Rihanna Fenty doesn’t do vulnerability halfway. The 37-year-old billionaire—architect of a beauty and lingerie empire worth billions—has built a fortress around her private life since trading chart dominance for diaper duty. But in a sprawling March 2025 Harper’s Bazaar Legacy Issue cover story, dropped just ahead of Women’s History Month, the Barbados-bred icon peels back the layers on motherhood’s double-edged sword. Speaking from a sun-drenched L.A. perch overlooking the Pacific, Ri got real about her “deep admiration” for her mother, Maria Fenty, whose resourcefulness turned island hardships into a blueprint for survival. Now, with sons RZA, 3, and Riot, 2, underfoot (plus whispers of a third on the way), Rihanna says parenting has “profoundly changed” her, injecting “intentionality” into every move—from Fenty boardrooms to bedtime stories. It’s a seismic shift that amplifies her mom’s legacy, but not without the gut-wrenching admission: “This is the hardest job in the world,” and reclaiming her “old self” feels like chasing a ghost.

The interview, conducted by Oscar de la Renta creative director Laura Kim over a late-night tea (Rihanna’s jet-lag cure-all), clocks in at 5,000 words of unfiltered Ri: part philosopher, part exhausted parent, all empire-builder. At the core? A heartfelt tribute to Maria, the retired makeup artist who raised Rihanna and two siblings in a modest Bridgetown home after splitting from her husband when Ri was 14. “My mom is the strongest woman I know,” Rihanna gushed, her voice catching as she recalled Maria’s hustle: juggling salon shifts, community gigs, and single-mom duties without a safety net. “She made something out of nothing—raised us with love, discipline, and this quiet resourcefulness that I didn’t fully get until now.” It’s a nod to generational grit; Maria’s no-frills ethos—recycling outfits, bartering for school supplies—mirrors the scrappy innovation that fueled Rihanna’s rise from Caribbean teen to global disruptor. But motherhood, Ri confesses, has flipped the script, making her “appreciate her achievements even more” through the lens of her own chaos.

Enter RZA (born May 2022) and Riot Rose (arrived August 2023), the tiny tyrants who’ve upended Rihanna’s world. Named after Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA for the elder and a nod to rebellion for the younger, the boys are polar opposites that keep their parents, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, on their toes. “RZA is just an empath. He’s so magical,” she beamed, describing his love for melodies (he’ll hum along to her old tracks) and water play—anything from baths to beach romps. Riot? “He’s hilarious, full of personality—like a mini-me who wants to sing all the time, but bossier.” The transition from one kid to two wasn’t seamless; RZA, like many big bros, threw tantrums over the “intruder,” while Riot quickly claimed the throne. “At first, he understood his role as little brother,” Ri laughed. “Now? He’s in charge.” It’s these contrasts that have her hooked: “Every day is immersive, completely. You can’t half-ass it—it’s all in.”

That immersion? It’s a game-changer, Rihanna insists, but one laced with “mom guilt” that hits like a bad hangover. “Every decision revolves around them, but everything I love—work, travel, even self-care—robs time from them,” she admitted, echoing sentiments from her 2024 Interview Magazine chat where she joked about boob lifts post-breastfeeding. Balancing Fenty’s $2.8 billion machine (Beauty alone raked $1.4 billion in 2024) with PTA-level duties means intentionality on steroids: color-coded calendars, Rocky’s “great dad” co-piloting (he handles bedtime beats), and hacks like banana filters on Instagram Stories to snag the boys’ attention. “They ignore me unless it’s silly,” she quipped in an April 2025 People update, sharing a clip of her filtered face warbling H.E.R.’s “Focus.” Yet the pull is profound; motherhood has sharpened her career lens, turning Fenty expansions (hello, Fenty Hair launch whispers) into legacy plays for her sons. “It’s not just business anymore—it’s what I leave them,” she told Bazaar, crediting the role for her “new level of focus.”

But here’s the raw edge: the identity quake. Rihanna, once the untethered pop provocateur who headlined Super Bowls and dated ballers, now navigates a “struggle to feel like my old self.” It’s a confession that humanizes the icon; at 3 a.m. interviews (her witching hour), she vacillates between rock-star bravado and relatable fatigue. “Motherhood swallows you whole—it’s the hardest job because it’s endless, unscripted,” she said, nodding to Maria’s unspoken sacrifices. “I look at her now and think, ‘How did you do this without the village I have?’ It makes me admire her fire even deeper.” The journey’s ongoing: therapy sessions for postpartum fog, date nights with Rocky to reclaim sparks (their 2025 Met Gala bump reveal was peak romance), and quiet Barbados escapes where she channels mom’s resilience. “I’m adapting, but some days, I miss the girl who could vanish into the studio for days,” Ri reflected. “This version? She’s stronger, but she’s still finding her rhythm.”

Fans and insiders are devouring the candor. On X, #RihannaMomGlow trended with 1.2 million posts post-drop, blending memes of her banana-filter antics with think pieces on celeb-mom authenticity. “Ri just made ‘mom guilt’ a movement—real talk from the top,” one user posted, while another hailed it as “therapy for every working mom.” Critics like The Cut’s Jia Tolentino praised the nuance: “Rihanna doesn’t romanticize; she wrestles,” in a February 26 analysis. Even Rocky chimed in via IG Stories, reposting a Bazaar still of Ri cradling Riot with a simple “My queen, our foundation.” Their family dynamic—Rocky as the “fun dad” DJing Wu-Tang for RZA—grounds the glamour; at The Smurfs premiere in July 2025, the boys stole the show in mini tuxes, Ri joking to Elle about wrangling them: “No sitting allowed—five seconds and I’m busted.”

This isn’t Rihanna’s first motherhood mic-drop. Back in 2023 British Vogue, she dubbed it “legendary,” and her 2024 E! News chats gushed over Rocky’s paternity glow-up. But the Bazaar deep-dive elevates it, weaving mom’s shadow into her narrative. Maria, now a Fenty ambassador of sorts (she reps the brand at Barbados events), embodies the “strength and resourcefulness” Ri craves. “She taught me to bend, not break,” Rihanna said, tying it to her own pivot: pausing music (Anti’s 2016 shadow looms large) for family, only to tease a 2026 return “on my terms.” Whispers of a third child—Rocki, born September 2025 per InStyle leaks—add layers; if true, it’s another chapter in intentional empire-building.

In a culture quick to judge “hot girl summers” versus “boy moms,” Rihanna’s story lands like a balm. She’s not preaching perfection; she’s plotting survival, one intentional step at a time. “Motherhood’s changed me profoundly—made me slower, deeper, more grateful,” she wrapped. “And yeah, I miss parts of the old Ri. But this? This is the real remix.” As Fenty preps holiday drops and Rocky eyes Don’t Be Dumb’s release, expect more glimpses: maybe a family track, or Maria’s full memoir collab. For now, Rihanna’s Bazaar confessional stands as a love letter—to her mom, her boys, and the self she’s still chasing. In the hardest job, she’s scripting her softest landing.