(Photos from Rihanna's Twitter | Pacific Coast News | Getty Images | Bauer Griffin)Rihanna had an epic 2012, filled with chart-topping hits, thousands of dollars worth of hair extensions, continued rumors about Chris Brown, and her seventh album in seven years, Unapologetic. We've run down the singer's year, covering the biggest personal and professional moments of Rihanna's 2012 — and the looks to match.
January 2012: Feeling Relaxed
(Fame Flynet)The Look: Rihanna kicked off the year with one of her most natural looks in years, sporting loose ombre curls with funky hipster eyewear. The singer sported a variety of itty bitty bikinis and peek-a-boo coverups while on vacation in Hawaii, and also visited a tattoo parlor just after New Year's for some new body art. Her choice? The words "THUG LIFE" across her knuckles in white ink.
The Music: Rihanna overthrew Lady Gaga as the "Queen of YouTube" with over 2 billion video views. The singer had already been crowned "Queen of Facebook" and "Queen of Digital Downloads." The singer also announced "Talk That Talk" as the third official single off the album of the same name, while her single "We Found Love" continued to dominate the charts.
The Woman: As rumors that Rihanna and her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown had rekindled their relationship began swirling, the singer seemed to hint that she was unhappy about his ongoing relationship with aspiring model Karrueche Tran with tweets like, "How can you lie to her, while u lay with me???.....If you don't have an answer, you don't have to answer."
Epic Twitter Photos:
(Twitter)
February 2012: Blonde and Bare
(PacificCoastNews | Getty Images)The Look: Rihanna hit the peroxide in celebration of her birthday month, committing completely to the blonde bombshell look in barely-there tops and slinky, plunging dresses. The singer's look at the 2012 Grammy Awards was particuarly memorable — although it might have been overshadowed by all her cuddling with BFF
Katy Perry.
The Music: Rihanna performed "We Found Love" at the 2012 Grammy Awards before joining Coldplay for "Princess of China." She also released the "Birthday Cake" remix, which featured her abusive ex-boyfriend Chris Brown. He baited controversy from his opening line: "Girl I wanna f**k you right now (right now) / Been a long time, I’ve been missing your body."
The Woman: The singer celebrated her 24th birthday with a custom cake which depicted her straddling a gigantic blunt. When a fan tweeted “I gotta admit, I lost alot of respect for @rihanna.. Makin a song w/ the dude that beat your face off is not a good look," Rihanna snapped back, "neither is your avi #clapback." She then added, "U Mad? #No1Currrrrr."
Epic Twitter Photo:
Celebrities post their favourite pictures on twitter. (Bauer Griffin)more pics »
March 2012: Double Denim and Fanny Packs
(PacificCoastNews | Bauer Griffin)The Look: As Rihanna's blonde 'do grew out, she sported a very interesting set of dark brown roots that kind of resembled a misplaced yarmulke. The singer also kicked off her promotional duties for Battleship in a series of attention-grabbing looks, including an oversized blazer dress and denim on denim. She also had a small cross tattooed just above her collar bone.
The Music: Rihanna celebrated over 15 million records sold in the UK, and shot a problematic (read: culturally confusing) music video for "Princess of China," her collaboration with Coldplay. She and Drake also promised to unveil the sultry, stark video for "Take Care," though the song had already been all over the airwaves for months.
The Woman: After TMZ reported that Rihanna had been spotted sleeping over at Ashton Kutcher's pad in Los Angeles, an entertainment reporter asked the singer if the
Two and a Half Men star would visit her during her promotional tour of the UK. Rihanna dismissed the question with an eyeroll and "Wow, how disappointing was that question, adding, "I'm happy and I'm single, if that's what you're really asking." She also stirred rumors of discord with Chris Brown's then-girlfriend Karrueche Tran by
tweeting a picture of rice cakes with the caption, "Ima make you my b**ch."
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
April 2012: Back to Black
(Getty Images)The Look: Perhaps tiring of regular peroxide treatments, Rihanna returned to a long, dark 'do for the month of April. She raised some eyebrows with uncharacteristically demure ensembles (see the pajama-like suit above left), but stripped down to very little for a surprise appearance at Coachella, where she partied alongside Katy Perry.
The Music: The performer joined DJ Calvin Harris onstage at Coachella to perform their hits "We Found Love" and "Where Have You Been," much to the delight of the sweat-laden crowd. Near the end of the month, she unveiled the dangerously sexy clip for "Where Have You Been," which featured uncharacteristically advanced choreography and a lot of body paint.
The Woman: Rihanna audaciously rolled a suspicious-looking cigarette on her poor bodyguard's head at Coachella, leading MTV to tweet, "Yikes. @Rihanna’s marijuana photos from Coachella spark controversy." Rihanna responded, "@MTV Yikes.... @rihanna ran out of f**ks to give."
