Sept. 7, 2025
SUMMER'S GREATEST SONGS COUNTDOWN: Rhianna - "Umbrella"
Welcome back to Hitmaker Chronicles' countdown of the Top 20 Songs of the Summer, as voted by the staff of Caloroga Shark Media! I'm your host, Garrett Fisher. Coming in at number 4, we're diving into Rihanna's game-changing 2007 anthem "Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z — a track that transformed a rising star into a global icon while Britain literally flooded under its 10-week chart reign. We'll trace how a GarageBand hi-hat loop and a song rejected by Britney Spears became the defining pop moment of 2007. Grab your umbrella — we're stepping into one of the decade's most perfect musical storms.
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WEBVTT
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Kalaroga Shark Media Summer two thousand and seven. I'm Garrett Fischer,
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and the music industry was experiencing a seismic shift. MTV
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still held cultural sway, but YouTube was beginning to democratize
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music discovery. Amy Winehouse was conquering the world with rehab,
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Timbaland was producing hit after hit, and a nineteen year
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old Barbadian singer named Rihanna was about to release a
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song that would not only define her career, but reshape
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what mainstream pop could be in the twenty first century.
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Coming in at number four on our countdown of the
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top twenty songs of the summer, as voted by the
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staff of Calaroga Shark Media, Rihanna's Umbrella featuring Jay Z
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represents that rare moment when artistic evolution, commercial ambition, and
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cultural timing aligned to create something truly transformative, a song
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so perfectly crafted that it literally soundtracked one of the
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wettest summers in British history. Before Rihanna became the billionaire
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business mogul and musical chameleon we know today, she was
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Robin Rihanna Fente, a teenager from Saint Michael, Barbados, who
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had been discovered by American record producer Evan Rodgers while
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he was vacationing on the island. Rogers was struck by
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her raw talent and distinctive voice, eventually bringing her to
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the United States to record demo tapes that would catch
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the attention of the music industry. Her audition for jay
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Z at def Jam is the stuff of music industry legend.
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The then president of the label kept her in the
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office until three am, refusing to let her leave until
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she'd signed a deal. He recognized something special in the
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young artist, not just her voice, but a quality that's
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harder to define, star power. By two thousand and seven,
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Rihanna had already scored hits with Ponder, Replay and Sas,
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establishing herself as a promising young talent in the R
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and B and pop world, but she was still searching
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for her definitive artistic identity. Her first two albums, while successful,
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had positioned her as another in a long line of
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young R and B singers, talented certainly, but not yet
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distinctive enough to separate from the pack. As she began
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work on her third album, there was a conscious decision
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to evolve. The album would be called good Girl Gone Bad,
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and it represented a deliberate transformation. Rihanna was ready to
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shed the innocent island girl image and embrace something edgier,
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more complex, and ultimately more authentic to who she was
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becoming as an artist. The creation of Umbrella began in
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January two thousand and seven in Atlanta's Triangle Studios, where
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producer Christopher Tricky Stewart was, in his words, messing around
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with sounds in garage bands. He stumbled upon a high
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hat loop that caught his attention, a simple sound that
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would become the rhythmic foundation of one of the decade's
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biggest hits. When songwriter Tereus the Dream Nash heard what
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Stuart was working on, he immediately asked what that beat was.
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As Stuart added chords to the high hat pattern, Nash
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felt inspired. Nash went to the vocal booth and started singing,
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and within sixty seconds they had the first verse. The
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hook came together just as quickly, with the writers building
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the song in real time, adding elements as inspiration struck.
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The song was originally written with Britney Spears in mind.
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Nash and Stewart had previously worked with Spears on Me
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Against the Music, and with Brittany working on her album Blackout,
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they thought Umbrella could be her comeback single, but Spear's
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label rejected it, claiming they had enough material. It's unclear
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if Brittany ever even heard the demo, a sliding doors
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moment that would reshape pop history. After the Spears rejection,
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the demo made its way to Island def Jam chairman
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La read through A and R executive Karen quak Reid
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immediately recognized its potential for Rihanna when she heard the demo.
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Rihanna was also positive towards it. When the demo first
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started playing, I was like, this is interesting, this is weird,
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but the song kept getting better. I listened to it
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over and over. I said, I need this record. I
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want to record it tomorrow. There was competition for the song.
