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Diamonds World Tour
Tour by Rihanna
Promotional poster for the tour
Associated albumUnapologetic
Start dateMarch 8, 2013 (2013-03-08)
End dateNovember 15, 2013 (2013-11-15)
Legs5
No. of shows96
Supporting acts
Box office$140.1 million ($189.11 in 2024 dollars)[1]
Rihanna concert chronology

The Diamonds World Tour was the fifth concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. It was launched in support of her seventh studio album Unapologetic (2012). The tour was announced in September 2012 following the singer's performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. The tour kicked off on March 8, 2013 in Buffalo, New York and officially ending on November 15, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The tour visited the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia with 96 shows in total. This was Rihanna's first Australian tour since February 2011 with The Last Girl On Earth Tour.

The set list for the concerts included songs from a selection of Rihanna's studio albums; the Diamonds World Tour includes five acts and an encore. Rihanna's outfits were designed by a variety of designers including Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy, Raf Simons of Christian Dior and Alber Elbaz, footwear was designed by French fashion line Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. The tour featured support acts including 2 Chainz, ASAP Rocky, David Guetta, and Haim among others.

The tour was met with praise from critics who noted artistic growth. Commercially, the Diamonds World Tour was a success, with extra dates added due to high demand. The tour grossed $137,982,530 (USD) from 87 shows according to Billboard magazine and was the fifth highest grossing worldwide tour of 2013.[2] Rihanna broke numerous records during the tour, becoming the youngest artist to ever headline a sold-out show at France's National Stadium, at the age of 25.[3] She also became the youngest artist to have sold-out shows held at Millennium Stadium (June 10, 2013) and Twickenham Stadium (June 15 & 16, 2013).[4] In South Africa, Rihanna created history in Johannesburg at the FNB Stadium where she became the first female and youngest artist to sell out the stadium.[5]

Background

[edit]

On September 7, following the singer's performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, she announced that she will embark on her fourth worldwide tour entitled the Diamonds World Tour, to support her then upcoming album.[6] Rihanna's managing company Live Nation Entertainment posted a video on YouTube with the announcement of the North American dates of the tour.[7] The tickets for the concert shows were made available a week later on September 14, 2012.[7] She will bring her tour to 27 cities in North America during two months.[8] On Wednesday, November 14, 2012, Rihanna revealed the European dates. The singer will tour Europe for two months between late May and late July 2013, taking in the UK during June. A few dates were announced a few days later the official European announcement although they said: more shows are expected to be announced.[9] On March 13, 2013, the Australian dates were confirmed.[10]

A view of the stage during Rihanna's performance in Singapore on September 22, 2013

In early March 2013, via her official YouTube channel, Rihanna posted a series of videos regarding the preparations for the tour.[11] The first video featured the dancers auditions for the tour in which contestants applied to participate on the tour. They perform several dance sequences for Rihanna and her team while they are auditioning.[12] She posted the second video on March 2, 2013, in which the crew is preparing the outfits for Rihanna, the dancers and the backup singers. Marley Glassroth who served as a costume builder, explained that the theme of the outfits is different for every section of the show, "There is a little bit of rock n' roll, there is a little bit of sexy... everything."[13] The stylist assistant, Jahleel Weaver, also spoke and concluded that the most difficult process of the costume creation is making "the storming ideas" reality and further described the show as "dope".[13]

A day later, she posted a third video in which the tour crew describes how the stage will be set up for every show.[14] The production assistant of the stage, Cody Osborne explained that he worked on it probably for over 18 million hours and he hopes it will work.[14] Scenes are intercut with people building the stage up together. Joe Sanchez, who serves as a production manager, stated that he started designing it since last year and it has been in construction for five weeks.[14] He also said that it will take a team crew of over 58 people to construct and over 100 local people crew to turn it down the stage on every show. Sanchez said that the show is more complex than the previous tours by Rihanna.[14] On March 4, another video was posted on the singer's channel in which she rehearsal's for the dance routine of "Pour It Up" together with the choreographer. According to the latter, "this routine gives you the feeling like a stripper-slash hood choreography, that's the type of energy, that's the type where your mind will be ported."[15] The next day, a video of the "Run Through First Look" was uploaded in which Rihanna approved the stage lighting and video content.[16] On March 6 a video where the singer and her dancers are doing the video photo shoot was uploaded,[17] before finally the next day, the last video where Rihanna and her crew are making the last rehearsal before leaving for the first show in Buffalo, New York was posted.[18]

