barbados

Yesterday was a big day in Barbados, as April 28 marks National Heroes Day, during which the island nation honors a select group of people who have been declared National Heroes. Rihanna earned that distinction last November, meaning this year’s National Heroes Day was Rihanna’s first as an honoree, about which she was thrilled.

Rihanna shared some photos from the celebration and wrote, “My very first #NationalHeroesDay as a National Hero of my country Barbados! [Barbados flag emojis] What an absolute honor to be amongst such great men and women who have come before me and held this title in commitment to our nation! I will forever cherish these memories and continue to represent the Bajan people and my home Barbados to the fullest!! Love and gratitude to both The Prime Minister, The Honorable Mia Amor Mottley and our President, Her Excellency The Most Honorable Dame Sandra Mason for trusting me with this honor!”

The first National Heroes Day was celebrated on April 28, 1998, 100 years after the birth of Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, Barbados’ first prime minister (a position then called “premier”). The holiday has been observed annually since then.

The National Hero distinction is a big deal, as Rihanna is just one of 11 people to ever be given the title and the first one since the inaugural ten-person class in 1998. Rihanna is one of only two living National Heroes of Barbados, alongside legendary cricket player Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers. She’s also one of just two women to ever receive the honor, the other being Sarah Ann Gill, a social and religious leader in the 1800s.

Rihanna never sleeps. Though plenty of fans have voiced their complaints that we haven’t seen a new album since 2016’s Anti, it’s not like Rihanna hasn’t been busy. She became one of the only female billionaires in the world this year, due to the success of her Fenty Beauty and Savage Fenty respective lines, and she even dipped her toes back into the music game a little bit with a massive vinyl collection of all her old work.

But despite all she’s accomplished in her career, part of Riri’s heart will also be in her native Barbados. She’s always kept her roots there, returning for different festivals every year and making sure people know she hasn’t forgotten where she’s from. Well, tonight she’s also back in Barbados to help celebrate a very historic moment in the country’s history: officially becoming a republic. You see, in the past, Barbados was a royal colony, but they’ve opted to self-govern. But Barbados will still remain part of the greater commonwealth, despite their newfound independence.

Catch a glimpse of Rihanna’s appearance at the ceremony below, and keep an eye out for her own thoughts on the transition, likely to appear on social media in the next few days. According to reports, she was also honored with the title “National Hero,” which is a pretty epic title to say the least.