Rihanna on Chris Brown: "I Needed That Wake-Up Call"
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com
More than a year after Chris Brown pled guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009, the 22-year-old singer tells the December issue of Marie Claire UK that she doesn't regret the traumatic experience.
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"God has a crazy way of working, and sometimes when stuff happens you feel like, 'What did I do to deserve this?' Why was it backfiring on me?'" she recalls. "But I needed that wake-up call in my life. I needed a turning point, and that's what God was giving to me."
At the time, however, Rihanna says it was difficult to go through such a painful relationship in the public eye.
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"All this terrible stuff they say to you, it breaks you down," she says. "[But] once you're back on your feet -- if you ever make it back on your feet -- that's the ultimate achievement."
Still, she admits it wasn't easy to break up with Brown, 21, who later pled guilty to a felony and accepted a plea deal that included more than 1,400 hours of community labor in addition to five years probation.
So how did Rihanna finally find the strength to end the toxic relationship?
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"I remember I was in New York at the Trump Hotel and I woke up and I just knew I was over it. It was a different day. I felt different. I didn't feel lonely," she recalls. "I felt like I wanted to get up and be in the world. That was a great, great feeling."
And she hasn't looked back since.
"I feel like I smile for real this time. The smiles come from inside, and it exudes in everything I do," she says. "People feel my energy is different. When I smile they can tell that it's pure bliss and not just a cover up."
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26first of all to all these people talking about an abusive realtionship...they were not in a abusive relationship..rihanna sais so herself chris never hit her before the incident..so all this domestic viloence crap needs to stop..to all the girls who have been a a abusive realationship i dont know why u suport rihanna she soes nothing but use the stution to boost herslef not help girls like u..everyone get over it..most of yall are sad and have nothing else to talk about..ugh
Rihanna, you're an insane B! A person doesn't have to be a genius to know you're full of crap!
Abuse is NEVER the answer, but she was willing to forgive & forget. I'm happy that she is happy.. Good for her..
I'm sorry but it takes 2. Should he have hit her...hecks no. Did she hit him first and provoke him to the point of retaliation...you bet she did. Doesn't make what he did to her right, but it's more understandable. You have a child (and that's what he is...a child)who doesn't/didn't know how to channel his anger appropriately. You have a woman (she is older than him) who knew this and took advantage and has been milking it ever since. Get over it Rhianna. If you have truly healed and have left him alone, don't speak of him or what happened. Especially when you do a song promoting the "abuse" you supposedly went thru. There are women out there who really go thru the ringer with their abusive men. It's not fun and games or a story to tell to sell records.
I'm soooooo tired of hearing about Rhianna's misfortune. Chris was a victim, too! No one knows what happens but them.
Yoland McCoy said it all!
To all hate comments, I was in a abusive relationship not no more, he was insecure, last time he hit was actually him pounding my head into the floor, saw black alot but no blood thank goodness, been abused by family to, sometimes when that happens you can't forget, you remember, forgive but you never forget. I hate when people say its not hard just forget about it, quit thinking about it but its not that simple, I take every hardship, carry it with me only sometimes bringing out the closet to help others or to let others understand. That is what Rihanna is doing, so shut up and quit being jealous of her.
Please lets get past this. Both artist were young, full of fire and not thinking about whats to come. When you live in the present like that you give no thought to others and sometimes not to yourself either. Chris was wrong to put his hands on her. He is getting the help he needs. She does not have to supply any reason why he hit her because he was not supposed too. Both are growing up in the public eye and deserve to be given a second chance. How many are we going to give Charlie Sheen?
GO Rihanna!! As @Elsa Caceres stated she was young and silly..all of us have been there in different ways, it's just not played out in front of millions to see and judge. I feel the same for Chris B--live, learn and grow--that mistake shouldn't brand him as a monster for all of his life BUT for all of you so called "women" who act as if Chris is somehow the victim here and that Rihanna somehow "deserved" it--I welcome the day when someone kicks your a** and you are the one who's made to feel like you were in the wrong. Even HE admitted he was wrong and horrified by what he did to her!!
@Julia Stewart: you're obviously not LISTENING to "Love the Way you Lie" correctly.
Not exactly the way one wants their eyes open, Rihanna. She acts like she deserved it, but I guess that's usually how abused women feel and they shouldn't =(
Honey you sound like a real hater and/or a beat her down brown stan. It's only been a year since he almost killed her & yes people will still ask her questions. If she doesn't answer people will think she's still hung up on him or hiding something. So get off your high horse and let this woman live. What she did took courage and I applaud her.
In reference to Honey Blondeii's comment: Rihanna did not talk about Chris Brown in this story-she spoke of herself and how she overcame something terrible that happened to her. To survivors of abuse, it is inspirational and relatable. What happened to her is a teachable moment and she has a platform, as an artist, to help others. Good for her!
Rihanna is going to have a new album so she need this interview to boost the sale of her album
she was young and silly...we all have done foolish acts...she is performing well and she has a honey... God works in weird ways wishing the best for her and hope that Chris has learned from this experience....his mom is no help...denying his actions
Rihanna need a brain that does not have Chris Brown programmed into it. She cannot do an interview without talking about him. Even if the interviewer ask questions, she could say "no comments" or that in the past let's talk about the future. She can not get Chris Brown out of her brain path; she loves talking about him. If she is in such a good, place and has a great guy, why does she continue talking about her ex-boyfriend. Yes, she saw the light at the Trump towers when he switched hotels because she checked in towers. She thought he was going to risk his freedom and stay but she got served a checkout notice. When you leave someone in the past and life is so great now, you stop looking back and talking about the ex lover who brought you so much pain. She is such a faker, she's going to keep talking and let something slip that she don't want told
Rihanna need a brain that does not have Chris Brown programmed into it. She cannot do an interview without talking about him. Even if the interviewer ask questions, she could say "no comments" or that in the past let's talk about the future. She can not get Chris Brown out of her brain path; she loves talking about him. If she is in such a good, place and has a great guy, why does she continue talking about her ex-boyfriend. Yes, she saw the light at the Trump towers when he switched hotels because she checked in towers. She thought he was going to risk his freedom and stay but she got served a checkout notice. When you leave someone in the past and life is so great now, you stop looking back and talking about the ex lover who brought you so much pain. She is so fake, she's going to keep talking and let something slip that she don't want told.
peace,love,forgiveness
EVERYTIME SHE DOES AN INTERVIEW IT'S THE SAME OLD BS TO SELL HER ALBUMS!! SHE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT WOMEN THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH WAAAAYYYY WORSE THAN SHE HAS ALL SHE WANTS IS PUBLICITY NOT TO HELP US HER STORY TO STOP DV SHE'S FULL OF IT & IF SHE'S UR ROLE MODEL I PRAY FOR UR CHILDREN IN THE FUTURE!!
misty morning dont see know sun i know you out there having fun there is one mystery i cant just express to give your more to recieve your less