Rihanna talks Being a Shy Girl, Building an Empire & Upcoming Album as She Covers Interview Magazine

Rihanna is the cover star for Interview Magazine‘s latest issue and for the cover story, she spoke to actress Sarah Paulson on everything, from her upcoming album to building an empire, faith, marriage, and whether she wants to be a mother.

The superstar singer and business mogul revealed that she’s a shy girl.

“People don’t know that I’m shy…. I’m so shy I don’t even want you to know I’m shy,” she said.

She disclosed that she starts her day with prayer. “I always want to start my day with a little devotion. I buy these devotion books and they’re dated, so you just pull up the date and that devotion is for that day,” she told Paulson.

“I’ve always been” a person of faith, she added. “My first time praying and fasting was when I was 7 years old. I did that on my own, because I wanted to go to New York, and I knew that this was a sacrifice I had to make in order for God to make sure I could get there,” the Pop star continued.

If She’d Always Known She’d Build an Empire & Not Just Do Music

I had one dream and that was for my music to be heard all over the world. I didn’t even think about the fame part, and then that came, and I was like, “Oh, shoot. Do I really want to do this?” But the thing that keeps me alive and passionate is being creative. With every business outlet, I’m making something from a vision to a reality, and that’s the thing I really enjoy. Music had led me to these other outlets, and to things that I genuinely love. My mom pretty much worked in the beauty and perfume industry for a long time—she did makeup for people and was a makeup artist—so I always loved that.

Why Her Album is Taking Some Time

I used to be in the studio, only the studio, for three months straight, and an album would come out. Now, it’s like a carousel. I do fashion one day, lingerie the next, beauty the next, then music the next. It’s like having a bunch of kids and you need to take care of them all.

It really does suck that it can’t just come out, because I’m working on a really fun one right now. I’m really happy with a lot of the material we have so far, but I am not going to put it out until it’s complete. It makes no sense to rush it, but I want it out. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m like, “Even if I don’t have the time to shoot videos, I’m going to put an album out.”

On Making Out Time for Family/Friends & Having Fun Despite Her Busy Schedule

I never used to be this way. It’s only the last couple years that I started to realize that you need to make time for yourself, because your mental health depends on it. If you’re not happy, you’re not going to be happy even doing things that you love doing. It’d feel like a chore. I never want work to feel like a chore. My career is my purpose, and it should never feel like anything other than a happy place. I’ve made little things a big deal, like going for a walk or going to the grocery store. I got into a new relationship, and it matters to me. It was like, “I need to make time for this.” Just like I nurture my businesses, I need to nurture this as well. I’ll shut things down for two days, three days at a time. On my calendar we now have the infamous “P,” which means personal days. This is a new thing.

Fire Questions!

PAULSON: Who are you dating?

RIHANNA: Google it.

PAULSON: Are you in love?

RIHANNA: Of course I am.

PAULSON: Are you going to get married?

[Pause]

PAULSON: She’s silent!

RIHANNA: Only god knows that, girl. We plan and god laughs, right?

PAULSON: Do you want to be a mother?

RIHANNA: More than anything in life.

Read the full interview on Interview Magazine.

Credits

Interview by @mssarahcatharinepaulson
Editor ­in ­Chief: @nickkharamis
Photographer: @blackpierreange
Stylist: @melzy917
Hair: @yusefhairnyc
Makeup: @stephane_marais_officiali
Manicure: @kimmiekyees
Entertainment Director: @ltabachb