Did Beyoncé really rush to partner with the Olympics after finding out Rihanna had also teamed up with the Olympics and Pride? Joy, that’s what really gets to me about this whole situation. I know you’re wondering what Beyoncé and Rihanna have to do with the Olympics. Well, it’s not about that. It’s about the rumor that Beyoncé jumped on the bandwagon after Rihanna got her partnership. That’s what’s bothering people. But let’s be real. Beyoncé’s deal was announced on July 18th. Do you really think she scrambled to get a deal in less than 10 days? Not that she couldn’t, because she is Beyoncé, but let’s break this down and settle it once and for all.
Are Beyoncé and Rihanna in competition? It seems like Rihanna, also known as Riri, is making big moves. She recently announced on her social media that she and Fenty Beauty are official partners of the Olympics. Her post from a few days ago read, “Tried to tell you, we’re outside all 2024. Proud to announce that @FentyBeauty is a premium partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, baby. #FentyParis2024.” The announcement was accompanied by a photo of Rihanna in front of the Eiffel Tower, holding hands with a life-sized lip gloss tube and holding a glass of wine. The ad is already humorous, but it gets even funnier when you realize that ASAP Rocky was photoshopped out of the photo and replaced with the lip gloss.
According to reports, Rihanna’s brand will be providing makeup kits to 600 volunteers aged 18 to 21 who will be presenting medals to the Olympic and Paralympic athletes. These kits are meant to help the volunteers look and feel their best, showcasing their unique styles and boosting their confidence during the Olympics. Rihanna shared her thoughts on the partnership in an interview, saying, “I want everyone to feel beautiful, recognized, and empowered, no matter their ethnicity, culture, skin tone, or style.” It’s incredible to see Rihanna landing this partnership with the Olympics. Her makeup line is known for its versatility and suitability for all skin types, making it a perfect fit for the diverse group of people from all over the world.
Fans also noticed another famous face at the Olympics: Beyoncé. Word has it that she wanted to be involved after seeing that Riri had landed a partnership. During the opening ceremony, NBC aired a two-minute video featuring Beyoncé in a red, white, and blue leotard with cowboy boots, introducing Team USA. Seizing the moment, she also promoted her hair care line, Sacred, in one of the videos where she was getting ready. Although there’s no official partnership between Sacred and the Olympics, it was likely a clever marketing move. This didn’t stop people from talking. While the Beehive was excited about Beyoncé’s latest moves, others were quick to criticize her.
First of all, Beyoncé faced a lot of criticism for allegedly looking white in some photos, with people accusing her of bleaching her skin and trying too hard to appear white. Besides that, there were claims that Beyoncé couldn’t handle Rihanna landing a business deal with the Olympics and had to rush to get a similar deal. Apparently, Beyoncé’s team has been watching Rihanna’s marketing strategies closely and copying them for years. This isn’t just about the recent Olympics deal—there have been rumors for a long time that Beyoncé and Rihanna are in some sort of competition.
The competition is said to have kicked off in 2005 when Rihanna’s song “Pon de Replay” dropped and caught Jay-Z’s eye. At the time, he had just taken over as the CEO and president of Def Jam Records. Rihanna auditioned for the label and blew both Jay-Z and record exec L.A. Reid away with her performance. Reid even told Jay-Z not to let her leave the building until she signed a contract. She ended up waiting in Jay-Z’s office until about 3:00 a.m. to sign a six-album deal with Def Jam.
For Rihanna, working with Jay-Z and collaborating with him was like a dream come true. Imagine being 19 years old, having a number-one single, and featuring Jay-Z on it. Sometimes, it’s just too overwhelming for her to believe it’s real.
So, the gossip mill has it that things took a turn when Jay-Z started flirting with Rihanna. People even whisper that they had an affair. There’s also talk that Jay-Z might be the reason behind Chris Brown’s infamous assault on Rihanna. Allegedly, Chris had his first herpes outbreak from a celebrity girlfriend he was set up with, which supposedly served as a cover-up for Jay-Z’s involvement.
But let’s shift focus. It’s obvious that these two women aren’t just relying on their music careers to make money. Rihanna, in particular, seems to have put her music career on the back burner. Her business ventures are booming, and she’s hardly seen in the studio anymore. Honestly, I don’t blame her—it’s tough being an artist, and her businesses let her earn big without all the stress. She relaunched Fenty Beauty in 2017, shaking up the cosmetics industry with a foundation range that includes 40 shades. Then she added skincare in 2020, launched Fenty Fragrance in 2021, and let’s not forget her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty. Most recently, she even launched Fenty Hair. Rihanna’s clearly killing it in the business world.
In February 2024, Beyoncé launched her hair care brand, Sacred, which focuses on textured hair and uses keratin recovery technology. Sacred offers eight different products suitable for all hair types, inspired by rituals she learned from her family. Beyoncé’s connection to hair care is deeply personal, as her mother was a hairdresser who owned a salon. She has many cherished memories of spending time in the salon, meeting clients, and experimenting with hairstyles. For Beyoncé, hair is part of a personal journey.
Rihanna, on the other hand, introduced Fenty Hair a few months later, but she had been developing her line for three years. Rihanna trademarked Fenty Hair back in March 2021, even before Beyoncé hinted at her own hair care line. Beyoncé trademarked Sacred in 2022. With both stars appearing at the Olympics, some people believe Beyoncé’s partnership with the U.S. is strategic. They think she wanted to be in the same arena as Rihanna without copying her directly. This has sparked speculation about a rivalry between Beyoncé and Rihanna. People wonder why, despite their immense success and connections to Jay-Z, the two megastars have never collaborated. Given their ties, a collaboration would be straightforward and cost-effective. So why haven’t they worked on a song or project together?
To be honest, Beyoncé didn’t get a deal like Rihanna did. Rihanna scored an exclusive partnership with the Olympics for Fenty Beauty. On the other hand, Beyoncé’s deal was just to promote the Olympics, and it wasn’t exclusive to her brand, Sacred. She simply mentioned Sacred in her promo and tagged them. Thinking that Beyoncé scrambled to secure an Olympics deal within two weeks of Rihanna’s announcement seems a bit absurd. What do you think? Do you believe Beyoncé’s team watches Rihanna’s marketing moves and tries to copy them? Let me know in the comments below.
