The star witness in any case for the universal appeal of Caribbean music, Rihanna aka Barbados-born Robyn Fenty took the world by storm last year with the inescapable boom-tune “’Pon De Replay.” A catchy entreaty to DJs, the track relied on an offbeat dancehall-meets-ragtime vamp--something like a stripped-down version of Jamaican producer Lenky’s Masterpiece riddim—to win dancers over. Adding her name to the ranks of ‘Bajan invasion’ crossover stars like Rupee and Alison Hinds, Rihanna quickly surpassed them in radio-play by staking out a position somewhere between the infectious energy of ragga-soca and the ‘total package’ charisma of a Pop Idol winner. Small wonder that her producers—the evil geniuses behind numerous hits for N’Sync and Kelly Clarkson--snapped her up on a chance audition while vacationing in Barbados.
Since breaking out into the limelight she has been performing non-stop, supporting Gwen Stefani on ‘Rock the Mic’ tour and otherwise gracing stages from Jamaica to Germany. Somehow she found time to record her newly released Sophomore LP “Girl Like Me,” which showcases new sides of her musical ability and songwriting, a fresh voice with the unforced authenticity of a teenager in love. There is of course the club track; “SOS” an R&B banger built on the electro-pop of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love,” but elsewhere the ska and rock sound of Stefani has rubbed off on tunes “Kisses Don’t Lie,” which recalls the edgy vibe of the Police’s “Roxanne.” Acoustic guitar ballads like “Unfaithful,” --co-written by label-mate Ne-Yo--are balanced by tracks like the Sean Paul collabo “Break It Off” with it’s ‘wuk up’ crescendos. “Serious Girl” is even a subliminal tribute to Joe Gibbs’ immortal 3-piece Suit riddim, proving that even with stars in her eyes, this gal has one foot always planted in the sand of her native islands.
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