Danny Smith

Monday, February 22, 2016

WRT 302
Multimodal Rhetorical Analysis
After the release of the 2012 album, Unapologetic, Robyn Rihanna Fenty (recognized in
popular media as Rihanna) unpredictably suspended her musical career, instead, choosing to
dabble in other media whilst working on her highly anticipated eighth studio albuma three
year process! Within the first seven years of her career, Rihanna released, roughly, an album per
year; and in taking three years to write, record, and continuously amend her latest album,
Rihanna changed her modus operandi (method of operation). Fans of Rihanna, the fashion
mogul, the out-of-the-box creative visionary, and musician, expected nothing short of a distinct,
remarkable and, undoubtedly, startling product. Such expectations were met with the artists
eighth album, Anti. On January 27, 2016, Anti (formerly dubbed R8, prior the reveal of the
albums cover) was released via Tidal, available for free digital download; two days following,
the album was released to other online music stores (i.e. Apple Music) for digital purchase. The
physical CD was released on February 5, 2016 to retailers all over (Anti). As a multimodal
text, Anti shows the growth and maturity of Rihanna (as an individual and career-wise, alike) via
introspection where thereafter she acquires and employs a fresh viewpoint and emerges into a
novel, better, stronger version of herself.
Rihanna is a Barbados born singer-songwriter. She caught her big break in 2003, signing
with Def Jam Records under Jay-Z, and dropped her first studio album in 2005. It wasnt until
her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, was released in 2007 that Rihanna became the domiciliary
icon she is currently (Rihanna). Rihannas early music career saw her establish herself as a

unique voice in pop and dance/club music; and she is mostly appraised for her hit singles, rather
an album in its entirety. Accordingly, Rihanna, chose to demonstrate her progression as an artist,
by making Antis album cover a collaborative project between herself, a reputable fine artist, and
a poet, serving as a launch into a new step in her career.
The album cover of Anti does not solely accompany Rihannas eighth album. It also
portrays a visual representation of a deeper and more meaningful message, and illustrates her
newfound artistic intention. The cover art features a blurred and unfocused painted portrait of
Rihanna as a child, her eyes covered by a large crownpainted by Israeli-born artist Roy
Nachum, who shares the same vision as Rihannaand is included in Nachums Blind series,
which largely focuses on the concepts of inner and outer vision and the metaphor of opening
viewers eyes to truth (McBride). The cover pitches the idea that opening ones eyes and mind to
truth can be clarifying, and that a visionless perspective can help direct your attention inward
where youll then discover your inner vision. Reflection upon (and further exploration of)
these newfound, respective truths will help in opening the mind and lead to a clearer worldview.
With Anti, Rihanna has expressed her thoughts on progression as an artist by aiming to break free
from her prior image to make lasting artistic and musical statements.
In the same sense, the album art conveys the message that those with sight are often the
most unseeing. This notion is conveyed through the use of the oversized crown, covering a
young Rihannas eyes and the blurred-like, double-vision effect Nachum chose to give the album
artwork. The haziness of Nachums strokes is evident throughout the artwork except in the center
of the crown where the focal point appears sharpened. This contrast emphasizes the crown and
its suggestive imagery: success can be blinding in the sense that a person striving for success, as
Rihanna, can become consumed with the idea, solely, and lose sight of all else. Though we all

