PICS: 7 Days With Rihanna

Unless you've been under a rock or waiting for me to post about it you have to know about Rihanna's 777 Tour which featured 7 concerts in 7 countries in 7 days. The genius thing about this tour is that Rihanna chartered a plane and invited the media and some lucky fans along for the 7 day 7 country 7 show ride.

The media and fans who were lucky enough to get an invite (mine was lost in the mail) were on the same flight as Rihanna going to and from all of her destinations deaprting in LA on November 14 to Mexic City, Toronto (15), Stockholm (16), Paris (17), Berlin (18), London (19) and finally New York (20) tonight all while having a chance to report back to their respective audiences.

The things I find most genius about this is the social promotion that Rihanna is getting alone from having some of pop culture's most influential people so up close and personal tagging along with Rihanna just a week before the release of her 7th studio album and we can't forget Rih's  fans (Navy) also tagging along and those on those watching from home in anticipation. How creative to whisk her around the world in 7 days for 7 shows in 7 countries with the people who chronicle her every move...her fans and the media having first dibs on the promotion.

Just about all of the journalists/bloggers have either tweeted pictures or some tidbit about the trip during the last 7 days. If you were to do a Twitter search of the hash tag #777tour tweets of all sorts would pop up from Rihanna herself, her team, her fans, and those traveling with her. This is genius! Making one of Hollywood's most photographed and talked about pop artists seem so open for those that support her career is creative and someone needs a raise (in case this move didn't blow the budget).

And in true Rihanna fashion pictures began surfacing the 'net quickly of a more than happy and welcoming Rihanna greeting her entourage for the next 7 days aboard a chartered flight pouring mounds of champagne (one of her boss' fav brands) in what looked like would be a party plane/tour for the next 7 days.



 

 

But the pop plane didn't last so long according to some fed up journalists among those traveling with Rih. There have been reports that shit hit the fan during a plane ride from Berlin to  from some fed up journalist who had yet to get up and personal with Rihanna who sat in first class while they traveled in coached without contact from the pop star.

 

Check out a few excerpts from journalist Melinda Newman:

 

A plane full of jet-lagged, exhausted, overserved journalists, fed up with no access to Rihanna for five days, begins to rebel. It starts when a cameraman for one of the Australian crews streaks up one side the plane and down the other. We're pretty sure that kind of behavior gets you tossed off a commercial flight, but it's cause for high celebration here.

His move unleashes something in the rest of us, and we all stand on our seats and start chanting for Rihanna. When that gets no response, we switch to, "Just one quote," and, "Save our jobs," and then, "Occupy 7-7-7." It's verging on pandemonium in the sky and the flight attendants just let it ride. Rihanna's handlers come to survey the scene and decide there's no way they're bringing their precious cargo back now.

The near-riot occurs because Rihanna has not set foot in the coach cabin where the members of the media are seated since Day 1 in Los Angeles. Other than onstage, there's been no RiRi sighting since baggage check in Toronto. The plane press conferences that were dangled in front of journalists before the trip started have not materialized and we're starved for things to write about. She has, however, shown up between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. for two afterparties, including one in Paris with Akon, Diddy, Pharrell and Omarion. (Is there some kind of secret bat signal that goes up to alert celebs that they're in the same city and there's champagne being poured?

I can't wait to hear more trip recounts in the coming days. I'd love to know what their accommodations were like beyond not getting a chance to rub shoulders with Rihanna and what they were and weren't able to bring along with them, seven countries seem like a lot of climate changes to me requiring versatile wardrobes then requiring a nice amount of luggage.

 

With the tour nearing it's end tonight and Rihanna's new album Unapologetic having been released yesterday (Nov 19) I hope this was all worth the exorbitant promotion. I also hope the album does well and Rih gets some much needed rest.

 

Check out some 777 Tour pics for now!

 



Although I am seeing many recounts about Rihanna not being accessible during this tour to the 200 plus people that were invited I think it's a good look into seeing how a tour is ran and all the shenangins that can occur...basically things aren't all shits and giggles.

Hopefully tonight's closing show will give the journalists and fans the access they've been craving but if not I'm sure this is an experience they'll never forget and are happy they tagged along.

I wonder who will mimic (can afford) this traveling press circus next? Y'all know Rih is a trendsetter...