," she said. "We get to decide as parents when and how we do that. End of story."
"Throw me to the wolves," she added. "Do what you want with me. But he doesn't have a say in any of this. We've been protecting him thus far and you don't have any consent to be posting photos or selling photos of my child, a minor. Get the hell out of here with that."
Being emboldened by motherhood
In addition to the life changes that come with being a new mom, Rihanna talked about how motherhood has helped her take on new challenges.
"It's this knowing that you can do anything," she said. "Even things that seem the craziest."
One of those things was saying yes to performing in the Super Bowl.
To this day, she said she still can't believe she agreed.
"What the heck am I thinking? But you're geeked on a challenge like that because you know what your body just did [having a baby]. You feel this sense of 'Nothing is impossible,'" she said.
During her Super Bowl performance, the singer left many at home questioning whether she was expecting again. ABC News later confirmed that she was pregnant with baby No. 2.
Rihanna told British Vogue that she had no idea that she would be pregnant again by the time of the performance.
"It was almost like an out-of-body experience," she said.
The Super Bowl marked Rihanna's first performance in seven years. The singer performed some of her popular hits, beginning with "B---- better have my money" and ending the show with "Diamonds."
In terms of new music, she said she wants to release a new album this year.
"It'd be ridiculous if it's not this year. But I just want to have fun. I just want to make music and make videos," she said.
Still, she wants to get it right, especially after the release of her last album, "Anti."
"['Anti'] really is my most brilliant album. I say that because in the moment, I didn't realise it. But it always felt like the most cohesive album I've ever made," she said.
She added, "... But there's this pressure that I put on myself. That if [then next album is] not better than that then it is not even worth it."