Rihanna dazzled in Barbados last week in a teeny gold bikini as she cooled off in the pool.

The R & B singer was enjoying some much needed R & R before heading off for the North American leg of her world tour.

Rihanna was also rocking a radical new bright red and black hairdo, cropped short at the sides with a cockatoo looking quiff smoothed over to the side and some huge 80s door knocker style hoop earrings. She had a whirlwind couple of days, landing in her hometown last Wednesday before jetting out just two days later to catch her boyfriend, Los Angeles Dodgers star, Matt Kemp, play at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.
Sean Garrett, the producer of Rihanna's new album told the press last week that the singer is getting back to more 'happy' and 'upbeat' music.

He said things got serious for a while on Rated R as she told the story of her beating and subsequent break up from ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, but that she's now making a return to her Pon de Replay and Umbrella roots. Rihanna and Brown went through a painful public break-up back in February last year after Brown assaulted her in his car following a row between the couple. Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, suffered a split lip, bloody nose and scratching to her face.

Brown, who plead guilty to assault, avoided jail time but was sentenced to six months community service, five years probation, ordered to attend domestic violence classes and banned from going within fifty-yards of Rihanna.

Rihanna has since gone on to find happiness with baseball star Kemp, who she credits with bringing some calm to her often crazy life.

'I feel so comfortable and it's so easy,' the 22-year-old told the July issue of Elle Magazine. 'I have such a chaotic life, but at the end of the day that is just my peace.

'It keeps me sane really, talking to him and talking to my family.'