Rihanna is a musician and businesswoman while Kylie Jenner is a member of the Kardashian family with business endeavors of her own. Both have amassed huge fortunes, but which is richer?
In 2019, Forbes claimed that Rihanna was the richest female musician on the planet, and was worth $600 million. Despite this, Kylie Jenner is the richer of the two, with a net worth of $900 million.
Read more below about Rihanna and Kylie Jenner, and how they have built their empires.
Rihanna
Rihanna first rose to prominence as a musician. With hits such as ‘Umbrella’, ‘Diamonds’ and ‘Work’, she’s a nine-time Grammy award winner.
Her albums have sold more than 60 million copies, and her singles have been bought over 200 million times. It’s no surprise, then, that her music career has played a part in her wealth.
Besides music sales, touring has also been a major source of income. Her 2016 world tour was sponsored by Samsung, a deal believed to be worth $25 million, and she earned over $140 million for her ‘Diamonds’ tour.
She is also a part-owner of TIDAL, the music streaming services which is owned by a plethora of famous artists. The service describes itself as “A global music and entertainment platform that brings artists and fans together”.
Through her stake in TIDAL, she receives an income from streaming.
In recent years, Rihanna has established herself as a businesswoman. She has released several perfumes that are thought to have earned $80 million.
In 2017, she launched Fenty Beauty, a cosmetics range. Using Rihanna as a stage name, her full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, with the range being named after her.
According to Fenty Beauty’s website, Rihanna noticed “A void in the industry for products that performed across all skin types and tones.” The range has a focus on inclusivity.
Soon after its launch, Fenty Beauty began generating huge sales volumes. Rihanna is believed to own a 15% stake, and the entire business is estimated to be worth $3 billion.
She has also stepped into the clothing industry, firstly with collaborations with existing brands including Puma and River Island, and then with the creation of her own lingerie range. The lingerie brand, Savage x Fenty, again strives for inclusivity, featuring diverse models.
In 2019, Rihanna diversified her business range once again with the launch of Fenty, a more holistic clothing store that includes ranges of apparel, shoes, and accessories.
Though she is now hugely wealthy, she recalls having to save to buy clothing she wanted when she was younger. “I never thought I’d make this much money,” she says.
“My money is not for me; it’s always the thought that I can help someone else or, in the future, for if I have kids.”
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner is the youngest of the famous Kardashian sisters and features in the reality TV show ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’. She began appearing in the show when she was aged just nine.
It’s thought that the Kardashians earn around $30 million for each season of the show, though it’s not clear what stake Jenner receives from this.
At just 15 and already in the public eye, she launched PacSun alongside older sister Kendall. The clothing brand was sold in popular stores including Topshop.
The majority of Jenner’s fortune is believed to come from her brand Kylie Cosmetics, which she is the face of. She was the majority owner, but sold her stake in 2019, receiving $600 million in the deal.
She remains involved with the brand and promotes the line on Instagram. Jenner has over 185 million followers on the social media platform, which she has also used to promote other brands.
Reportedly, she is paid around $1.2 million per post.
Her famous siblings are supportive of Jenner’s business endeavors and subsequent wealth. “They’re all really proud of me,” she says.
She has also used her status to support charitable causes. In 2016, she launched ‘Smile’, a line of products on Kylie Cosmetics. 100% of the profits were donated to SmileTrain, a charity which supports children born with cleft palates.