Rihanna is the richest female singer on the planet, so she must have been doing something right. Pretty much all of Rihanna’s songs have been hits. However, none are as important as her breakthrough hit, “Umbrella.”
It is a wonderfully catchy tune. Therefore, it’s more than possible that you have never seriously thought about the meaning of “Umbrella” by Rihanna since you may have got too caught up in the music.
So, for those of you that were not too concerned with the lyrics, I will give you a few thoughts on my interpretation of “Umbrella” by Rihanna. First, let us take a look at the girl behind the song and some of her other hits.
Early Life
Rihanna was born in Barbados on the 20th of February 1988. She was born in St. Michael but spent most of her childhood in Bridgetown. This is where she went to school and helped her father on the street selling clothes when she was not studying.
Her upbringing was far from ideal. She had to cope with an abusive alcoholic father who also used crack cocaine. He would frequently beat his wife. Rihanna was often caught in the middle as she tried to break up the fighting. Eventually, her parents divorced when she was 14, and her home life became more settled.
Rihanna spent most of her early life listening to Reggae…
But she also had a strong interest in Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, and EDM. At school, she formed a group with three other girls at 15 years old, and this would lead to her lucky break.
Music producer, Evan Rogers, was visiting Barbados and auditioning for new singers. During the auditions, he watched Rihanna with her two friends. From that moment, her life was changed forever. Evans was immediately struck with Rihanna and wanted her to go back to America to record some songs and demo tapes.
This was agreed upon, and over the next two years, she made regular trips to the US with her mother to record. The process was especially long because she was still studying. So, recordings could only take place during her holidays.
When the demo tapes were eventually finished in 2005…
They were sent to Def Jam Recordings and caught the attention of none other than their CEO and president, Jay-Z. He was immediately interested and asked Rihanna to attend an audition in New York. This she duly did, singing her version of the classic Whitney Houston cover of “For The Love of You.”
Jay-Z signed her there and then to prevent her from going to a competitor. She was given a six-album deal, and she immediately went to live with Evan Rogers and his wife as she set about recording her first album.
Chart Success
A few months after signing her record deal, Rihanna’s first single, “Pon de Replay,” was released. There was plenty of input from the record company to promote the song. And, not surprisingly, also given its strength, it was a hit.
It went to #2 in the US and the UK. Additionally, it got her first #1 with a top spot on the New Zealand charts. Plus, it went three times platinum in the US and platinum in the UK. Not bad for a 17-year-old girl from Barbados who used to sell clothes on the street.
Rihanna’s debut album, Music of the Sun, was released a few months later. That also charted well and earned her platinum discs in the US and Canada. Plus, gold discs in the UK and New Zealand.
This was the start of a phenomenally successful recording career…
Rihanna had the world at her feet. She was young, talented, very personable, and had an interest in fashion and acting, as well as a good business head. All of this led her to become the richest female singer in history.
Also, with 250 million record sales to her name, she’s the second most successful female recording artist. Only Madonna has sold more records. But, let’s face it, Madonna is now about 100 and looks older. So, Rihanna is bound to catch up with her at some point.
As well as her huge success with physical record sales, Rihanna has achieved over 200 million digital downloads. Plus, she is one of the most streamed female artists in history, with more than 25 billion streams over the last decade. So, where does the 2006 hit “Umbrella” fit into this incredible body of work?
Recording
Many people ask if Rihanna writes her own songs. Frankly, there is no simple answer to that. Some are written for her, and with others, she comes up with ideas and outlines, and they are then “polished” by professional songwriters. Others she collaborates with from the onset, and just a very small proportion she writes herself.
So, what about “Umbrella”?
This was written by a group of writers and was initially offered to Britney Spears. However, she was forced to turn it down since she was too busy going crazy at the time. It was then offered to Mary J. Blige. But, she also had to turn it down as she was too involved with building an extension on her house to keep all her awards. So, it fell to the third choice. Lucky for Rihanna that it did.
When it came to the recording, it was decided to give the song an urban feel. Consequently, the final mix became a blend of Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop. The Hip-Hop sound kicks off in the first verse with Jay-Z doing a rap.
Incidentally, he wrote the verse without telling anyone. That was because he wanted to re-emphasize the metaphors around umbrellas and weather for extra emphasis. Of course, he did. Everyone who worked with Jay-Z agreed that his new version was brilliant, and they all kept their jobs.
The song had hit written all over it…
And that’s exactly what it was. It went to #1 in the US and the UK. It also went to #1 on several other charts and went eight times platinum in the US. As well as multi-platinum in several other countries.
This was all great. But, perhaps even better, as far as Rihanna was concerned, is that she won a Grammy, along with a handful of other prestigious awards. Rihanna had already had a #1 hit in the US with “SOS” in 2006. However, in many ways, this was a pivotal song in propelling her to international stardom.
She would have bigger hits in the future, like the 2006 single, “This is What You Came For,” which has 2.6 billion streams on YouTube. Although that song, and other hits, might have been more popular, if you ask people to name one Rihanna song, they will probably tell you “Umbrella.” Therefore, it’s fair to say that this is Rihanna’s signature song. So, what is it all about?
Lyrics and Meaning
Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the lyrics and the meaning of “Umbrella” by Rihanna. The song is essentially about the devotion that two people have for each other though they are expressed in very different ways. I think that the feelings of each party are expressed very much in male and female stereotypical roles.
So, why is that?
Because Jay-Z’s lyrics are more focused on material wealth and security rather than feelings and emotions. He talks about his stack and having money for a rainy day, and his ability to ride out even the biggest of financial storms. He’s a guy saying that come hell or high water, he will be there for her. And be able to support her, at least from a financial perspective.
He does all of this with plenty of heavy-handed metaphors shoveled into the song. Just in case we had no idea what the umbrella represents, lyrically speaking. Impressed with his own importance, he then hands it off to Rihanna. “What you got, girl?”, is effectively what he is saying. It is then down to Rihanna to come up with her reply.
Rihanna goes for an emotional response…
She professes her devotion to him and tells him that they will always be safe. And that they will always be secure under her watch. She is offering mental, emotional, and spiritual protection under her umbrella of love.
It’s a very catchy song, and maybe a rap at the start was a good idea to contrast the different personalities between them. However, the metaphors, I think, are far too overdone in the first verse. And, when put together with the rest of the song, they feel completely heavy-handed.
Still, it’s a great song. And, despite endless references to clouds, sky, and rain, lots of people loved it, bought it, downloaded it, and streamed it. Or voted for it in one of the millions of various nominations it received.
Interested In The Meaning Behind Other Well-Known Songs?
If so, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “About Damn Time” by Lizzo, the Meaning Behind “Ghost” Song by Justin Bieber, The Meaning Behind “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele, the Meaning Behind “Purple Rain” Song By Prince, and The Meaning Behind “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye for more song interpretations.
The Meaning of “Umbrella” By Rihanna – Final Thoughts
It is incredible to think that Rihanna is still only in her mid-30s. It’s also incredible to think that she recorded such an important song so early in her career, at just 19 years old. Even without this classic song, she would almost certainly have risen to the top. But, with it, her destiny as a global superstar was basically guaranteed.
The meaning of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” is not overly complicated. But it is still touching and a great song. I have enjoyed listening to it again, and I hope that you have too. Hopefully, it inspires you to go and listen to some more of her awesome music.
Until next time, happy listening.