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Mary J. Blige was also interested, and given her status
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following B Without You, she seemed like the logical choice,
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but Reid used his influence to secure the track for Rihanna,
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believing it could be the song to elevate her to
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the next level. So what made Umbrella such a perfect
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pop construction? Let's break it down. The production crafted by
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Tricky Stewart is deceptively simple but incredibly effective. That garage
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band high hat loop that started it all provides a hypnotic,
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almost militaristic rhythm that drives the entire track. It's insistent
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without being aggressive, creating a sense of forward momentum that
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mirrors the song's themes of protection and perseverance. The arrangement
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builds on this foundation with synthesizers that add atmospheric depth
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without cluttering the mix. There's a distorted baseline that gives
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the track weight and grounds it in contemporary R and
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B and hip hop production techniques. What's remarkable is how
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much space Stewart leaves in the production. It's confident enough
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to let the elements breathe rather than overwhelming the listener
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with layers of sound. When jay Z's verse enters, the
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production shifts slightly to accommodate his flow, demonstrating Stuart's understanding
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of how to create dynamic variation within a consistent sonic framework.
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The beat never loses its essential character, but it adapts
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and responds to the vocalists, creating a conversation between the
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production and the performances. The use of reverb and space
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in the mix creates an almost cinematic quality, particularly during
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the chorus, when Rihanna's voice seems to expand to fill
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every available frequency. This isn't just a song, it's a
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sonic environment that envelops the listener. The structure of Umbrella
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follows a classic pop formula, but executes it with such
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precision that it feels fresh rather than formulaic. The song
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opens with jay Z's spoken intro uh huh uh huh,
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immediately establishing his presence and giving the track hip hop
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credibility that helps it cross genre boundaries. Rihanna enters with
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the first verse, her voice conversational and intimate, drawing listeners
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into the song's emotional landscape. The pre chorus builds tension
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with its ascending melody, creating anticipation for what's to come.
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Then comes the chorus, and what a chorus it is.
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The repetition of Ella Ella Egg could have been annoying
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and less capable hands, but Rihanna turns it into a
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hypnotic mantra. It's simultaneously a vocal hook, a rhythmic element,
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and a sonic signature that makes the song instantly recognizable.
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From the first few notes. Jay Z's verse arrives at
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exactly the right moment, providing contrast and preventing any sense
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of monotony. His rewritten verse he changed it after hearing
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Rihanna's recording focuses on weather metaphors that complement rather than
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distract from the song's central theme. The bridge provides a
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moment of relative calm before the final choruses, allowing the
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song to breathe before building to its climactic conclusion. Every
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element serves the song's central mission, creating an undeniable pop
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moment that works on multiple levels. Lyrically, Umbrella operates on
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a simple but powerful metaphor, offering protection and support through
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life storms. The genius is in how it takes this
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everyday image and transforms it into something both universal and intimate.
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The verses paint pictures of loyalty and commitment that transcend
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typical pop song romanticism. Lines about shining together when the
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sun shines and standing together when it's raining more than
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ever speak to a deeper kind of connection, whether romantic, platonic,
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or even spiritual. What's particularly effective is how the lyrics
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avoid overwrought declarations or complex poetry. The language is direct
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and conversational, making the song's message accessible to anyone who's
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ever needed or offered support. This isn't about fairytale love.
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It's about real connection in difficult times. Jay Z's verse
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adds another dimension, bringing in themes of success and loyalty
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from a different perspective. His references to financial success, stack
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chips for the rainy day, and staying grounded despite fame
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complement the main theme while adding texture to the narrative.
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The ella ella hook, which could be seen as mere
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vocal decoration, actually serves to make the song more memorable
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and participatory. It's the kind of element that invites sing
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alongs and makes the song stick in your head for days.
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What truly elevates Umbrella from good to great is the
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vocal performance, particularly Rihanna's transformation from promising young singer to
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confident pop star. Her delivery throughout the song showcases a
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new maturity and attitude that would define her career going forward.
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In the verses, she's conversational but assured, delivering the lyrics
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with a knowing quality that suggests lived experience beyond her
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nineteen years. There's a slight edge to her voice, a
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hint of the rebellious spirit that would become her trademark.
