Is Rihanna’s much-publicized, much-troubled 777 tour a publicity stunt? Or is the songstress really on a downward spiral?
To be honest, it’s a bit of both. In preparation for Rihanna’s “Unapologetic” release on November 19th, her people threw together a trip on a Delta 777 jet – traveling to 7 concerts in 7 cities in 7 different countries. More like a frat party than a tour, Rihanna’s intimate get-together includes 250 of her most loyal fans, staff, and journalists that have been traveling to such exotic locals as Berlin and most recently Paris.
The tour has become an Internet sensation in recent days – for both good and bad reasons.
Some journalists like Ian Drew at Us Weekly or Maud Deitch at MTV have been venting frustration over the way the press is getting shuttled around like cattle while rarely getting to see the guest of honor. Others are marveling at Rihanna’s tireless abilities as she jets from place to place.
Now, with three days left, the tour ends Wednesday in New York – and one Australian radio personality celebrated the fun of it all by taking to the aisles of the airplane to let lose and streak. With days and nights full of debauchery, hijinks, and mayhem, it’s no surprise the journalists are spiraling. But so is Rihanna.
After landing in Paris on Saturday, Rihanna took the stage at 9:30 pm, singing a few songs and promptly exiting the stage at 11:00. She then went to a party with the press, arriving at nearly 3 am! Dressed in her stage clothes, Rihanna partied with the likes of Diddy and his girlfriend Cassie, Pharrell, Akon, and Omarion.
The next day, the flight had to be delayed until 2:50 pm to wait for her. When she showed up, Rihanna was wearing sunglasses, drinking water and talking about how tired she was. Sure enough, as soon as the plane took off, she quickly fell asleep in her seat.
We’ve all had those rough nights where we swear off any alcohol, and then turn around and do it all again. But Rihanna’s latest stunts have many wondering how she stays afloat.
Fans will remember that earlier this year, Rihanna made news by tweeting a picture of an IV in her arm; Apparently, she was hospitalized for exhaustion and dehydration.
With all the chaos surrounding the 777 tour, fans are hoping that she will – at the very least – take a personal day once “Unapologetic” is certified quadruple platinum. However, Rihanna is all too familiar with drama, and it seems as if the 777 tour was the perfect backdrop for her media machine to have staged the perfect storm.