Bangshowbiz:

The Umbrella singer revealed her rise to success has been painful as she has been exposed to the 'dark' side of celebrity.

Rihanna said: "Fame is lonely. At first, I was on an adrenaline high - this is my dream. I'm actually doing it; it didn't phase me that I was alone, that I wasn't with the people I love. But after a while it gets repetitive and that is when you think, 'Oh wow, I am sitting in a hotel room once again, just me and the television'."

Spotlight a problem

"When you are in the spotlight, people are like, 'What do you have to worry about?' They forget that the success is one great aspect of your life, but behind that there are problems, there are dark sides, there is loneliness and unhappiness."

The 19-year-old star also admits she has struggled to make true friends in the music business because she can't trust anyone. She added: "In this business, people are shallow, they are dishonest. You can't trust them.

"I have always had a thing for reading people. When I come into contact with a situation or a person, the first thing I do is just sit quiet for a little while. I sit and watch you. It really helps me to understand how to play the game, and sometimes you have to play it. It is a game that really sucks."