For nearly a year leading up to the release of Rihanna’s eighth album Anti, music journalists and fans fervently speculated about what direction the pop singer would take with her music, as she kept teasing various sounds and images related to the eventual release.
After an extremely prolific period in which she released an album a year for seven years straight, Rihanna took four years to craft Anti, reinventing her sound from its previous accessible, radio-friendly pop to something more challenging and sophisticated. The album’s direction changed so much that the early singles released from it, including the Paul McCartney/Kanye West collaboration “FourFiveSeconds,” didn’t even end up on the final version.
Now Rihanna is taking the same approach to her Anti world tour (in Vegas April 29-30), with a set list mixing past hits, new songs and snippets of guest appearances she’s made with other artists. The New York Times called her performance “the most present she’s ever been onstage, and maybe the most confident,” With fans and pros alike following her every move, Rihanna has yet to make a misstep.
Mandalay Bay, 7:30 p.m. April 29-30, $40.50-$159.63 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
