Rihanna is inviting fans to “Pon de Replay” as she celebrates the 20th anniversary of her debut album, 2005’s Music of the Sun, with a giant merch drop dubbed “R20.” In a heartfelt Instagram post, Rihanna reflected on a two-decade career that’s seen her win 9 Grammys, sell 250 million records, build a billion-dollar intimates brand, and become a mother to two children (a third is on the the way) with partner A$AP Rocky.
“20 years ago, i left my country, my culture, my food, and family to embark on a journey that started with the release of my very first body of music!” Rihanna wrote. “So many of you were a part of my life and career since the very beginning, and some of you have joined the adventure along the way. I’m forever grateful to all of you. Each of you played a very crucial role in where this journey has taken me thus far!”
“I just wanted to take this moment to say thank you!” she continued. “Thank you for the greatest first 20 years ever! 20 years of the most loyal, die-hard fans that don’t play about me whatsoever, 20 years of hard work and hardworking teams around me, 20 years of lessons, 20 years of unforgettable experiences and accomplishments, 20 years of my family being my number one support system, and to all the people who said yes to me and gave me a chance before it was “cool” to.”
As Billboard points out, Rihanna has cleverly incorporated a piece of organic fandom into the merch drop. A limited-edition “Rhenna Doll” stick figure featuring simple lines and Bantu knots has its roots in fan-drawn meme that Rihanna embraced back in 2014 by making it her profile picture on social media—it’s since become her digital avatar and alter ego. “Rhenna” also appears on the R20 Hoodie, while the R20 Layered Tee features a throwback black-and-white portrait captured by Dennis Leupold, the famed fashion photographer who has lensed enough pics of RiRi to fill a coffee table book.
The final and most substantial product in the drop is the R20 Vinyl Box Set, featuring Rhenna on the case and all eight of her studio albums: Music of the Sun, A Girl Like Me, Good Girl Gone Bad, Rated R, Loud, Talk That Talk, Unapologetic, and Anti. While the hoodie, tee and Rhenna doll are available to pre-order now, the vinyl box set isn’t yet available to reserve—interested parties are invited to sign up for a mailing list to receive an alert upon its arrival.
Meanwhile, there’s also a ninth album, referred to as R9 by fans, in the works—one that Rihanna is putting lots of care into getting just right. “After a while, I looked at it, and I was like, this much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears,” she told Harper’s Bazaar in early 2025, referencing the nine-year gap between R9 and her most recent record, 2106’s Anti. “It has to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait.”
“I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years. But it didn’t hit me,” she added. “I was searching for it. I went through phases of what I wanted to do. ‘This kind of album, not that album.’ I know it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible. It’s going to be where my artistry deserves to be right now. I feel like I’ve finally cracked it, girl!”
Fans would surely agree: There’s be no better way to put a bow on Rihanna’s R20 celebrations than with the album’s long-awaited release.