The 95th Academy Awards are nearly upon us.
Hype for the ceaselessly popular awards program is sky-high, in the days leading up to the big ceremony, as viewers peruse nominees and select their picks in each category. A few obvious names are among the 2023 lineup — with fans staking high hopes on the likes of Brendan Fraser for Best Actor — but several unexpected additions join the common, or perhaps more heavily- discussed names. Rihanna’s appearance among nominees for Best Original Song delighted fans of the Barbadian singer, whose name is more typically associated with the Grammys. Her move to the Oscars has fans wondering whether Rihanna has been granted the honor of inclusion in the Academy Awards before, and how many Oscars she’s snatched up over the years.
How many Oscars does Rihanna have?
Rihanna has won a mind-boggling number of awards over the course of her 20 year career. In total, she’s been nominated for a staggering 625 awards, and she’s won a full 230. These include laurels from some of the most celebrated awards shows in circulation, including the Grammys, American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, and BET Awards. She’s collected nine Grammys since 2008’s “Umbrella” dazzled listeners, and nearly the same number of People’s Choice Awards and iHeartRadio music awards, and that’s nothing compared to the 12 Billboard awards and 13 American Music awards.
Rihanna’s history is littered with so many honors, it may be surprising to learn that this is her first Oscar nomination. The Academy Awards, or Oscars, celebrate wins across the American film industry, and Rihanna isn’t typically primarily connected to cinema. Her work as a musician traditionally falls into other areas, but this year will see that change. Rihanna is up for recognition in the Best Original Song category, against RRR‘s “Naatu Naatu,” Everything, Everywhere, All at Once‘s “This Is a Life,” Top Gun: Maverick‘s “Hold My Hand,” and Tell It Like a Woman‘s “Applause.”
Rihanna’s “Life Me Up,” from 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is up against some fierce competition, but fans of the 35-year-old star are confident in her chances. She’s already made a brand out of being the GOAT of a range of awards programs, so why should the Oscars be any different?
