Why Can’t Rihanna Vote? Details on Where the Singer Lives, Her Citizenship, More

Rihanna ignited social media buzz online after encouraging her followers to vote, explaining that she isn’t eligible to do so.

Why Can’t Rihanna Vote in U.S. Elections?

One day before election day on November 4, 2024, Rihanna posted an Instagram Reel urging her followers to get out and hit the polls.

“POV: me trying to sneak into the polls with my son’s passport #VoteCauseICant,” she said as she sat in a car and gazed outside the window. In her caption, she emphasized the power of protecting women’s rights, writing, “When protecting pussies and firing pussies can happen all in one vote,” adding the hashtags, “#votecauseicant #TanSuitSeason.”

Although Rihanna’s two sons, RZA and Riot Rose, whom she shares with rapper A$AP Rocky, are U.S. citizens, she remains a citizen of Barbados, having moved to the U.S. in 2005 without changing her citizenship.

Rihanna has kept her strong ties to her native country, telling Interview Magazine in April 2024 that “Barbados will always be home. One hundred percent. I’m still a citizen after all these years.”

Rihanna was born in February 1988 and raised in the parish of Saint Michael on the Caribbean island of Barbados. She lived in a humble bungalow until she was 16 years old and the home has become a sightseeing hotspot for many of her fans. Situated on Westbury New Road — now renamed Rihanna Drive in her honor — she reportedly returns to her hometown a few times each year.

Where Does Rihanna Live Now?

Los Angeles has remained Rihanna’s home base after welcoming her two sons, joking that the best part of the city was her gynecologist.

“I wouldn’t trade her for the world,” the mom of two told Interview Magazine. “That’s why I had my babies in L.A. Besides that, great doctors, great therapists for kids, great teachers.”

Rihanna lives in a $13.8 million colonial-style Beverly Hills mansion, which she purchased in December 2021. The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home sits on a highly secluded cul-de-sac in the affluent Post Office neighborhood where several other celebrities serve as her neighbors. The 21,958-square-foot estate features a swimming pool, a cabana area, several fire pits and a guest house.

In addition, it features an open-concept, fully equipped fitness center, a beautiful contemporary living room and a gourmet chef’s kitchen.

Rihanna Encouraged U.S. Voters in the Past

Despite her ineligibility to vote, the “Diamonds” singer has used her influence to educate U.S. voters, reposting an Instagram post in 2018 listing the states that allowed same-day voter registration.

“It’s ELECTION DAY America!!! The most important day for the rest of your lives … all you have is right now!” she wrote in the caption. “TODAY!! If you’re tired of complaining about the state of the country and the government, get up and do something about it!!!”

In the comment section, a fan asked if she was a U.S. citizen, adding that it was just an “honest curiosity.”

“Nah I’m an immigrant tryna get yo country together,” she clapped back. “Did you vote?”