Skip to main content

Chris Brown and Rihanna are inextricably linked in pop culture history after their romance ended in tragedy in 2009. Brown once caused the Barbadian singer to miss out on recording a hugely successful love song. Here’s the hit Rihanna didn’t get to sing and how Brown was involved. 

Rihanna and Chris Brown, who were supposed to record a love song together.
Rihanna and Chris Brown | Chris Polk/FilmMagic

Jordin Sparks said she got to record the song ‘Battlefield’ by a ‘fluke’

Singer Jordin Sparks rose to fame in 2007 after winning season 6 of American Idol. She was just 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in the competition show’s history.

Her hit song “Battlefield” came out in 2009, with lyrics depicting a tumultuous relationship. “What grabbed me at first actually was the fact it was so big,” Sparks told Digital Spy when asked about the track in May 2009. “The melody starts off very soft but then it gets massive and kinda angsty. I’ve had lots of friends who’ve gone through ‘Battlefield’ situations in their relationships, so when I was singing the song I put myself in their position and tried to imagine what they were going through. I got so, so into it and I think you can tell.”

Sparks also said that she got the song by a “fluke.” “It kinda came up by fluke,” the American Idol winner said. “I was in the studio working on another song with Wayne Wilkins, one of the writers of ‘Battlefield’ … He played the song and honestly my jaw hit the floor … About a week later I got a call saying I was going to record it.”

Chris Brown caused Rihanna to lose out on recording ‘Battlefield’

Jordin Sparks wasn’t the first choice to record her hit song “Battlefield.” According to StyleCaster, several other artists wanted the track, including Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, and the Backstreet Boys.

Then, the writers were told “Battlefield” was going to be recorded as a duet between Chris Brown and Rihanna. But the same day, news broke that Brown had assaulted Rihanna. So, the producers decided the song was no longer an appropriate fit for the couple and gave it to Sparks. 

Related

Lizzo Slammed for Calling Chris Brown Her ‘Favorite Person in the Whole F—ing World’

Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna in 2009

Rihanna and Chris Brown started dating in 2007, and their relationship ended in February 2009 after Brown assaulted Rihanna before her scheduled performance at the 51st Grammy Awards. 

Police reports showed that Brown punched Rihanna repeatedly in the face and arm and bit her ear, all while driving a car with her in the passenger’s seat. After stopping the vehicle, Brown put Rihanna in a headlock that caused her to lose consciousness. He also threatened to kill her.

“He was definitely my first big love. We were best friends,” Rihanna told Diane Sawyer in a November 2009 interview (via E! News). “We fell in love with each other. To fall in love with your best friend, it can be scary. We just fell really fast. The more in love we became, the more dangerous we became for each other, equally as dangerous, because it was a bit of an obsession almost.”

Rihanna and Chris Brown briefly rekindled their romance in 2013, while Brown was still on probation for the 2009 assault. 

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

Best in Entertainment