Rihanna’s ’777′ documentary poster

Rihanna’s 777 documentary aired last evening and the show provided a rare glimpse into the life of the Bajan superstar. Yet, was it really as revealing as fans expected or was it just another propaganda special crafted by Roc Nation? That’s where I come in with 7 key points that you need to know.

Venturing to 7 cities to perform 7 concerts in 7 days, Rihanna shared a massive jet with 150 members of the press and contest winners. However, the 777 show provided very few details of her life or music and simply reinforced her supposed “Rock star” glamour. Read my observations from the documentary below:

7. Rihanna Lied to the Media

777 was billed as an innovative press tour, during which Rihanna would venture across the globe alongside 150 members of the media, including bloggers, reporters, television hosts and radio personalities. However, the documentary only showed 2 instances where she physically interacted with the press – when they first met on the plane and when they landed at the last city. No wonder her “guests” resorted to running around the aircraft naked; the frustration from having their time wasted and being mislead drove them to insanity.

6. Rihanna Parties like a Rock Star

Rihanna often boasts about partying like a Rock star and she clearly isn’t joking. From the first moment on her 777 plane, she cracks open bottles of champagne and cognac to set the tone for the entire tour. She even found the time to hit local clubs in each city where she happily mixed drinks and relaxed for hours. Meanwhile, according to press reports that weren’t included in the 777 documentary, Rihanna’s antics lead to several flight delays and added pressure on the media members who were left stranded at the airport while she nursed her hangovers.

5. Rihanna’s Fans Love Her

Rihanna is undoubtedly the world’s dominant Pop star but what exactly is her secret to success? The 777 show made the answer quite clear: people are fascinated by Rihanna the person. Throughout the documentary, her fans imitated Rihanna’s swagger, her fashions and even showed off replicas of her tattoos, thus proving that many of them deeply relate to this icon of their generation.

4. Yet, Rihanna’s Fans Know Nothing about Music

777 also introduced us to Rihanna’s core fan demographics – young gay men, who spend all their money on hair highlights and H&M clothing, and “wild” girls under the age of 25 years. So, it wasn’t shocking when many of them praised her for being an amazing artist because with youth often comes ignorance of real music and artistry.

However, Rihanna’s fans did confirm a point that I have made on several occasions: they are fans of her visuals first. Imagine how I stroked my ego and repeat the phrase “I told you so” to my computer screen as Rihanna’s supporters praised her stage productions, videos and light shows while overlooking the true substance of her music.

3. Nobody Mentions Rihanna’s Voice

Despite their love for everything Rihanna, fans of the Bajan made absolutely no mention of her voice. That’s right, for over 41 minutes, not a single 777 concert patron spoke about her singing. In fact, the only people who seemed to care about how she sounded were Rihanna and members of her highly paid team.

2. Rihanna Thinks She is a Great Singer

I’ve always wondered if Rihanna ever heard herself sing because she has the idea that she is actually a talented vocalist. For example, there was a point in 777 where she expressed her worries regarding the strain the tour was exerting on her vocal cords and that she was experiencing problems tackling her “high” notes. Note: this is the same person who drinks alcohol and smokes before almost every show.

1. Rihanna: I’m not a Gimmick

The most telling scene in 777 aired after her London show when Rihanna explained the meaning of her current hit “Stay”. Revealing that she recorded the tune to showcase her versatility, Rihanna claimed that its real purpose is to prove that she is a serious artist and not a gimmick. At that moment, my cable broke down, which was probably an sign that my television simply had enough.

Watch Rihanna’s entire 777 documentary below and share any other points you notice:

Thanks Mr. World Premiere!

Thoughts?