Rihanna Gets Real About Parenting: “My Kids Ignore Me Sometimes Too!”

The Grammy-winning superstar opens up about motherhood, her sons’ budding musical talents, and the relatable struggles of parenting.

Rihanna might dominate the music charts, but at home, she’s just another mom trying to get her kids to listen.

On Sunday, April 27, the 37-year-old singer shared a playful video on her Instagram Stories, featuring only her eyes and lips with a banana-themed filter. She captioned the clip, “Since my kids love bananas so much but wanna ignore me,” setting it to the tune of H.E.R.’s 2016 hit “Focus” — making her point loud and clear to her sons, RZA, 2, and Riot, 1.

While Rihanna, who shares her children with A$AP Rocky, 36, tends to keep them out of the public eye, she gave fans a glimpse into their lives during a February interview with Harper’s Bazaar. She revealed that her eldest, RZA, has a deep love for music, books, and water, describing him as “so magical” and “an empath.”

Meanwhile, her youngest son, Riot, born in August 2023, has already shown a strong musical streak. Rihanna shared that Riot loves to “sing” — or rather, squeal and scream joyfully — from the moment he wakes up. “He’s my alarm clock in the morning,” she joked, noting his persistent, energetic personality feels familiar. “I don’t know where he came from, dude,” she added with a laugh.

The Fenty Beauty mogul also opened up about the early sibling dynamics between her sons, explaining that RZA initially struggled with the adjustment but has now embraced his role as the big brother. “At first Riot was understanding that his role was being the little brother. Now [RZA] knows he’s in charge,” she shared.

Rihanna has been candid about the transformative power of motherhood. Speaking to British Vogue in March 2023, she described parenting as “legendary,” saying, “It’s everything. You really don’t remember life before — that’s the craziest thing ever.”