There’s a reason why Rihanna has achieved billionaire status. Beyond her prolific music career, she has successfully launched several brands, including her cosmetics empire, Fenty Beauty, valued at approximately $2.8 billion by Forbes, and her lingerie label, Savage X Fenty. Her latest venture in China showcases her savvy business acumen, particularly in reaching the lucrative, predominantly online Gen Z market.
On a recent Tuesday night, Rihanna attended a Fenty Beauty pop-up event at a Shanghai photography museum, captivating attendees and onlookers alike. According to the brand’s Instagram, she was “servin’ face” while also preparing “jianbing,” a popular Chinese breakfast crepe that costs about a dollar. Dressed in a sleek black ensemble, Rihanna expertly cracked an egg, spread the yolk, sprinkled scallions, brushed on sauce, and placed a crunchy cracker onto the savory street food favorite, all on a glittery food cart.
Influential makeup bloggers invited to the event captured the spectacle, and Chinese social media buzzed with excitement. “She makes crepes but not her new album,” joked one user on Douyin, China’s TikTok. Another on Weibo commented, “She’s so good at it, it’s hard to believe it’s her first time.”
Rihanna, already a beloved star in China, recently graced the cover of April’s Vogue China. Her appreciation for Chinese culture has been evident, notably when she wore a stunning golden yellow creation by master couturier Guo Pei to the 2015 China-themed Met Gala. The decision to make jianbing was a strategic move, embracing her moniker among Chinese fans and showing her understanding of her audience.
In 2011, Chinese fans dubbed her the “Queen of Shandong” after her hit “We Found Love” was phonetically translated to “weifang de ai,” meaning love of Weifang, a city in Shandong province. Jianbing is believed to have originated from this province over 2,000 years ago. For many, Rihanna’s jianbing-making moment was a full circle, with one viral comment on Weibo stating, “She’s certified her own Chinese nickname” with this act.
The jianbing buzz complemented the excitement from her earlier livestream sessions on Douyin, where she showcased Fenty Beauty lip glosses, blushes, and other products. Rihanna quickly became the number one trending topic on Weibo, with hashtags #RihannasfirstlivestreaminChina and #RihannashowsupinShanghai viewed over 81 million and 75 million times, respectively.
Douyin, beyond being a video app, is a major platform for online shopping, where products and discounts are displayed on-screen during livestreams, and purchases are just a swipe or click away. In 2022, there were over 460 million livestreaming e-commerce users in mainland China, according to the Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, a body affiliated with Beijing’s commerce ministry.