Photos by Katie Stein.
Rihanna’s journey to ANTI is the most self-involved one yet. With a pointed shift in focus from the trendy soundscapes that characterized her catalogue in recent years to a heavy layering of vocal flexing atop minimalistic production, ANTI is one of Rihanna’s best efforts because it found vision from the purest of places. This album, and the ANTI World Tour, isn’t really about you or me; but as it turns out, that’s probably the best thing for everyone.
With a two-night stint at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and reports that Drake was in town, the not-so-secret hope of many that Rihanna and Drake would appear on stage together burned in anticipation of both evenings. As it turned out, the 6God made headlines when he joined Rihanna for the second show to share “Work” and the live debut of “One Dance” from his forthcoming albums, Views From the 6. A slight tinge of jealousy wasn’t enough to colour two facts: 1) that opener Travis $cott is well on his way to taking over; and 2) that the Rihanna who led the evening was perhaps in her truest and strongest form yet.
While Rihanna has always championed her self-identity in her creative outputs, her sense of control felt more apparent as she shook up the stadium formula on this tour. Standing upon a second stage swathed in white, she opened the evening with “Stay” and “Love the Way You Lie Part II”, wordlessly circling to take a peek at the cell phone lights. Eventually, she made her way to the main stage through the audience, slowing down at fans with Barbados flags to allow for a different type of intimacy than what was directed over the course of the show.
Her sense of ownership wasn’t just heard; it was celebrated. Atop a simple, long stage adorned with inflatable plastic bubbles, sirens and changing projected backdrops, moving through costume changes and slinky choreography, occasionally backed by stage dancers, she shared popular catalogue hits like “Rude Boy”, “Where Have You Been”, “Bitch Better Have My Money” and “Pour It Up”. Confidence (the song, too) rang clear, down to the selection of reggae-driven “Man Down”, an interesting mash-up of “We Found Love” and “How Deep is Your Love” and the exclusion of her first two albums; for Rihanna the singer, the performer, the woman – it sounded hella strong.
When asking the audience whether they bought or downloaded ANTI, she joked about allowing the latter to stay on. That’s because it didn’t matter; Rihanna was committed to delivering her message. Taken to a live setting, ANTI sounds exquisite, breaking down any belief that Rihanna lacks the sonic depth she boasts on recording. “Desperado” and “Needed Me” were dark but welcomed promises; “Love on the Brain” and “Kiss It Better” were spine-chillingly good. Even “Diamonds”, which remains one of Rihanna’s very best pop songs, didn’t relent; as foam rained down on the stage, it, for a lack of a better description, really did shine.
In a way, the ANTI World Tour wasn’t just a counter-cultural statement; it was also about showcasing an artist who built a career on variation, pushing the boundaries of pop sensibilities and carving a presence that is, more than ever, self-defined. I don’t think the statement can be any louder, or come at a better time.
