She grew up in tiny Barbados as Robyn Fenty, a student of the Charles F. Broome Primary and Combermere Secondary Schools. Today, less than four years after leaving high school, she is the island's best known product - the stunningly successful International R&B singing sensation, Rihanna.

At age 16, the already vivacious Robyn caught the eye of American music producer/song writer Evan Rogers, during one of his 2004 visits to Barbados (he is married to a Barbadian). Since then she has been on a giddying success merry-go-round that shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

The way Rogers tells it, when he first saw her walk into his hotel lobby in 2004, he said to himself, if this girl can sing she can go places. She sang without music for him and even though it was, in his words, a bit "rough around the edges", he was convinced she would make it big. To put it mildly, she hasn't disappointed.

Rihanna (it's her middle name) burst onto the world music scene in 2005 with a debut Caribbean-flavoured chart-topper called "Pon de Replay" that Rogers co-wrote with colleague Carl Sturken. 

She followed this with three successful albums and a string of associated hits, including S.O.S, which in three weeks rocketed from #33 to the top of the American Billboard charts.

Rihanna's music is big across the United States and Canada and in more far-flung places like China, Australia, Japan, Britain, Ireland and Europe.

In between recording and performing the now 20-year-old "fashionista" has appeared on dozens of magazine covers in North America and Europe, including the March 2008 edition of the American women's monthly staple, "Cosmopolitan".

Rihanna's style magnetism has attracted more than a handful of multi-million dollar commercial endorsements. She was named Brand Ambassador for LG's Chocolate cell phone and starred in a series of TV commercials for cosmetic line Cover Girl.

She has represented a JC Penny jeans line, a Nike women's sportswear line and was 'crowned' the sexiest female musician by the Internationally-known American lingerie brand, Victoria's Secret.

But, her real crowning glory came in February 10, 2008 when she won her first Grammy for megahit "Umbrella" from her latest album "Good Girl Gone Bad" She was elated.

On the live Grammy broadcast seen by millions of TV viewers around the world, Rihanna took the opportunity to give her native Barbados a "shout out". In fact, it has become one of her trademarks to promote Barbados in some way in her public appearances.

She frequently carries a Barbados flag or showcases its broken trident, or its main colours of ultra marine and gold.

The Barbados government recognized the Grammy and her contribution to country by naming her an Ambassador for Youth and Culture at a big open-air concert in the capital city, Bridgetown, on February 21st, 2008.

After three albums in two years, four Billboard awards, multiple International tours, MTV's 2007 Video of the year award, countless commercial endorsements, a Grammy award and cameo appearances on several American TV shows, what's next for the super hot Rihanna?

Movies. Rogers says the commercial studios are warming to her and the big screen is definitely in her future.

Fore sure Rihanna is enjoying herself: "it's a little stressful, but I love it."