Why Rihanna Missed The 2024 Met Gala Despite Teasing Her Look For The Event

Rihanna's absence at this year's Met Gala left her fans surprised after she had given hints about her plans to attend the fashion event.

The singer had earlier teased a "real simple" look, sparking curiosity about her planned attire. Her previous iconic looks include a bishop's headdress ensemble in 2018 and a canary yellow dress in 2015.

According to a source who spoke to People Magazine, the Grammy-award-winning artist had to forego attending the fashion show due to an unexpected bout of flu.

In recent years, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have become renowned for their fashionably late entrances. They established a tradition of arriving well after the call time, making a memorable mark on the event.

In anticipation of Met Monday, the "Umbrella" hitmaker told Extra in an interview that she would keep her outfit "real simple."

"I'm actually keeping it real simple this year. ... It's gonna come to what my makeup and what my hair is going to do," she teased.

She also revealed that she had already selected two gowns for the occasion and described them as "Very simple-ish ... compared to everything I have done," sparking curiosity among fans about her planned look.

Rihanna always came ready in her previous epic solo looks at past Met Galas. In 2018, as co-chair of "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination," the Fenty Beauty mogul commanded attention in a striking ensemble consisting of a bishop's headdress, a bejeweled minidress, and a collared robe, all crafted by Maison Margiela Artisanal under the creative direction of John Galliano.

Equally memorable was her appearance in 2015, themed "China: Through the Looking Glass," where she captivated audiences in a breathtaking canary yellow dress with a fur-trimmed cape cascading down the steps by Guo Pei.

Pei revealed to Women's Wear Daily at the time that he "actually didn't think the dress was the right one for her." He added, "I thought it would be too heavy and too hot, but she was so touched the moment she put it on."

During the interview with Extra, Rihanna also reflected on how her style has transformed since becoming a mother, noting that "When you become a mom, your style goes from like 'blah' to 'let's see what fits' to 'I'm gonna be a bad b-tch today."

She added, "You've got to remind yourself a little bit sometimes, you know, bad b-tch is still in there somewhere. You wanna be comfortable because you're moving around so much, and then it's whatever fits. Right now, my clothes are either too big or too small most of the time."

The mom of two also expressed excitement about her older son RZA's upcoming second birthday. "It just hit me over the head the other day," she said. "Two under 2 — that's a royal rumble right there."

Describing her son RZA, she shared: "He's very into everything sensory — sounds, touch, climbing. He's active, he's fearless, but still cautious at the same time."

On the red carpet at a recent launch event for her Fenty X Puma shoe, Rihanna looked back on some of the revealing ensembles she'd donned over the years and expressed shock over them.

Rihanna told the publication that she had done many racy things in the past and that now that she's a mom, she would likely not consider wearing such outfits.

"I've done so much sh-t in my life. I've had my nipples out, my panties out, "Rihanna shared.

She continued, "But now, those are the things which, I guess, as a mom and an evolved young lady — emphasis on 'young' — there are things I feel like I would never do. Like, 'Oh my God, I really did that? Nips out?'"

Over the weekend, snapshots emerged from Miami, capturing Rihanna flaunting a striking pink candy-colored hairdo. The singer and her partner enjoyed their time in Miami, where the billionaire supported Rocky's Puma pop-up shop.

For the event, she donned an elegant black John Galliano vintage 1995 off-the-shoulder slip dress paired with a coordinating corset, revealing a black lace Savage X Fenty bra underneath, accentuating the vibrancy of her pastel locks.

Completing her look with a dazzling diamond "A" pendant and a statement silver ring, she added a playful touch with pink sneakers.

On the other hand, Rocky mirrored his partner's opulence. He sported a unique racing helmet-inspired balaclava, a T-shirt reminiscent of a racing harness, and a diamond-encrusted "R" ring symbolizing both Rihanna and Rocky.