Fashion

[edit]

To support her performances, Rihanna appeared in several different outfits on the stage.[19] The outfit for the opening of the show was created by Italian fashion designer Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy.[19] It features a masculine oversized black printed and hand embroidered parka, which channels his signature mix of streetwear and Haute Couture.[20] Under the parka, there was a black and white leather bra and a gold star embellishments, a sheer black silk shirt, gold embroidered satin shorts, and a gold shark tooth necklace engraved with the singer's name: "RIRI".[19] In an interview for Women's Wear Daily, Tisci said, "Rihanna represents what young and amazing means today. She is punk and talented. She offers intelligence, energy and pure beauty. She is the face of her generation."[21] According to a representative from Givenchy, the costume is a symbol of "female empowerment and urban haute couture elegance."[21] Tisci further contributed to a dark floor-length black cape, a printed parka with gold bullet motifs, and an energetic pink-and-neon dress paired with holographic kicks.[19]

Belgian fashion designer Raf Simons and the creative director at Christian Dior, also collaborated with the singer and created a sheer black dress with white Rihanna x Raf Simons text on both sides of the item paired with shorts, and white python custom Christian Louboutin boots.[19] According to Hilary Moss of New York magazine, both the boots [cargo pants] and the sunglasses which were worn with the outfit drew inspirations from the style of the nineties.[22] Her personal costume designer Adam Selman also designed some of the outfits including a red halter and wrap-around skirt wore for the ballads section and a red, white and yellow color-block bustier with matching leather pants and Manolo Blahnik snakeskin boots.[19][22] He also designed a dollar bill hologram dress combined with metallic Pierre Hardy high-tops. The jewelry for the Adam Selman looks was designed by Lynn Ban.[19][22][23] Regarding Rihanna, Selman spoke to New York Daily News, "Her body is so insane. It's the dream body to make clothes for. You don't have to try as hard."[19] For the encore, Rihanna wore an Alber Elbaz created jumpsuit that made visible her chest tattoo of goddess Isis.[22][24] The singer's personal stylist Mel Ottenberg, describe the outfits for the show in general as "a very Thug Life Tupac mixed with nineties candy raver".[24]

Synopsis

[edit]
Rihanna performing during the fourth act of the show
Rihanna performing in March in Toronto

The Diamonds World Tour includes five acts and an encore.[25] The show opens with Rihanna singing "Mother Mary" while kneeling in front of a female monument in a "prayer-like" pose.[25] The bright lights and rich stage production start after the song, when the singer performs "Phresh Out the Runway".[25] The show continues with a rendition of the remix of "Birthday Cake"; a performance through which Rihanna performs several sexually charged movements. For the performance of "Talk That Talk", Rihanna is joined with additional dancers and musicians.[25] After the performances of "Pour It Up" and "Cockiness (Love It)", the singer finishes the set with a rendition of "Numb".[25]

The second set of the Diamonds World Tour is Caribbean inspired and begins with a guitar solo performed by Nuno Bettencourt. After the solo Rihanna appears on the stage with a changed costume and performs "You da One" and "No Love Allowed".[25] For the performance of "Man Down", a mug shot of Rihanna together with her birth name "Robyn Rihanna Fenty" appearing on the video screen. The set is followed up with a performance of her 2009 single "Rude Boy" and ends with Rihanna singing "What's My Name?".[25] The third set of the show, features Rihanna wearing multi-colored leather pants.[25] The set is opened with a performance of "Jump" which features dubstep bass line and pyrotechnics. After that she performs "Umbrella", "All of the Lights", "Rockstar 101" and finishes the set with the ballad "What Now" which features fire and crowd involvement in the performance.[25]

