A few days ago, I listened to Rihanna’s Wakanda Forever soundtrack Lift Me Up, and I realized why she continued to increase her health, wealth, and stealth. This sister knows how to use her tool. Listening to her unmistakably unique and sonorous voice, I told myself that though she is presently making more money from merchandise, her voice is her most lethal weapon of elevation. Her comeback after focusing on her businesses and becoming a first-time mother is ground-breaking in many respects. For starters Rihanna is set to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show on February 12. Lift Me Up was one of the favorites to win the just concluded Golden Globe award for Best Original Song and is on track to get an Oscar nod for the same category.
One would expect that after becoming a billionaire, Rihanna might lose her cool, and first love like Kanye West seems to be doing. But no, she has continued to remain humble, hustling her way to multi-billionaire status with a partner that is also supportive. So, why is it that everything seems to be working for Riri? For me, the answer is simple. She discovered and developed her tool – her voice. It is this tool that attracted her record label signing by Jay Z. It is this tool that gave birth to multiple number-one hits and awards. It is this tool that opened the doors of other businesses that made her a billionaire. It is this tool that is making her comeback spectacular. The question now is, what is your tool? Have you discovered it? If you have discovered it, have you developed it? If you have developed it, have you developed it enough to propel you the way it has propelled the French footballer Kylian Mbappe to superstardom?
“Lift Me Up,” which was co-written by Rihanna, Ludwig Göransson, Ryan Coogler, and Tems – the Nigerian rising songstress whose rise also tells me that even if you are down and out in life, your best strategy is your God-given tool – your talent. Tems – Temilade Openiyi is another example that showcases the importance of discovering and developing your innate abilities. From her humble beginning of not being taken seriously by some Nigerian music producers who felt her sound was too foreign, she is now a darling in the United States. Co-writing Lift Me Up with heavyweights like Rihanna, Ludwig Göransson, and Ryan Coogler is a testament to how far she has gone in her short voyage. Everyone has a talent. We all have the responsibility to discover and develop it. Your fulfillment in life is hinged on your usage of your tool. Without it, you will most likely not get the happiness and achievements that is rightfully yours. So again, what is your tool?
Ata Ukuta – Editor, Towncryyers