At Rihanna’s Diamond Ball, the Pop Star Shone Brighter Than Ever

“At least when Rihanna sings ‘B*tch Better Have My Money,’ you know she needs it for a good cause!” joked Seth Meyers, the evening’s master of ceremonies. The audience buckled with laughter. Unlike her Instagram handle might suggest, Riri is more good gal than bad. In 2012, Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation; a nonprofit dedicated to education and emergency response programs (specifically for natural disasters) around the world. The charity, named after Rihanna’s grandparents Clara and Lionel Braithwaite, hosts a blockbuster gala each year during Fashion Week and this most recent event, scheduled the day after the Fenty spectacular at the Barclay Center, was perhaps the best yet.

In attendance was a slew of pretty young things and in his opening remarks, Meyers remarked on the diversity among the crowd who had descended upon Cipriani Wall Street for the occasion. “I go to a lot of these charity fundraisers and it’s usually a bunch of old white dudes,” said the Late Night host. “But looking around, it seems like I’m the only old white guy…” He wasn’t incorrect; a scan of the crowd revealed the likes of Cardi B, Karlie Kloss, Offset, A$AP Rocky, Carmelo Anthony, Megan Thee Stallion, Kehlani, 21 Savage, Normani, Meek Mill, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Slick Woods.

But among all the luminaries were two very special guests who would be honored by Rihanna herself and CLF’s executive director Justine Lucas; the latter presented civil rights activist Shaun King with an award and shortly after, Rihanna took to the stage, resplendent in her vampy Givenchy couture look, to honor Barbados’s Prime Minister Mia Mottley. “She’s the first woman to lead the Barbados Labour Party, the first female prime minister of Barbados,” said Rihanna. “And tonight, she will be the first Prime Minister to attend 2 Chainz’s birthday party!” She was probably right about that. Mottely was humbled but rather than accept praise for herself, she chose to focus on her country’s national treasure (Rihanna) and ended her acceptance speech inviting all those in the crowd to come visit Barbados.

As Rihanna had alluded, there would be an after-party for the VIPs, but not before a spectacular, non-stop performance. Earlier in the night, phones were stored in unlockable (except via special key) pouches. Guests were left to their non-digital devices; chatting with one another and roaming the cavernous Cipriani which was splashed with color. Tables were adorned with velvet tablecloths with hovering gazebo-like canopies, and towering floral and moss arrangements lent the room an enchanted garden feeling. To the appreciation of almost all the women in attendance, there was also a Fenty Beauty station, where helpful makeup artists dusted guests’ cheekbones with highlighter—to shimmer like a diamond! And speaking of diamonds, the crowd dazzled in gowns and tuxes of glittering sequins, paillettes, and jewels aplenty.

Just before midnight (and after a riotous auction during which Cardi B came out on top as the highest bidder), staff came around to unlock everyone’s phones. Attendees crowded around the stage to hear Pharrell deliver smash hit after smash hit, iPhones at the ready. It was nonstop, except for when he paused during ‘Lemon’ to announce that “something didn’t feel right.” That was quickly rectified when Rihanna took to the stage to sing her portion of the song. After Pharrell, it was a whirlwind of hip-hop, rap, and reggae from artists who wove on and off stage (it was almost difficult to keep up!). With DJ Khaled as the maestro and Fat Joe at his side, 2 Chainz, A$AP Ferg, Fat Joe, Megan Thee Stallion, G-Eazy, and more performed.

As the clocks on everyone’s newly returned phones flashed 1:00 a.m., it was about time to go home. The crowd was dwindling, and Rihanna seemed to have made her graceful exit. Where did the superstar go? Likely to a certain birthday party with a certain prime minister in tow. The event raised over $5 million dollars, so there was much to celebrate.