Rihanna reigns: her career (like her image) is on fire: she has worked with music's biggest names and is racking up accolades. Here, she talks about finding confidence and putting rumors to rest.(COSMO NEWS: interview)(Interview)(Cover story)

When Rihanna strides into a Los Angeles hotel restaurant, 20-year-old singing sensation looks totally glamorous in a Roberto Cavalli leopard-print wrap that flutters sexily behind her. But flint air of sophistication evaporates when she slides into the booth and dives into her Cosmo interview. "Watch out--I love to prank people," she warns, playfully narrowing her piercing green eyes. Then she launches into a story about how the night before, she squeezed a few drops of lemon juice into her best friend's mouth while, she was sleeping. "You should have seen her face when she woke up and tasted it!" says Rihanna, clearly delighted with her mischievous trick.

No wonder her third and latest album is titled Good Girl Gone Bad! The truth is, that title also could refer to the way Rihanna's looks and image have evolved--from sweet to ubersexy--since she debuted on the music scene in 2005 with her reggae-inspired hit "Pon de Replay." In just three years, the Barbados native (whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty) has become a man-melting megastar. Her album recently went platinum, and according to Nielsen SoundScan, more than 2.2 million people have digitally downloaded her hit single "Umbrella." This past fall, she beat out Beyonce to win an American Music Award, and at press time, she had been nominated for an impressive four Grammy Awards--most notably Record of the Year.

Thanks to her huge success, Rihanna says she has gained confidence and is tiredly able to relax a little. "A year ago, I would have sat here in nay shell with my hands in my lap and been very shy," she says. "But now, I can be goofy and outgoing."

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"A year ago, I [was] shy. Now I can be goofy and outgoing.... I'm not scared to be myself."

That effervescent personality and her sultry beauty have proven to be an irresistible combo for Hollywood Romeos, who reportedly have included Shia LaBeouf (which she's never confirmed) and, most recently, Josh Hartnett. Rihanna admits that she and Josh "hung out" a few times but says they never dated. It's easy to understand why she's so tight-lipped. For more than two years, there were whispers that Rihanna was involved with her record label's president, Jay-Z. "I felt self-conscious around him until he took me aside and said that I just had to ignore it," she says.

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