The fourth set features Rihanna wearing a long red dress.[25] During the set she performs a range of ballads; it starts with a performance of "Loveeeeeee Song" (Future's vocals are played in the background) and then continues with "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)".[25] Rihanna performs a shortened version of "Take a Bow", "Cold Case Love" and finishes the set with a rendition of "Hate That I Love You".[25] The fifth act, during which the singer wore an outfit made of money started with a performance of "We Found Love". Rihanna performs a shortened version of "S&M" while having fun in the audience, followed up by "Only Girl (In the World)" and "Don't Stop the Music".[25] The set is finished with a performance of her 2012 single "Where Have You Been". For the encore, Rihanna gets back on the stage as she sings "a strong version" of "Stay" and finishes the concert with "Diamonds".[25]

Commercial performance

[edit]

After the North American leg of the tour was announced, due to high demand extra dates were added in Brooklyn, Toronto and Montreal.[26] After Rihanna announced the UK leg of the tour, pre-sale tickets searches rose by 700% on viagogo. Experts predicted that tickets for all of Rihanna's European shows could sell out in under six minutes.[27]

Rihanna made history on May 24 at the kickoff of Morocco's annual Mawazine Music Festival by performing for a crowd of 150,000; a new record in the country's capital.[28] Rihanna also made history by becoming the youngest artist to ever headline a show at Paris' Stade de France, at the age of 25, stealing the distinction from Lady Gaga who performed at the stadium the year before at the age of 26.[29] Rihanna also performed at Millennium Stadium and two times at the Twickenham Stadium on June 10, 2013 and June 15 & 16, 2013 and again became the youngest artist ever to sell out the stadiums.[30] Istanbul's İnönü Stadium hosted Rihanna on May 30, 2013. The stadium welcomed 35,000 people for the concert, which lasted an hour and a half.[31]

Rihanna performed to a crowd of 65,000 in Singapore during Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday September 22, 2013. It was one of the biggest concert crowds in recent history.[32] Also, Rihanna's shows in South Africa were a commercial success. Rihanna made history on Sunday night when she became the youngest ever singer to sell out the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.[33] Rihanna was named the fifth-highest touring artist of 2013 by Billboard magazine, earning a gross of $137,982,530 over the course of 87 shows, of which 84 were sold out.[34] On Pollstar's year-end chart of the top one hundred grossing worldwide tours, from January 1 to December 31, 2013, the Diamonds World Tour was placed at number six with a gross of $141.9 million from the shows that were played during the given time period. Tickets were sold with an average gross of $1,867,248 per city.[35]

Critical reception

[edit]

North America

[edit]

The tour received general acclaim during the North American legs. Mick Stingley of Billboard magazine reviewed Rihanna's performance in Hartford; according to him, the singer shined during the show. He wrote that "her interplay with her dancers and her longtime band leader Nuno Bettencourt, was a treat".[36] Stingley concluded that with the costume and set changes, the video interludes and flashing lights, Rihanna put a "fantastic" show and was in "excellent" voice.[36] Donnie Moorhouse of The Republican also reviewed the show and wrote that it was type of show you would expect from a Grammy star who is in a same stratosphere as singers like Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez. "Rihanna's performance was certainly on par with the performances those stars can deliver."[37] In a review of the concert in Chicago, Bob Gendron of Chicago Tribune stated, "Being a diva affords certain privileges. Which is why Rihanna didn't seem the least bit self-indulgent dressing up like an Egyptian princess, stomping in thigh-high boots and prancing around in the equivalent of expensive lingerie."[38] He noted the heavy background vocals during the performance and wrote that Rihanna sang less in comparison with her previous tours, however moved more, "Her body became a blur of curves and angles—elbows, hands, legs and knees bent into various positions. Suggestive and erotic, she knows how to tease.[38] Reviewing the concert in Detroit and writing for Detroit Free Press, Brian McCollum noted that the Diamonds World Tour is Rihanna's bid for showing 'Serious Artistic Growth. He stated that the performance, "was teeming with artsy flourishes and visual metaphor — from the Venus de Milo image behind her at show's start to the horror-film clips of 'Rockstar 101' to the stately pillars of light accompanying 'Man Down'."[39]

