Rihanna, 36, Poses in Nun Outfit for New Shoot, Facing Criticism

Rihanna, 36, has ignited a new controversy after a magazine cover shoot complemented by a provocative video. Her choice to adopt religious garb has sparked a backlash among online communities.

Some netizens called her out for being tactless to Christianity. Others said it was "just distasteful." But one thing's certain, Rihanna's latest magazine cover shoot made a lot of noise.

Rihanna recently graced the cover of Interview magazine's Spring 2024 edition. She wore what looked like a Catholic nun's headdress for the cover. The easily recognizable black and white headpiece was a custom Sarah Sokol hat.

Yet, she did not wear the complete nun's outfit. She paired the headpiece with an oversized white Dior shirt. It had one sleeve slipping down off one shoulder, exposing part of her oiled chest and tattoo. She completed her dressing with a pair of black pants.

Some may have loved the cover imagery posted alongside a sultry video. However, the Barbadian singer has also faced fierce criticism on social media.

In the comments section of the post, one user wrote, "This is just distasteful, I'm not even Christian or Catholic and I feel like it's just disrespect and in poor taste."

Others penned comments like, "I love u riri but this is not okay," "Disrespectful," "Why did she do that," and more. Some others questioned her obsession with religion.

One commented, "What is this obsession with mocking religion? Imagine if you mocked Islam like this? Just stop ✋ and get creative in other ways. So wrong in so many ways."

Another netizen wanted to know what her mother thought. The person asked, "How can you say you have faith and thank God for all your blessings but post this? What your moms saying about this? 😭 [sic]"

For the shoot done by Nadia Lee Cohen, Rihanna channeled the '90s aesthetics with her heavy makeup look. Her makeup team opted for pencil-thin brows, kohl-rimmed eyes, saturated blue eyeshadow, and luscious red lips.

She finished her religiously themed look with a small cross on the side of her face. This matched the cross tattoo drawn near her collarbone.

This is not the first time Rihanna has faced criticism. But, her life experiences have helped her develop a tough skin. In 2013, she revealed that she was teased her entire school life.

Despite not knowing why they always picked on her, she did not feel victimized. Instead, she's grateful because the experiences helped prepare her for the music industry. Now, she's able to easily deal with whatever people say.

She has also credited her family for her toughness. "I have to say, I've always had pretty tough skin—even as a little girl, which was completely due to my parents," Rihanna said. "They never sheltered me in any way. They would tease me, and I would tease them right back."

Despite people thinking Rihanna disrespects religion, she has faith in God. She noted that being teased in school was "God's way of preparing me for what my life was going to be like. I don't feel any way about people's comments."

While talking about her evolving career and fans, Rihanna credited her fans and God for her journey. She remarked, "God got me to a place, and they supported me and got me to where I am now. I feel really indebted to them."

In 2019, Rihanna talked about her faith. She said the first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning is to pray. The singer starts her day with a little devotion with the aid of devotion books.

When asked if she had always been a person of real faith, she said yes. Rihanna said she was seven the first time she fasted and prayed. She took that step because she wanted to head to New York and needed God to make it happen.

Even though she started believing in God at a young age, she has never questioned her faith. However, she revealed that there were times she felt she had disappointed God so much. She felt that way when she released her eighth studio album, "Anti," in 2016.

The businesswoman acknowledged that it was a hard time for her, but God got her through. This is not the only time things have been hard on her. She constantly faces praise and criticism online. Not too long ago, her provocative Instagram video became a subject of discussion.

Her Instagram business page for Savage x Fenty was the platform for a steamy video. The post showcased a video montage of the Barbadian singer donning the brand's lingerie on various occasions.

The caption illuminated Rihanna's enduring love for the brand, stating that she had been wearing the pieces since day one. It further enticed fans by sharing her favorite picks from the collection, now featured under "Rihanna's Favorites" on the website, inviting them to shop the coveted items.

The video was set to a voice-over of the mother-of-two talking about the brand, saying that the pieces were essential to every woman's collection of lingerie because they were sexy but simple. She shared that while the bras were smooth, they still offered support. Just a day after posting, the video had received over 25,000 likes.

This bold display of confidence and self-assurance comes in the wake of Rihanna's performance at a pre-wedding ceremony in India, a spectacle that drew the ire of critics. As videos of her performance began circulating online, the feedback was a mixed bag of sharp criticism and humor.

Comments ranged from the sarcastic "Go girl, give us nothing" and the playful jab "Is the performance in the room with us?" to more pointed critiques like "I've always said she's an incredibly lazy performer.....she never took the time to improve her performances."

Despite the negative backlash, some fans expressed their enduring love for the singer, even as they lamented the performance's "lackluster" quality, with remarks highlighting a perceived history of subpar performances, leaving them unsurprised by the recent turn of events.

This performance came just one year after Rihanna performed the Superbowl Halftime Show. Amidst the whirlwind of commentary, it's noteworthy that Rihanna's journey to India was not just another performance.

It was a milestone event, as she graced the pre-wedding party of the son of India's wealthiest individual in Jamnagar. For her appearance, Rihanna commanded a staggering fee of $6.3 million.

The three-day celebration was also attended by global CEOs, Bollywood favorites, other pop stars, and even some politicians. The entire wedding celebration cost $152 million. Although she received much criticism for her performance at the party, Rihanna seemed unbothered by it.