Work, work, work, work, work it! Rihanna is set to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. The network announced the news on Thursday, August 11.
The Barbadian native, 28, is up for two awards at this year’s star-studded show. As previously reported, she nabbed nominations in the Best Female Video and Best Collaboration categories for her song “Work,” which features Drake.
As she has for much of her 11-year career, Rihanna has been atop the music charts lately. She dropped her eighth studio album, ANTI, in January. (The release was pushed back a couple of months due to production delays.) Some of her latest hits from that album include “Needed Me,” “Love on the Brain” and “Kiss It Better.” Last month, she also dropped her new collaboration with Calvin Harris, “This Is What You Came For” — not only a song of the summer candidate but the source of an unforgettable feud between Harris and his ex/uncredited songwriter Taylor Swift.
Rihanna has come a long way since breaking out in 2005. As of today, she’s sold more than 61 million albums and 215 million tracks. Additionally, she’s taken home eight Grammy awards and 14 Billboard Music Awards.
Rihanna’s not just known for big hits like “Umbrella” and “Rude Boy.” In recent years, she’s taken up acting, with roles in movies such as Battleship and Annie. It was recently revealed that she will play Marion Crane, the famous Psycho character, in the new season of the A&E drama Bates Motel.
Rihanna now joins a long list of superstars who’ve received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Past recipients include Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Madonna, Guns N’ Roses, Peter Gabriel and the Beastie Boys.
The VMAs will air live from Madison Square Garden in NYC on Sunday, August 28, at 9 p.m. ET.
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