5 Reasons Why Rihanna is the Donna Summer of Our Time

11.21.2011

By Jordan Shavarebi

'Talk That Talk', released today, just might solidify Rihanna as the reigning dance diva.

Unless you have an extreme aversion to perfection, beauty, and beating the beat up, you need to grab Rihanna’s Talk That Talk. It’s a meticulously produced, ferocious new album that officially establishes her in-control image as an artist. Any attempt of the media to portray the artist as a victim (the girl’s been through a lot) has been squashed completely with Talk That Talk. And furthermore, she’s completely separated herself from the other ladies in the game—especially (the very beautiful and talented) Beyonce. There isn’t a censored bone in this album’s body—she dives full force into drunk love, cockiness, sex, and eating her… cake. She doesn’t have a president to impress or a husband to be discreet for, and it’s really fantastic.

In many ways, she’s emerging as the dance anthem-maker of our time: the main goals of her songs seem to be an undeniable beat and an addictive hook. She conveys her messages with little dancing, a powerful but unadorned voice, an ostentatious outfit, and the desire to make you move. In short, she is Donna Summer. And here’s why.

1. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. Rihanna’s Pon De Replay is Donna Summer’s Love to Love You Baby. Their respective breakout songs were obviously commissioned by chauvinistic men who were interested in a strict sex-and-dance angle. But, by the time Donna reached the height of her career, you’d have been a fool to think that she was taking orders from any man, anywhere. Same with Rihanna. She’s the top.

2. AN UNDERLYING RAGE. To even the sexiest and sweetest of Rihanna’s songs, there exists a savage bite. Whether she’s singing about making love or making war, she does so with a palpable rage. The same can be said of Ms. Summer: Last Dance and On The Radio (one about begging a man to dance, the other about a pitiful breakup) are both slaps to the face with a leather glove.

3. WERQING THE STAGE. Both artists have distinct performance styles: little dancing, lots of strutting, and pure torch-singer precision. Rihanna gives little important to choreography in her videos as well, as the reason is simple: she doesn’t need it. Neither did Donna. They do plenty of werq without it.

4. TRENDY LADIES. Donna wore disco like it was her job. She defined an era not only with her voice, but with her silhouette, too. And Rihanna is, without a doubt, the trendiest girl in pop music today. You might’ve hated her red hair and combat boots, but there’s no denying that she draws from the fashions that define our time. And she serves them like Donna used to do: piping hot and ready to imitate.

5. SHE WANTS TO MAKE YOU MOVE. First and foremost, Rihanna wants to make you dance. And wasn’t that what disco was all about? It’s mindless yet amazing, and you can put your hands up and get lost in it. If you’re not already drunk when a Rihanna (or Donna, for that matter) song comes on at a club, you’re going to feel like it by the time the songs is done.

[Edited 11/21/11 18:31pm]

leecappella said:

I agree with reasons 3 through 5, but that's it! Maybe, to some small degree, I agree with #2. Vocally, though, there is no comparison:)

Entertainment

Music

5 Reasons Why Rihanna is the Donna Summer of Our Time

11.21.2011

By Jordan Shavarebi

'Talk That Talk', released today, just might solidify Rihanna as the reigning dance diva.

Unless you have an extreme aversion to perfection, beauty, and beating the beat up, you need to grab Rihanna’s Talk That Talk. It’s a meticulously produced, ferocious new album that officially establishes her in-control image as an artist. Any attempt of the media to portray the artist as a victim (the girl’s been through a lot) has been squashed completely with Talk That Talk. And furthermore, she’s completely separated herself from the other ladies in the game—especially (the very beautiful and talented) Beyonce. There isn’t a censored bone in this album’s body—she dives full force into drunk love, cockiness, sex, and eating her… cake. She doesn’t have a president to impress or a husband to be discreet for, and it’s really fantastic.

In many ways, she’s emerging as the dance anthem-maker of our time: the main goals of her songs seem to be an undeniable beat and an addictive hook. She conveys her messages with little dancing, a powerful but unadorned voice, an ostentatious outfit, and the desire to make you move. In short, she is Donna Summer. And here’s why.

1. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. Rihanna’s Pon De Replay is Donna Summer’s Love to Love You Baby. Their respective breakout songs were obviously commissioned by chauvinistic men who were interested in a strict sex-and-dance angle. But, by the time Donna reached the height of her career, you’d have been a fool to think that she was taking orders from any man, anywhere. Same with Rihanna. She’s the top.

2. AN UNDERLYING RAGE. To even the sexiest and sweetest of Rihanna’s songs, there exists a savage bite. Whether she’s singing about making love or making war, she does so with a palpable rage. The same can be said of Ms. Summer: Last Dance and On The Radio (one about begging a man to dance, the other about a pitiful breakup) are both slaps to the face with a leather glove.

3. WERQING THE STAGE. Both artists have distinct performance styles: little dancing, lots of strutting, and pure torch-singer precision. Rihanna gives little important to choreography in her videos as well, as the reason is simple: she doesn’t need it. Neither did Donna. They do plenty of werq without it.

4. TRENDY LADIES. Donna wore disco like it was her job. She defined an era not only with her voice, but with her silhouette, too. And Rihanna is, without a doubt, the trendiest girl in pop music today. You might’ve hated her red hair and combat boots, but there’s no denying that she draws from the fashions that define our time. And she serves them like Donna used to do: piping hot and ready to imitate.

