Rihanna sat down with Esquire and talked about her entire concert experience what she feels before, during and after her shows. Check out the hot photos in the gallery and then read on to see what she has to say.
ESQ: What happens in your dressing room before a show?
RIHANNA: I eat lozenges, steam my voice, do my makeup. I Skype my vocal coach and we sit there at the makeup table and do warm-ups for about a half-hour. Then, Jen, my personal assistant slash bartender, brings me a shot that she dilutes with a little something so it’s not so harsh, like orange juice or soda water and lime.
ESQ: Why do you have the shot?
RIHANNA: I have to have it. I take it very seriously, so there is a level of anxiety, always. I overthink everything when it comes to my job. The drink calms my nerves. I sip it while I watch the opening act from my dressing room. Sometimes I go out into the audience. I put on a really big hoodie and sneak out there.
More from Rihanna and watch behind the scenes video of Rihanna from the Esquire photo shoot…
ESQ: What happens right before you go on?
RIHANNA: I say “House” and the lights go off. My head is down the entire time. I’m hearing the music and I know I only have like twelve seconds left to get into the cage, drink my water, finish the liquor, check my mic. Then I have like three seconds where I get to pray, again, for myself, and for the audience. I always pray for the crowd.
ESQ: What do you do right after you come off stage?
RIHANNA: My friends and I are screaming and jumping up and down running in the dressing room. Then I’m in fishnets and nothing else for like half an hour.