Epic Twitter photo:
Twitter picture: Double Rihanna keeps peace with her crop top. (Bauer Griffin)more pics »
May 2012: Stripped and Sultry
(Getty Images | PacificCoastNews)The Look: The singer split her time playing the sophisticate (see the alligator skin Tom Ford gown worn to the 2012 Met Gala, or the plunging white Adam Selman halter gown worn to the L.A.
Battleship premiere) and the sexpot (see everything else). She also got bangs.
The Music: Rihanna performed "Birthday Cake" on Saturday Night Live, and while Chris Brown was a no-show, she still made headlines with her very inventive choreography. She also made her first appearance on Forbes' Celebrity 100 list, thanks in part to lucrative sponsorship deals with Nivea and VitaCoco, as well as sales of her signature scent, Reb'l Fleur.
The Woman: Chris Brown appeared to swipe at Rihanna on a verse of his self-released "Theraflu" remix, rapping, "Don't f**k with my old b*tches, like a bad fur, every industry n*gga done had her." After Rihanna unfollowed him on Twitter, Brown had the gumption to tweet, "Assumptions! I didn't say any names so if u took offense to it then its something you feel guilty about." Pot, meet kettle.
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
June 2012: A Little Bit Louder Now
(PacificCoastNews | Fame FlyNet)The Look: Rihanna was all over the place in June, hitting the streets in a number of eye-catching ensembles. One day she'd be pure hipster in an oversized teddy tee and leopard print sneakers, and sport a filmy blush skirt with a matching bandeau top the next.
The Music: The singer became the second artist to garner more than 2.5 billion views on her official VEVO channel, an achievement first clocked by Justin Bieber. Though she'd said she was moving to London for the summer to film a reality show, she ended up cancelling a couple of scheduled appearances, sparking rumors that she was battling stress and overwork. The singer cleared up the misinformation in a characteristically candid tweet: "Nonsense! I’m not sick! I pushed my trip to London back to go spend time with my family! Sorry kiddos. The Sun Newspaper is like a f**kin ass hair, full of s**t!!!!!!
"
The Woman: Rihanna was spotted hanging out with her old flame
Chris Brown at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club just a few days after he got into an intense bottle-throwing battle at Manhattan's WiP nightclub with her rumored fling
Drake. Though Rihanna never commented on the club brawl, which left a handful of attendees injured (including the San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker), sources close to her claimed she was flattered by reports that Brown had fought to defend her honor against Drake.
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
July 2012: Letting It All Out
(Getty Images | Bauer Griffin)The Look: Rihanna switched out her hair extensions for lengthier, curlier ones, which she wore loose and wild on her extended yacht vacation in Europe. When she wasn't cavorting around the deck in a bikini, she was pairing her bandeau tops with barely-there skirts for shopping expeditions in Monaco and the like.
The Music: The singer canceled an appearance at Brazil's Rock in Rio festival after the death of her grandmother, but by July 8th she was back on the stage for the Barclaycard Wireless Festival in Hyde Park. Later that month, frequent Rihanna collaborator
Ne-Yo told Capital FM that he was already at work on the singer's seventh album.
The Woman: Rihanna reacted to the death of her beloved grandmother like many a 24-year-old would: By partying really, really hard. Of course, Rihanna has more resources to do it up big, hosting bashes on her lavish yacht and reportedly rendezvous-ing with her ex-flame Chris Brown. A very
coincidental series of tweets about St. Tropez had fans whispering about a reconciliation.
Epic Twitter Photo:
Rihanna shows off her holiday pictures on twitter. She’s enjoying the sun and sea with friends. (Bauer Griffin)more pics »
August 2012: Sweats and Sneaks
(PacificCoastNews | Bauer Griffin)The Look: Rihanna shied away from her more feminine looks as the summer came to an end, often heading out in bulky street brands that looked like they were originally cut for men. Yes: Superstars do wear sweatshirts.
The Music: Rihanna spent the first part of August taking a break in Barbados, but she did make an appearance at Osaka's Summer Sonic Festival. She also premiered her television series
Styled to Rock in the UK, and became the first woman to generate 60 million "likes" on Facebook. By the end of the month, the singer was spotted heading back into the studio.
The Woman: Rihanna sat down for an in-depth interview with Oprah Winfrey, who of course asked about the singer's relationship with Chris Brown. Though Rihanna insisted she and Brown were just friends, tears streamed down her face as she recalled the time immediately after Brown assaulted her in 2009: "It was embarrassing. It was humiliating. I lost my best friend. I was resentful. I held a grudge. I was dark." The
Oprah's Next Chapter episode featuring Rihanna's interview was the second highest-rated in the show's history.
