How Rihanna’s Pregnancy Photos Differed From Past Icons Like Beyoncé
Rihanna is the latest celebrity to have her pregnancy photos break the Internet. And unlike other stars’ planned photoshoots, Rih revealed the news of her expecting her first child in a classically Rihanna way.
Rihanna revealed her pregnancy walking on the street
Instead of planning an elaborate photo shoot as some celebrities have done in recent years to announce her pregnancy, Rihanna simply walked out the door with her boyfriend, rapper A$AP Rocky.
Rihanna and Rocky first started dating in 2020. The two were seen together at events including the Met Gala, and as their relationship progressed, many wondered if Rihanna would have her first child with him.
In January 2022, the two were photographed walking together in Harlem, where Rocky grew up. Despite it being the middle of winter, Rihanna wore a bright pink jacket with the middle open, exposed her baby bump to millions of people around the world.
Beyoncé and other celebrities’ maternity shoots
The history of the maternity shoot dates back to the early 1990s when Demi Moore posed nude on the cover of Vanity Fair in 1991. The actor proudly displayed her baby bump and cradled it in her hands, and it was viewed as so scandalous when it came out that it was banned from being sold in some stores, despite it coming with a paper covering to hide the cover.
In the years since then, celebrities including Cindy Crawford, Britney Spears, Ciara, and Gigi Hadid began sharing photos of them stomachs during their pregnancies. In 2017, Beyoncé stopped the world once again with an iconic photo shoot. Wearing flowers and a veil, Bey held her stomach as she was pregnant with her twins Rumi and Sir, wearing revealing lingerie in the process. The photo became Instagram’s most-liked photo of the year when it reached 11.1 million likes.
For her own pregnancy reveal, Rihanna wanted to make it down-to-earth and natural — something that she’s often known for in her everyday life. Her casually displaying her baby bump while walking down the street with Rocky was much less of a rehearsed endeavor than a real photo shoot. After the images were released, Rih shared the photos to her own Instagram as a way of connecting with her fans on a personal level; the post included a never-before-seen photo of Rih looking at her stomach in a bathroom.
Rihanna wants to eventually have more children
While her due date hasn’t been revealed, Rih admitted in 2020 that she wants to have more than just one child. She was asked in an interview with British Vogue where she pictured herself in 10 years, and she was frank about her answer.
When asked where she pictured herself in 10 years, she replied: “10 years? I’ll be 42! I’ll be ancient,” she said. “I’ll have kids — three or four of ’em.”
Rih’s father, Ronald Fenty, confirmed her desire to have three children to TMZ following her pregnancy announcement.