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The chorus is where Rihanna truly shines. Stuart admitted he
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was still reluctant as to whether Rihanna was the right
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artist to record the song, but following the recording of
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the Ella ella catchphrase, he felt they were onto something
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that distinctive pronunciation. The way she plays with the rhythm
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and melody the transforms what could have been a simple
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popcorse into something unique and memorable. Jay Z's contribution cannot
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be understated. His presence alone elevated the track's profile, but
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his performance adds gravitas and cross genre appeal. His verse
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feels integral to the song rather than a tact on feature,
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demonstrating the chemistry between the two artists. The interplay between
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Rihanna and Jay Z creates a dynamic that suggests both
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mentor student and equals, adding layers to the song's meaning
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about support and protection more in a moment. Umbrella was
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released on March twenty ninth, two thousand and seven, and
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its impact was immediate and undeniable. The song debuted on
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the Billboard Hot one hundred and quickly climbed to number one,
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where it remained for seven consecutive weeks. It was one
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of the highest digital debuts in US history at the time,
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but perhaps nowhere was the song's impact more dramatically felt
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than in the United Kingdom, where it achieved a remarkable
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and somewhat ironic feat. The song topped the UK Singles
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chart for ten consecutive weeks, the longest run at number
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one for any single that decade, during what turned out
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to be one of the wettest summers in British history.
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The two thousand and seven UK floods were devastating, with
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rainfall double the seasonal average, causing widespread damage and disruption.
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The coincidence of Umbrella dominating the charts while the country
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was literally underwater became a cultural talking point, with some
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jokingly blaming Rihanna for the weather. The music video, directed
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by Chris Applebaum, became equally iconic. The image of Rihanna
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covered in silver paint posing nude within geometric shapes was
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unlike anything in mainstream pop at the time. It was artistic,
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edge and sophisticated, a visual statement that matched the song's
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sonic evolution. To fully appreciate the impact of Umbrella, we
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need to examine the cultural landscape of summer two thousand
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and seven, a time when the music industry was in
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transition and pop culture was being reshaped by new technologies
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and changing attitudes. Musically, two thousand and seven was dominated
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by a few key figures. Amy Winehouse's Back to Black
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was conquering the world, proving that there was massive appetite
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for artists who combined retro influences with contemporary edge. Timberland
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was at the height of his powers, producing hits for
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everyone from Nellifertado to Justin Timberlake. Hip hop was increasingly
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influencing mainstream pop, but in more sophisticated ways than the
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simple guest verses of earlier years. MTV was still relevant,
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but beginning to feel the pressure from YouTube and other
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online platforms. The network had largely abandoned music videos in
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favor of reality program but events like the VMA still
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held cultural significance. When Rihanna performed Umbrella at the two
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thousand and seven MTV Movie Awards with Bruce Willis introducing her,
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it felt like a passing of the Torch moment. The
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broader cultural context was one of transition. The economic optimism
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of the mid two thousands was beginning to show cracks
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with the financial crisis just around the corner. Social media
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was emerging but hadn't yet achieved its full cultural dominance.
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There was a sense that old systems were breaking down
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and new ones were being born. In this context, Umbrella
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felt both of its moment and somehow timeless. It embraced
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contemporary production techniques while maintaining classic pop songcraft. It featured
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hip hop elements without being a hip hop song. It
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was sophisticated without being inaccessible. The success of Umbrella transformed
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Rihanna from rising star to global icon. The song won
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her first Grammy Award for Best Rap Sung Collaboration and
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earned nominations for Record of the Year and Song of
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the Year at the two thousand and seven Mtvvmas, The
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video one Video of the Year, cementing its cultural impact.
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More importantly, Umbrella established a template that Rihanna would follow
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throughout her career, constantly evolving, taking risks, collaborating with cutting
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edge producers, and never being afraid to shed her previous
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image for something new. The good Girl Gone Bad transformation
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that Umbrella represented was just the first of many reinventions.
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The song's influence on pop music was immediate and lasting.
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It showed that pop songs could be minimalist and spacious
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while still feeling huge. It demonstrated how hip hop and
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R and B influences could be integrated into pop without
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feeling forced or tokenistic, and it proved that a simple
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concept executed perfectly could resonate across cultures and contexts. For
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producer Tricky Stewart, a Umbrella was a cultural moment. Rihanna
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was having pop success as an international artist with ponder
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replay and sos, but she wasn't a complete thought all
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the way through. The song changed that, making Rihanna a
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complete artist with a definitive sound and image. Looking back
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on Umbrella today, it's remarkable how fresh it still sounds
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in an era of maximalist pop production and feature heavy singles.
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Its relative simplicity and confidence stand out. The song doesn't
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try to do too much. It knows exactly what it
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is and executes that vision flawlessly. What makes Umbrella the
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perfect summer anthem is its ability to work on multiple levels.
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It's a dance floor filler that also works as a
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personal anthem. It's a love song that's also about self empowerment.
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It's specific to its moment while feeling timeless, and perhaps
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most importantly, it captures that summer feeling of protection and connection,
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