Rihanna performing "Stay" during the show in Lisbon, Portugal. The performance of the song together with other ballads was praised by critics.

The Globe and Mail's Brad Wheeler in a review of one of the Toronto shows wrote, "Rihanna's star is hot and still on the rise – Beyoncé's Sasha Fierce is now Sasha Fears."[40] Natasha Paolini of HipHopCanada stated, "Since the last time I saw Rihanna live in concert, it was obvious that she has grown and matured as an artist and as an individual. I love the way she performed on this tour, she was sexy, charming and even vulnerable at times. With the exception of minor vocal slip-ups, Rihanna put on a stellar show that was tasteful, raw and fun."[41] Mikael Wood of Los Angeles Times wrote, that "the singer inhabited each of her characters with total conviction, portraying a lifelike complexity often lost on A-list pop peers such as Katy Perry and Beyoncé."[42] Wood praised the performance particular the rendition of "Stay" stating that the halter-top pantsuit she wore accompanied with the minimal arrangement of the song remind him of Diana Ross in her middle career.[42] Rick Florino of Artistdirect also praised the show in Los Angeles and wrote, "In fact, she's one of the last real rockstars left, and she's owning the title like a true champ. Every tour Rihanna launches, she still manages to step up her game and best the last one. Of course, that's tradition for any rockstar worth his or her salt, but she's keeping live music exciting with mind-blowing production and tight performances."[43]

Brenna Rushing of The Dallas Morning News similarly as other reviewers wrote, "Rihanna took full control of the surprisingly simple stage, dripping in sex appeal and belting knockout notes."[44] She further stated that, "Rihanna treated the audience to rump-shaking sways and dance moves only a few pop stars can manage. But make no mistake, this sensual style wasn't a mask for her performance; it was just an enhancement."[44] Rushing noted that if the fast club songs didn't catch the audience, then the ballad must did and praised their rendition. In a review of the Houston show, Joey Guerra of The Houston Chronicle stated "Rihanna sometimes emits a cold energy in videos and on record. But she comes alive onstage. There was energy and intent in every vocal lick, every hip swivel, every kick in thigh-high white boots. And that was before she even got to the big hits."[45] Notably, Guerra praised the performances of "What Now" and the ballad set noting that nothing felt over choreographed as one moment led to another.[45] Despite all the positive reviews during the North American leg, James Reed of Boston.com criticized Rihanna's tardiness to the Boston and the overtly use of backing tracks. However, he concluded with other critics that the ballads were her strongest moments of the night.[46]

Europe and Oceania

[edit]

Hannah Britt of British Daily Express reviewed Rihanna's concert at Twickenham Stadium in London stating, "Her vocals during the beautiful 'Stay' were bang on and, as a performer, she is simply captivating to watch. Whether thrusting her crotch towards the crowd, or simply standing smiling down at them, when Rihanna is in front of you, you can't take your eyes off her. Whether you agree with her morals or not, one cannot deny that the woman knows how to own a stage."[47] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the concert three out of five stars and concluded that although the concert was a "nonetheless a well-honed show that had its moments" including a 70,000 crowd singing "We Found Love" and "Only Girl (In the World)", it lacked shocking moments and spontaneity that "let her down".[48] Manchester Evening News's gave the first show in Manchester Arena four out of five stars and wrote, "Not only is Rihanna a rockstar, and a showbiz veteran at the tender age of 25, but a legend in her own right."[49] In a review of the show in Cardiff, Wales, Elena Cresci of Western Mail wrote that Rihanna commands the performance as well as her multi-platinum selling colleagues and also knows what her fans want and gives it to them.[50]

