With the release of her third album Good Girl Gone Bad in June 2007, pop singer Rihanna has achieved worldwide fame as it hit #1 in many countries. Although she emerged as a popular artist in 2006 with the previous release A Girl Like Me, her star has risen higher than ever this year. Is it just because "Umbrella" was a catchy song, or were the planets on her side as well? Her horoscope shows a very creative and artistic person as Moon and Venus, the planets of beauty and art are closely conjoined in sidereal Pisces, a watery sign associated with aesthetics and imagination. Her creative and artistic side gets a big boost from Mercury exactly sextile Venus. Rihanna also has a very energizing sextile from Mars, Saturn and Uranus to her Sun. It’s interesting that all of these three planets are either masculine or neuter, as her singing style has been described as cool, distant, even robotic. She’s unlikely to emote strongly or use any diva-like heavy vibrato in her songs.

Although her birth time is still unknown, we can use the Moon as the ascendant (Chandra lagna) and read the chart that way. The ruler of the first house and dispositor of the Moon and Venus is Jupiter, placed in the second house of voice and the face — she is a beautiful singer. Jupiter is also the ruler of the 10th house of career placed in the 2nd house of speech and the voice. 3rd ruler Venus denotes artistic pursuits and it is placed in the first house, which is another supportive pattern for an artistic career. Jupiter closely aspects Mars, Saturn and Uranus thus enhancing the effects of all those planets and the houses they rule (2nd – wealth; 9th – fortune, 11th – gains, 12th – hidden pleasures). It’s a stunning chart, even if it is only a slice of her karmic inheritance.

Rihanna Feb 20 1988 12.00 Bridgetown, Barbados Although the Vimshottari dasha is usually reckoned from the position of the Moon, it can be calculated from other points as well, especially when the time of birth is unknown as it is here. Using the Sun’s position at 7 Aquarius we can see that Rihanna started the Jupiter dasha in early 2005. This is a nice fit with her chart since as we’ve seen Jupiter rules the 1st and 10th houses and is placed in the 2nd house of wealth. This is a fair description of her success since her career began in 2005. Also, we can see that Jupiter is disposited by Mars which is placed in the 10th house of career and status and it’s closely conjunct Uranus, denoting a rapid rise and Saturn, which rules the 11th of gains. While we wouldn’t want to push the Sun-reckoned dasha logic too far, she is running Saturn subperiod starting in early 2007. Saturn is well-placed in the 10th of status and is closely conjunct Mars, the lord of the 2nd house of wealth, and of course, closely aspected by benefic Jupiter, the lord of the 1st and 10th. Saturn is therefore involved with many powerful yogas so its subperiod will tend to produce very favourable results.

Since the release of "Umbrella" in March and her album in June, Jupiter has been transiting Scorpio in her 9th house. What’s important here is that Jupiter has been aspecting (by 5th house or trine aspect) the Moon-Venus conjunction in Pisces. This is really a tremendous boost for happiness and success. Moreover, the station of Jupiter in early August occurred at 16 Scorpio — a point just 3 degrees from Venus and very possibly even closer to her natal Moon.

While Rihanna has enjoyed a great 2007, she is likely to run into some significant problems in 2008. Rahu will transit over her Sun in January, so there may be some hardship involving authority figures. More challenging with be transiting Saturn stationing exactly opposite her Sun in May 2008. This likely going to be a difficult time for her personally and professionally that will cause disappointment and unhappiness. This appears to be more significant than merely a poorly-received album. There is more the sense of loss and humiliation because the Sun is in the 12th house from the Moon. Hopefully, this enormously talented young woman will learn from the experience and come back stronger than ever.