Let’s take a moment to discuss how Rihanna absolutely slayed at the 2013 American Music Awards. During the show, she accepted the prestigious AMA Icon Award from none other than her mother, Monica Braithwaite Fenty.
The presentation included a video commemoration from Jay Z and a montage of her career highlights. Braithwaite praised Rihanna for her strength, positivity, and humility and expressed her pride in the historic moment.
“I know the journey and your career has not always been an easy one,” Braithwaite said. “But tonight I applaud and admire you for being so strong and so positive and so humble and so focused…I’m so blessed to be part of this historic moment.”
In her acceptance speech, Rihanna reflected on her youth, recalling how she disrupted her neighborhood with her singing and fast-forwarded to her record deal with Jay Z. She thanked several people, including Jay Z and producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid, and expressed disbelief at receiving the Icon Award at 25 years old.
“Thank you so much,” she said before turning to her mother. She continued, “I’ll start by saying just about 20 years ago is when I really started making your life a living hell with my ‘annoying little husky man voice,’ you’d call it. And I mean just disrupting the entire neighborhood. . . I annoyed every one of my neighbors.”
Rihanna’s Tuxedo-Inspired Dress for the Icon Award
Rihanna attends the 2013 American Music Awards, where she received the Icon Award from her mother, Monica Braithwaite Fenty (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
The first-ever recipient of the award ceremony’s Icon Award took to the stage in a tuxedo-inspired dress as she was lauded for her accomplishments: 50 million albums and 180 digital tracks sold — making the then 25-year-old the bestselling digital artist and the most-watched artist on Vevo and YouTube.
Rihanna proudly holds her AMA Icon Award at the 2013 American Music Awards
Rihanna’s Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Look
Rihanna kept her look simple by pairing her Jean Paul Gaultier Couture dress with barely-there sandals and a sleek hairdo.
Rihanna playfully poses on the red carpet at the AMAs in a Jean Paul Gaultier dress (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
Rihanna went two-for-two in Jean Paul Gaultier that evening. Earlier in the night, she was spotted wearing a more risqué and more flesh-baring dress from the designer.
Rihanna flaunts the backless design of her Jean Paul Gaultier dress at the 2013 American Music Awards (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
The sheer-paneled two-piece dress had lace-up corset detailing,
Rihanna showcases the intricate lace-up corset detailing on her Jean Paul Gaultier dress at the 2013 American Music Awards (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
Rihanna’s Dazzling Jewelry at the AMAs
Rihanna finished her look with a pinned-down wraparound hairdo, a pink manicure, a diamond choker, diamond cuff bracelets, earrings, and several shiny rings.
Rihanna displays her diamond jewelry and intricate hand tattoo while attending the 2013 American Music Awards (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
Although this ensemble showed a lot of skin, Riri still looked glamorous, thanks to a gorgeous collection of sparkling jewels from Lynn Ban, Repossi, and Alex Mika.
Rihanna highlights her unique spiral diamond ear cuff at the 2013 American Music Awards
The jewelry pieces were theatrical, and she had no qualms piling them on, making her sexy mermaid look stand out even more.
Rihanna’s dazzling diamond choker necklace at the 2013 American Music Awards
When pairing shoes with this dress, Rihanna took the simple route.
Rihanna completes her AMAs outfit with a pair of black Manolo Blahnik pumps (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
Rihanna Honors Her Mother on Twitter
In April 2019, Rihanna honored her mother with a shoutout on Twitter. Rihanna grew up in a three-bedroom bungalow in Bridgetown, the capital and largest city of Barbados, with her mother, accountant Monica (née Braithwaite), and warehouse supervisor Ronald Fenty.
Rihanna’s parents, Ronald Fenty and Monica Braithwaite, at her First Annual Diamond Ball in Beverly Hills on December 11, 2014, in Beverly Hills, California (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
“Happy Birthday to my sweet beautiful mother,” Rihanna tweeted on April 6, 2019, sharing the same throwback pic of Monica she posted on Mother’s Day in 2017. Her parents divorced when she was a teenager.
“Thanks for teaching me that strength, love, forgiveness, sacrifice, hard work & helping others in any way you can is what true beauty looks like,” the singer continued. “Love you & appreciate you! Thank You God for choosing this wonderful being to be my mom!”
Rihanna, her grandfather Lionel Braithwaite, and her mother Monica Braithwaite at the Diamond Ball in New York City on September 14, 2017, in New York City (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
Riri, who grew up with a violent father who was addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine, is very close to her paternal grandfather, Lionel Braithwaite. Originally from Guyana, he met Rihanna’s grandmother, Clara “Dolly” Braithwaite, in Barbados.
Rihanna, her mother Monica Braithwaite, her niece Majesty, and her aunt at the 2nd Annual Diamond Ball on December 10, 2015, in Santa Monica, California (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Apega / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Adriana M. Barraza)
Her Clara Lionel charity foundation is named in honor of Monica’s parents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. Rihanna wore a classic pair of Manolo Blahnik “BB” pumps that you can buy at Nordstrom.
Manolo Blahnik “BB” Suede Pointy-Toe Pumps, $595
Rihanna wore a different pair of Manolos — the “Chaos Cuff” sandals — for her stage performance.
Manolo Blahnik “Chaos Cuff” Sandals, $725