14 DAY TRIAL // The artwork of Rihanna’s latest single, lifted off the upcoming “Rated R” album, shows her in a barbwire corset, hair slicked back and a very strange type of eyepatch. With this in mind, it’s no wonder fans expected something edgier and more dangerous for the cover of the album, which is to drop on November 23, as MTV puts it.
Coming to show that she’s not a fan of the predictable, Rihanna has just released the cover for the “Rated R” album, shot by famed photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who previously worked with artists like Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson and Britney Spears for the artwork on their own materials. The grainy, black-and-white shot, while not even half as potentially controversial as that for “Russian Roulette,” her latest single, shows the singer leaning her head on her hand, with a dramatic makeup and hairdo that give her a very feline look.
“The grainy black-and-white cover shot that leaked Tuesday (October 27) finds the singer in a moody, contemplative pose reminiscent of outrageous 1980s avant-garde singer Grace Jones. Wearing what looks like a leather top, Rihanna is depicted with her hand covering her right eye, with each finger wrapped in an intricate set of rings that hug two knuckles.” MTV writes of the photo, saying that, even if it’s not as shocking as that for “Roulette,” at least it’s as surprising.
And surprise is what this singer is all about, at least from what we can see from her new material so far. “Rihanna was looking to create something a bit new for the look of the album. She’s so beautiful, sweet and tough at the same time – and a pleasure to shoot. We had so much fun giving her a bit of edge – I loved taking her beauty and finding a new dramatic look. She’s fantastic to work with – very giving, very creative, very involved in every aspect of the shoot, and ready to push the boundaries.” photographer Unwerth says of working with Rihanna, as cited by the same publication.
As also noted above, “Rated R” drops on November 23. Seeing how her former boyfriend, Chris Brown, is also to drop a new album in the fourth quarter (“Graffiti” arrives on December 15), many have speculated the two stars are about to start a see-saw type of publicity battle to promote their work.