Rihanna

Given Rihanna`s status as one the wealthiest and most influential celebrities in the world, it`s hard to imagine her humble origins on the small island country of Barbados. Her rapid climb to the highest peaks of success—and her staying power as a legitimate force in the world of entertainment—demonstrates both the hand of destiny and the power of her astrological signs.

Rihanna came into the world as Robyn Rihanna Fenty on 20th February, 1988. This gives her the Western sign of Pisces and the Chinese sign of the Dragon. Ordinarily, this combination would produce a sensitive, yet ambitious persona with far-reaching vision. Rihanna does fit this description, but her astrology goes much deeper in revealing what makes her tick, what is behind her turbulent relationship with singer Chris Brown, and what keeps millions of fans calling her name.

Growing up in the Barbadian city of Bridgetown, Rihanna was one of five children living in a three-bedroom house. Her father, a warehouse supervisor, and her mother, an accountant, worked steadily to support the family—but her father also had drug-addictions to feed, and this struggle left an indelible mark on young Rihanna`s mind. Pisces is a sign of empathy and psychic openness. When people close to them self-destruct, they can become especially vulnerable to those negative energies. At the same time, being born near the cusp of Aquarius, Rihanna also has certain Aquarian traits. When a change of perspective becomes necessary, an Aquarian tends to zoom out instead of in.

The Dragon, in turn, is essentially a flamboyant and free spirit. The intensity of the Dragon`s ambition and creative energy means that it will seek to break whatever chains are holding it back. Interestingly, Rihanna is said to have suffered from chronic headaches at this time in her life. It could be that her early life, characterised by economic struggle and her father`s substance-abuse, caused the singer to suppress her powerful Dragon energy, open up her Piscean channels to the destructive energy around her, and thus bring physical symptoms upon herself.

Eventually the chains had to be broken. Rihanna`s persona was too big for a quiet life in Bridgetown. Her Piscean intuition not only realised this, but attracted a seemingly random encounter that would open the door to destiny.
Shy and physically afflicted, Rihanna had taken up singing as an emotional and psychic release. She formed a pop group at the age of 15 with two other girls, and that year the group found themselves auditioning for American record producer Evan Rogers, who was visiting Bridgetown with his Barbadean wife. Rogers recalls feeling as though the other two performers were not even in the room. He was awestruck by the emotion and ambition of Rihanna`s Dragon/Pisces energy, and he quickly offered to move her to New York in pursuit of a recording career. "When I left Barbados," Rihanna says, "I didn`t look back." This kind of `whatever-it-takes` attitude is characteristic of Dragon, while the ability to leave everything behind in pursuit of an ideal is an Aquarian trait that Rihanna may have picked up from being on the cusp.  It is much more difficult for Pisces to reach a state of emotional detachment.

After landing in New York City, it took Rihanna less than a year to find herself auditioning in front of industry mogul Jay-Z, who signed her to a six-album deal that very day. Like Rogers, Jay-Z was immediately struck by the energy Rihanna brought into a room. He would later recall, "It took me two minutes to see she was a star." The fourteen year-old girl who started singing to relieve stress was suddenly poised on the brink of international success, and the headaches were gone. The Dragon had left its cave and started to breathe fire.

The rest of Rihanna`s flight to stardom speaks for itself, with a string of number one albums, global tours, awards, and more recently, film roles. Why does she feel like a breath of fresh air to so many? Perhaps because what seems to most like performance is, to a Dragon, a natural expression of its fearless nature. At the same time, her Piscean sensitivity speaks on a softer level. The question is, where will Rihanna`s signs lead her now that the world is her playground? Has she balanced all of her psychic energies?

The answer, of course, is no. Although Rihanna’s answer to the call of destiny was an amazing feat, there remain areas of imbalance in her life—the most obvious of which has been love. After her infamous split with singer Chris Brown, Rihanna came under heavy criticism for admitting that she still loved a man who had raised a hand against her. Pisces loves with abandon, cherishing vulnerability, while Dragon and Aquarius are prone to chase ideals. Once a psychic bond is established through her deep Piscean channels, Rihanna may fit her partners into the mold of her imagination. In Brown`s case, his Chinese sign of Snake can be a difficult match to the self-sufficient Dragon. The Snake`s possessive nature, if left unchecked, can cause potent reactions when the Dragon attempts to spread its mighty wings and fly.

However, Brown`s Western sign of Taurus suggests that a long-term relationship with Rihanna, although turbulent, continues to be a possibility. Taurus and Pisces are often a successful match, and problems between them can sometimes increase the bond, like tightening knots. A big persona like Rihanna`s will always need space to do its own thing, so whether or not her re-kindled flame with Brown will last ultimately depends on his ability to hold her attention while standing back and letting her shine.

Ultimately, Rihanna’s Piscean energy will keep her intensely connected with those she truly loves. At the same time, the Dragon (as well as Aquarius) seeks the freedom of the open sky. Just like the child who flew from her troubled life to a greater vision of destiny, Rihanna will continue reinventing and expanding her persona as she matures. Those components of her life that can’t keep up will, much like Bridgetown, be left behind.