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
September 2012: The Real Thing
(PacificCoastNews | Getty Images) The Look: In addition to her usual red carpet finery, Rihanna sported a grill during an outing to her favorite Santa Monica Italian restaurant, prompting questions about how easy it is to chow down on pasta with bling in one's mouth. She also did away with her weave, prompting Piers Morgan to tweet, "ps I think @rihanna needs to grow her hair back. Fast.” Rihanna responded, "Piers Morgan needs to grow a dick... FAST!!!!" The singer also got her 18th tattoo: A depiction of the Egyptian goddess Isis beneath her breasts in honor of her late grandmother.
The Music: A few days after nabbing the MTV VMA for Video of the Year with "We Found Love," Rihanna announced the first set of dates for a whirlwind world tour in 2013. By the end of the month, she'd released "Diamonds," the first single off her seventh album, which saw her moving away from the club bangers for which she's so well known. Her album
Talk That Talk also went platinum in the United States.
The Woman: Rihanna publicly announced her support for Chris Brown as he headed into court for a probation hearing, tweeting, "@chrisbrown I'm praying for you and wishing u the best today!" and "Praying for you baby, my best wishes are with you today! Remember that whatever God does in our lives, it is WELL DONE!!!
#1Love." She also
had a rough night at 1OAK, but who hasn't?
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
October 2012: Unapologetic
(Fame Flynet | PacificCoastNews | Getty Images) The Look: While most jetsetters bundled up to brave the setting fall chills, Rihanna remained faithful to her daisy dukes and lingerie-inspired minis. By the end of the month, the singer's partially shaved look was back, as were the signature talon nails.
The Music: "Diamonds" debuted at No. 1 in the UK, becoming the singer's seventh No. 1 single. The singer also unveiled the title and cover of her seventh album,
Unapologetic, and launched an interactive website to get fans revved up for the release. Around Halloween, she announced the "777 Tour," during which she and 250 fans and journalists were to be whisked around the globe to seven concerts on seven continents over seven days. Sensing a theme?
The Woman: Chris Brown released a
weirdly overproduced video in which he drunkenly explained his ongoing love triangle with Rihanna and Karrueche Tran. Shortly after he posted the clip, Rihanna tweeted, "Ain't nobody bidness..... But mine and my baby!" It turned out to be a lyric from their
hilariously ironic collaboration.Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
November 2012: Renegade Couture
(Getty Images) The Look: The singer sported a dizzying assortment of looks as she hit the promotional trail behind Unapologetic, including an oversized blue blazer over a striped suit (Denise Huxtable, is that you?), $3,200 vintage pearl-encrusted Chanel sunglasses, and Calvin Klein's recreation of the slip dress Cher Horowitz famously sported in
Clueless.
The Music: Rihanna's much-hyped "777" tour brought the singer a
spate of negative press, as journalists complained about the grueling schedule, limited (read: no) interaction with the performer, and a smelly plane. Many writers noted how reliant the singer was on her backing track during each of her 7 performances, while others voiced frustration that the singer was well enough to party in Paris with Diddy and Omarion, but too sick to, you know, talk to them.
Unapologetic still debuted at No. 1 — the first chart-topping debut of the singer's career.
The Woman: Rihanna all but confirmed a relationship with Chris Brown by tweeting a photo of herself straddling him in a pair of barely-there hot pants. She also appeared to weigh in on his much-publicized Twitter feud with comedian Jenny Johnson. Rihanna tweeted a photo of all of the jokes Johnson had made at Brown's expense since 2009, writing, "How does one find the time? We gotta do better than this!!" She later deleted the tweet.
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram)
December 2012: Wrapping It Up
(Getty Images | PacificCoastNews)The Look: The singer sported a bondage-collar inspired gold necklace by Christian Lacroix, a rumored gift from Chris Brown, to unveil her newest fragrance, . She ditched the weave again for performances on European television shows, looking striking and gamine as ever in crop tops and high-waisted pants. By the holidays, the singer was ready to relax, and ended the year the same way she kicked it off: In a very sexy, skimpy bikini.
The Music: Rihanna was all over
Billboard's year-end charts, listed as the year's No. 1 Hot 100 performer, the No. 2 Top Artist, and the No. 1 Radio Artist. What's more, her single "We Found Love" was the most-played song on the U.S. airwaves of the entire year, though it was actually released in 2011.
The Woman: Rihanna hinted that not all was well in her love life amid reports that Chris Brown hung out with his ex Karrueche in Paris. Christina Milian told Wendy Williams that she was under the impression that Brown and Karrueche, a close friend, were still together, while Rihanna tweeted things like "Examine what you tolerate." By the end of the year, she'd hunkered down in a beautiful beachside residence in Barbados to celebrate the holidays with her family and friends.
Epic Twitter Photo:
(Instagram) 
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