Barbados' Biggest Export

It's Independence time in Barbados, this month, so my "Against The Odds" story will focus on our biggest export to the world - albeit branded and packaged by and for another culture!

Back in 2007, I subscribed to news from Yahoo Music and they would feature a hot and rising artist weekly. I rarely checked them out. Then one day, I saw an image of a stunning young woman with what was picked to be the hottest dance track of the summer. I did not even check it out. I thought, "Goodness another African-American youngster who's a Beyonce wanna be".

A couple months later there was some buzz in the local newspapers and on radio about a young Bajan lass with a hit moving up the Billboard charts over the summer. I was curious. Then this video was shown on national TV in Barbados...

 

                                                           Pon De Replay

Like any patriotic Bajan and former Billboard Top 40 listener, I was thrilled to bits for this national's success. I still didn't connect her to the Yahoo "Hot Pick" I'd ignored. However, I took note of her achievements after that and though old enough to be a Mother to her, I became a fan of #Rihanna's music between the 2007-2010 period.

So last year, when taking the Social Media Marketing course with the University of Durham, I decided to find out who was Barbados biggest export? It turned out to be Rihanna.

I don't think Barbadians ever realised how huge this young woman from Westbury New Road (with the street where she used to live now renamed Rihanna Drive) had become in three short years. By 2010, the daily growth of her Facebook page exceeded 57k. No other Barbadian product even comes close. As I write, her Twitter page (linked above) has more than 82 million followers and her FB page has more than 81 million. That is influence.

She has represented international brands, even launching her own perfume and now beauty lines.

Hers is really a Cinderella story and a fine example of making it global...against the odds. And she is from this little rock in the Atlantic Ocean.

With the rest as they say being history, all that's left is for me to share some of my fave Rihanna songs. yes, they are her older hits.

 

                                                              SOS

 

                                                                       
                                                 The Nyo duet: Hate That I Love You

Keep flying the flag Riri. Ignore the haters...but do remember you are an example to millions - especially very young girls. Up and On!

Don't stop your music...

 

                                                  Don't Stop The Music



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