strive for success, one cannot see/measure their own successusually striving for more,
endlessly. In terms of developing through self-reflection, Antis cover depicts the difference
between the little girl driven, but equally blinded, by hopes and dreams, Rihanna was and the
successful musician, learning to be vulnerable, she is today.
Furthermore, the artwork incorporates the accompanying poem, If They Let Us, Part I,
written by poet Chlo Mitchell, in braille. In incorporating braille into the artwork, Rihanna,
Nachum, and Mitchell give the sightless an opportunity to experience the album as a multimodal
text whilst still demonstrating that sight can be limiting. As a viewer of the seeing world, you
will be able to visually see the braille overlay incorporated, but will presumably not comprehend
the poem as the blind (assuming they can read braille) will. The main background color of the
artwork is white, almost portraying an empty canvas, setting a feel of renewal. The white
backdrop also brings the strokes of crimson red covering the upper half of the topless, baby Rih
to the foreground. Red is a very emotionally intense color, and is a color of extremes. It is used
in situations of high alert (i.e. code red), warning (i.e. exit signs, school fire alarms, fire trucks,
stop signs); and is often associated with blaring sirens and flashing lights assisting in awareness
during times of panic and danger. The high visibility of the color gives off an urgency, almost,
and catches the attention of viewers instantly. Red drives strong emotion; the slab of red on
Antis cover stands as something internal, as something that will definitely be seen; contrasting
with the obstruction of external vision by the crown. The stark contrast between the splatter of
red against the white background of the album cover demonstrates a warm and positive
association of strength, passion, and our will to survive. (Survival, in most natural terms, deals
with progressing into the best, and the fittest version of ones species, an idea similar to the
message Anti conveys.)

Anti is certainly a different sound than that of Rihannas previous albums and music. She
uses a variety of sounds for the production of high versatility and a compound sound. Such
novelty assists in conveying Antis purpose. Her sound, and featured beats range from dark
[and] sparsely layered [to] bouncy, with lo-fi bass [and] old school styles, [to] downtempo
moodiness and electro-soul minimalism (Anti), for an overall timeless feel. The idea of
timeless music is important to Rihanna. As she progresses and evolves, her previous music and
its reputation are no longer relevant or applicable to her person; hence, she decided to create an
album filled with relatable, personal content; and music beats easily identifiable as sounds from
various eras and time periods. Also, in having an intentional, purposeful message (through the
unique album cover and through lyrical content), Anti can stand as everlasting being that
something can be learned from the album, rather than a compilation of songs produced just for
numbers.
The introductory song on the album is titled Consideration, demonstrating reflection
and deliberationan important part in maturing as a person. The song contains lyrics, and a
chorus that read as such:
I came fluttering in from Neverland
Time can never stop me, no, no, no, no
I know you've tried to
I got to do things my own way darling
Will you ever let me
Will you ever respect me? No
Do things my own way darling
You should just let me
Why you ain't ever let me grow? (Consideration)
The song opens with a Peter Pan metaphor about being held back from maturing. Principally, the
song is about Rihannas struggles to take control of her own career and develop as an artist, and
as a person; she sees evolving in her career as a beneficial and necessary step in developing

wholly. Rihanna also chose to sample beats and interpolations from other artists. In sampling
another artists music, Rihanna applies a tactically progressive way of thinking to music directly
in taking something, implementing her artistic spin on it, and ultimately, evolving it from one
truth to befit another, again demonstrating her new artistic vision. Anti goes through themes of
relationships in exploring what it means to be in love, to get hurt, to need someone, and to be
true to yourself. In her vulnerability, Rihanna is able to reflect, deal and progress. Anti takes you
on the intimate journey of Rihannas introspective thoughts and, ultimately, into the end result of
her maturity into a stronger, and sharper version of herself.
Anti, the album, as a whole demonstrates that reflection upon the truth relative to you will
help in opening the mind and lead to a clearer worldview. The album cover coupled with the
lyrical content and semantics behind said lyrics are metaphoric of a woman once blinded by her
displaced values and desires (McBride), now gaining clarity to a new perspective of life. In
speaking the truth about her feelings, regardless if misunderstood, Rihanna constructively
demonstrates positive reformation and progression.

Work Cited
Anti. Wikipedia. Wikepedia, n.p., n.d. Web. 22, Feb. 2016.
Consideration. Genius. Genius, n.d. Web. 22, Feb. 2016.
Rihanna. Wikipedia. Wikepedia, n.p., n.d. Web. 22, Feb. 2016.
McBride, Kiah. What Rihanna is Really Saying with Her New ANTI Album Artwork.
XONecole. N.p., 8 Oct. 2015. Web. 22, Feb. 2016.