There’s been a huge boom in the last couple of years regarding a demand for memoirs written by women, potentially due to the fact that culturally, we’re finally coming terms with how the patriarchy has shaped every industry under the sun, including (of course) book publishing. The latest celebrity to jump on this lucrative literary bandwagon is Rihanna, but true to her innovative character, she’s doing things her way.
Rihanna is the title of the Barbadian superstar’s “visual autobiography,” an approximately 500 page tome filled with more than 1,000 photos (some that have never been published before) from the multi-hyphenate pop star’s life. The book, which represents Rihanna’s continually blossoming artistic presence, is being published by art book behemoth Phaidon Press and will be released on October 24 for $150. Anticipating the demand, bookstores have opened presale on the tome, and many like the Strand in New York City are encouraging fans to place their orders now as only a limited quantity will be available.
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“I am so excited to share this collection of incredible images,” Rihanna said in a statement. “I’m very grateful to the talented photographers and artists who contributed. We’ve been working on the book for over five years and I’m really happy to be able to finally share it with everybody.” Elsewhere, she’s been more effusive.
When asked on a Guggenheim red carpet on Friday why she didn’t write her memoirs per tradition, the star didn’t mince words. “Because I don’t got time for a memoir, girl,” Rihanna told a WWD reporter. “And my fans are young and they’ve got ADD; they’d rather look at pictures than read, let’s be real. But it’s something that we both can enjoy. I get to share these moments in a visual way.”
Rihanna has worked with countless influential photographers over the course of her career, including Paolo Roversi, Mark Seliger, Juergen Teller and Ethan James Green. However, it’s as yet unclear what photographers will be specifically featured in this book, which was designed by art stars the Haas Brothers. Though it may be a collectors item, it’s not a huge loss if the steep price tag is out of your range—it’s basically a hardcopy version of the enduring pleasures available for free on Rihanna’s Instagram account, anyway.
