On Wednesday night, Robyn Rihanna Fenty hosted a viewing party for the Savage x Fenty Vol. 3 movie that premiered today. The party started at 9:30 p.m. on a Wednesday and featured caterers walking through the party with cajun style shrimp, chicken and waffles, mini-burgers and towers of chocolate.
She pulled out all the stops for this premiere including chandeliers that moved up and down towards the mirrored dance floor, a DJ who just continuously killed it—I think he was purposefully playing her music because she’s teased R9 so much that he was trying to drag her out. When she got on the mic to express her thanks to everyone involved, I truly thought she was going to sing.
Though I was hopeful—yet doubtful—that Rih would show up to the party, I was utterly surprised when she passed by me and waved at the camera.
Getting a first look at the performance was an experience that I’ll probably never forget. It featured musical performances by Normani, Nas, BIA, Jazmine Sullivan, Ricky Martin and more. I spoke to one of the models who said that it was her “first show ever” and a “surreal experience.” So many of the beautiful people who were featured in the show were present, and the best part about it was that it was mostly models who were new to the scene and some of the most down-to-earth people I’d ever met.
Rih also just seemed to truly love the people she worked with and addressed each model who was present by name, asked them how they were and showed genuine interest in their lives and what they had been up to since the taping. There were literally hundreds of people in the show, yet she showed the same respect towards each of them as she would someone she’s known for years.
There are some celebrities who you meet who defy your expectations of how a person in entertainment should act. She is one of those people.
Her boo thang, none other than A$AP Rocky, was there as well and yes, they are as pretty in person as they are onscreen (if not more so). I watched her apply her own make-up to her face as she dabbed away sweat with a custom Savage x Fenty napkin, guarded by four bodyguards.
None of this was surprising.
She was wearing her own lingerie (obviously) and her own perfume and I can say first hand that I shamelessly went home and bought the damn thing because I now know what Rihanna smells like and I’ll be damned if I don’t smell like her too.
She demanded everyone get out on the dance floor and dance with her as “Gyalis” played and then walked off as her own music started playing.
In a stroke of pure boldness—I was about to leave and thought, “fuck it”—I tapped her shoulder as she passed me and she HUGGED ME AND TOLD ME I WAS PRETTY AND THEN A$AP ACKNOWLEDGED MY PRESENCE and I honestly don’t remember anything else from the night.
Savage x Fenty Vol. 3 is now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and I fervently encourage you to watch it because it is a whole ass experience that will truly have you emotional by the end of it. There is so much love and respect in each shot that it’s clear Bad Gal Rih Rih has found her calling—even if it means we don’t get an album.