5. SHE WANTS TO MAKE YOU MOVE. First and foremost, Rihanna wants to make you dance. And wasn’t that what disco was all about? It’s mindless yet amazing, and you can put your hands up and get lost in it. If you’re not already drunk when a Rihanna (or Donna, for that matter) song comes on at a club, you’re going to feel like it by the time the songs is done.

[Edited 11/21/11 18:31pm]

Hellgoddamnaw!

I didn't even bother to read this ignorant shit! Rihanna the Donna Summer of our time is like some silly ass journalist saying that Trey Songz is the Al Green of our time and I am not buying it! Rihanna is alright, but she can't carry the shoes of Donna Summer on her worst day! Donna Summer was classy and sophisticated and made great records that are timeless and everytime I see Rihanna she is showing more and more skin than her talents. When Rihanna can have a career that last 20+ with some decent records then we can talk. Until then, FUCK THIS WRITER FOR THIS SILLY SHIT!

These blogs are run with dumbass people lol

WTF? Somebody must be smoking that good good!

MadamGoodnight said:

WTF? Somebody must be smoking that good good!

Nah their weed was that wet weed lol Wet weed makes folks act real stupid than normal weed.

Yeah, and her new album is just like thriller.

Right guys?

Timmy84 said:

MadamGoodnight said:

WTF? Somebody must be smoking that good good!

Nah their weed was that wet weed lol Wet weed makes folks act real stupid than normal weed.

Uh...NO!

This is ridiculous

I think I'll go back to that Roy Ayers thread and listen to "Searchin".

People sure like to compare people to other artists it's so easy nowaday's i guess.

S&M is Beat It part 2 I'll drink to THAT

Love this response from a Donna fan forum:

"Sacrilege. lol

How do I dislike the comparison, let me count the ways. First comparing 'Love To Love You, Baby' with Rihanna's first single 'Pon De Replay' seems ...a bit of a stretch. As I recall Love To Love You Baby was banned in many places just for the suggestive moans no less. Rihanna's song was cute but nowhere near the pushing of the envelope that Love To Love You Baby was at the time as this author is trying to claim. Second, 'Last Dance' and 'On The Radio' and rage...what??? I could understand if the author compared 'Hot Stuff' and the rage of passion that you hear in her voice. Especially the widely uncirculated extended version where she sings 'I need it...I need your hot stuff'...at the end. That's wild hormonal rage at it's best, imho. His third point about little dancing on stage amongst the two is correct to a point. I'd just say Donna Summer is a singer, first. With a voice like that you don't need to shake your booty at all to entertain. With Rihanna I'd say not so much. With a voice like that you'd better give 'em some visuals to distract from it's obvious flaws. I'd love to hear Rihanna try and cover 'On The Radio' as the author suggests. That would really 'separate the wheat from the chaff' as they say. She could probably do a decent job with Love To Love You Baby though. I actually recall a video of her singing it as an intro to another song of hers on a show on BET. But I guess since Beyonce also copied a verse for her song 'Naughty Girl' at the time they put the kabosh on that.

Having said that, I think Rihanna is a pretty woman who is obviously at the top of the heap right now in this morphing thing called the 'music business' these days. I like her latest 'We Found Love'. Good producers and a great team behind her and she's riding it for all it's worth. I guess it's not the same as it was in the 70's when a great voice could stand alone. I guess a lil' sex appeal didn't hurt Donna at all, either. Even though it was an image that she herself seemingly struggled with through the heyday of her career. I don't know, I listen to songs from the 70's and 80's and marvel in their longevity and staying power over the years. The music of today just seems so much more disposable to me. Who even plays or listens to one of Rihanna's biggest hits 'Umbrella' now? Oh, 'the times they are a changin' so I guess we'd best adapt or....listen to oldies all the time. lol Classics, as I like to call them."

SoulAlive said:

This is ridiculous

Yours is probably my favorite comment here:)

How old is this Jordan person? Like 25???

Hell to the naw!

kitbradley said:

How old is this Jordan person? Like 25???

Possibility. I give him a cookie for knowing who Donna Summer is but his comparisons are all wack.

Timmy84 said:

kitbradley said:

How old is this Jordan person? Like 25???

Possibility. I give him a cookie for knowing who Donna Summer is but his comparisons are all wack.

He probably only knows Donna from his mom's record collection or some of his older gay friends introduced him to Summer's music and gave him her history.

kitbradley said:

Timmy84 said:

Possibility. I give him a cookie for knowing who Donna Summer is but his comparisons are all wack.

He probably only knows Donna from his mom's record collection or some of his older gay friends introduced him to Summer's music and gave him her history.

That's true. I don't know what it is about some younger gay folks that act like they're too smart to know shit decades older than them lol

Note: I said SOME lol

But, Donna Summer could sing.

BlaqueKnight said:

But, Donna Summer could sing.

Retraction: But, Donna Summer CAN sing!

Timmy84 said:

kitbradley said:

How old is this Jordan person? Like 25???

Possibility. I give him a cookie for knowing who Donna Summer is but his comparisons are all wack.

I don't think they're ALL whack. Some of them are though. That's what I say, anyway:)

[Edited 11/23/11 2:55am]

Awww hell to the muhfuggin' NO!!!!!! A thousand times NO!

Please, next time, say she's the next Patti Labelle just so's we can watch Miss Patti beat the shit outta her pretentious ass.

ThruTheEyesOfWonder said:

Awww hell to the muhfuggin' NO!!!!!! A thousand times NO!

Please, next time, say she's the next Patti Labelle just so's we can watch Miss Patti beat the shit outta her pretentious ass.

Patti can throw water at her, then give her a rap in the mouth then her hair stylist and bodyguard can finish the job.

Jokes, people, just jokes.