The singer and fashion mogul hasn't been shy about expressing her desire to have children.
Rihanna is expecting her first child, and it seems to be an aspiration that's been a long time coming.
The 33-year-old singer and fashion mogul revealed last week that she and boyfriend A$AP Rocky are expecting their first child together. The pair had photos snapped while walking around New York City's Harlem neighborhood, and Rihanna flaunted her sizable baby bump while rocking a pink coat and low-rise jeans.
Fans were elated for the couple, who seem overjoyed themselves to be welcoming a baby. However, it's far from a surprise when you look back at just how forthright and direct the songstress has been about wanting to be a mom.
In celebration of the 33-year-old singer's exciting news, ET is looking back at all the times Rihanna has made it abundantly clear how she feels about motherhood and wanting kids.
Manifesting Her Fortune Back in 2008
Rihanna appeared on the cover of InStyle in August 2008, and she was asked to look into her future a decade to imagine where she hoped she'd be.
"That's a cool question. In 10 years I want to have already started my family and have some businesses of my own. A fashion line, a makeup line," Rihanna shared, in an impressively accurate prediction. "And I still want to be doing what I'm doing at a much bigger capacity-by the grace of God!"
Turning 30 and Thinking About the Future in 2018
In May 2018, Rihanna sat down for an interview with Vogue, and she admitted that as she was hitting her milestone 30th birthday, she had motherhood on her mind for the future.
"OK, so now that I’m 30, are there things I’m supposed to do? Should I be worried? Should I be freezing my eggs?" she said. "What do you do at 30?!"
Rihanna also reflected on what kind of mom she felt she'd be when she did have kids, explaining, "I’m not gonna be able to take my eyes off my kid. I know that already about myself. They’re going to have to force me to hire a nanny."
Celebrating Generations of Parenting and Love In September 2019
During the fifth annual Diamond Ball gala, which Rihanna throws to benefit her charity, the Clara Lionel Foundation, the songstress spoke with Essence on the red carpet and made it clear just how important it is for her to one day raise another generation with compassion and determination.
"I’m a Black woman. I came from a Black woman, who came from a Black woman, who came from a Black woman and I’m going to give birth to a Black woman. It's a no-brainer," she said. "That's who I am. It's the core of who I am in spirit and DNA."
"My mother is an incredible example of how to fight through obstacles in life. I’m sure her mom taught her that and that’s how I’m going to be," she added. "We are impeccable, we’re special and the world is going to have to deal with that."
Dreaming of Motherhood In October 2019
Rihanna spoke with Extra at the launch of her coffee table book, Rihanna by Rihanna, in October 2019, at the Guggenheim in New York City, and she addressed how she felt about being asked about persistent pregnancy rumors in her various magazine interviews.
"A lot of woman get very defensive. It's personal, it's our bodies, and of course it's our time, and it's not necessarily everyone's dream to be a mom... but it's mine," she shared. "So I'm fine."
On Wanting More Kids Back In 2020
Almost 12 years after InStyle asked where she saw herself in a decade, Vogue UK asked the same question in March 2020, and Rihanna's tone didn't change much -- apart from the fact that her goals of starting a company and being wildly successful had already come to fruition.
"Ten years? I’ll be 42! I’ll be ancient," she laughed. "I’ll have kids – three or four of ’em."
When asked if she'll "do it on her own" regardless of whether she's "met the right person," Rihanna exclaimed, "Hell yeah!"
"I feel like society makes me want to feel like, ‘Oh, you got it wrong…’ They diminish you as a mother if there’s not a dad in your kids’ lives. But the only thing that matters is happiness, that’s the only healthy relationship between a parent and a child. That’s the only thing that can raise a child truly, is love."
A source told ET on Tuesday that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are "so happy about her pregnancy."
"Rihanna has always wanted to be a mother and have children. She thinks A$AP is going to be the best dad," the source shares. "A$AP has been tending to all of Rihanna's needs and they are really enjoying this moment together as a couple."
The source says that the pair "were trying to keep the news private for a while, but they felt ready to share it now and are so excited."
"Rihanna and A$AP have such a strong bond and they can't wait to experience parenthood together," the source adds.
Another source told ET on Monday that the couple is feeling very blessed that they're having a baby together, and that they already considered themselves a family but having a baby together makes that bond even stronger.
"They enjoyed keeping the pregnancy a secret for as long as they could, but they're thrilled to be able to share the news with their fans," the source said.
Rihanna and A$AP have been dating since 2020, and in May, A$AP called Rihanna the love of his life in an interview with GQ.
"Relationships are] so much better when you got the One," he told the magazine. "She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones."
The 33-year-old rapper added, "I think when you know, you know. She's the One."
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