Rihanna celebrates 20th anniversary of debut album: ‘forever grateful'

Rihanna just celebrated 20 years since the release of her debut album.

The 37-year-old iconic musician, who is also the founder of Fenty Beauty, reflected on her journey from Barbados to international stardom.

“I left my country, my culture, my food, and family to embark on a journey that started with the release of my very first body of music,” she wrote for her post on Instagram as well as X, formerly Twitter.

Rihanna continued, “So many of you were a part of my life and career since the very beginning, and some of you have joined the adventure along the way. I’m forever grateful to all of you. Each of you played a very crucial role in where this journey has taken me thus far.”

Released after she was signed by Jay-Z, the singer’s debut album, Music of the Sun, featured the hit Pon de Replay, that reached number two on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100.

“Thank you for the greatest first 20 years ever! 20 years of the most loyal, die-hard fans that don’t play about me whatsoever, 20 years of hard work and hardworking teams around me, 20 years of lessons, 20 years of unforgettable experiences and accomplishments, 20 years of my family being my number one support system,” the Diamonds hitmaker mentioned.

To celebrate the milestone, Rihanna announced the launch of new merchandise and a vinyl album boxed set on her website.

Since her sophomore album, A Girl Like Me, Rihanna has since released eight studio albums, earning nine Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and Oscar as well as Golden Globe nominations.