Set list

[edit]

This set list is from the show on March 21, 2013 in Detroit. It does not represent all concerts for the tour.[36]

  1. "Mother Mary"
  2. "Phresh Out the Runway"
  3. "Birthday Cake"
  4. "Talk That Talk"
  5. "Pour It Up"
  6. "Cockiness (Love It)"
  7. "Numb"
  8. "You da One"
  9. "Man Down"
  10. "No Love Allowed"
  11. "Rude Boy"
  12. "What's My Name?"
  13. "Jump"
  14. "Umbrella"
  15. "All of the Lights" / "Rockstar 101"
  16. "What Now"
  17. "Loveeeeeee Song"
  18. "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" / "Take a Bow" / "Cold Case Love"
  19. "Hate That I Love You"
  20. "We Found Love"
  21. "S&M" / "Only Girl (In the World)" / "Don't Stop the Music"
  22. "Where Have You Been"

Encore

  2. "Stay"
  3. "Diamonds"

Notes

Shows

[edit]
List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening act, tickets sold, number of available tickets and amount of gross revenue
Date City Country Venue Opening act Attendance Revenue
North America[52]
March 8, 2013 Buffalo United States First Niagara Center ASAP Rocky 15,614 / 15,614 $1,117,147
March 14, 2013 Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center 15,095 / 15,095 $1,080,298
March 15, 2013 Hartford XL Center 10,985 / 10,985 $842,941
March 17, 2013 Montreal Canada Bell Centre 16,054 / 16,054 $1,278,497
March 18, 2013 Toronto Air Canada Centre 32,038 / 32,038 $2,498,532
March 19, 2013
March 21, 2013 Detroit United States Joe Louis Arena 15,349 / 15,349 $937,674
March 22, 2013 Chicago United Center 15,902 / 15,902 $1,234,380
March 24, 2013 Saint Paul Xcel Energy Center 10,929 / 10,929 $780,143
March 25, 2013 Winnipeg Canada MTS Centre 10,649 / 10,649 $880,893
March 27, 2013 Edmonton Rexall Place 13,133 / 13,133 $1,008,532
March 30, 2013 Calgary Scotiabank Saddledome 13,495 / 13,495 $1,012,286
April 1, 2013 Vancouver Rogers Arena 14,879 / 14,879 $1,153,688
April 3, 2013 Seattle United States KeyArena 10,906 / 10,906 $782,027
April 6, 2013 San Jose HP Pavillon 14,027 / 14,027 $1,047,778
April 8, 2013 Los Angeles Staples Center 14,882 / 14,882 $1,297,755
April 9, 2013 Anaheim Honda Center 11,050 / 11,050 $950,442
April 11, 2013 San Diego Valley View Casino Center 11,831 / 11,831 $899,782
April 12, 2013 Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Events Center 8,861 / 8,861 $1,047,675
April 19, 2013 Tampa Tampa Bay Times Forum 11,705 / 11,705 $901,024
April 20, 2013 Sunrise BB&T Center 13,959 / 13,959 $1,042,363
April 22, 2013 Atlanta Philips Arena 13,233 / 13,233 $924,581
April 24, 2013[a] Baltimore 1st Mariner Arena 11,002 / 11,002 $788,340
April 26, 2013 Atlantic City Revel Ovation Hall 4,391 / 4,391 $515,641
April 28, 2013 Newark Prudential Center 13,999 / 13,999 $1,215,879
April 29, 2013 Washington, D.C. Verizon Center 14,339 / 14,339 $1,185,020
May 1, 2013 Montreal Canada Bell Centre 14,028 / 14,028 $1,190,028
May 2, 2013 Ottawa Scotiabank Place 11,990 / 11,990 $852,724
May 5, 2013 Brooklyn United States Barclays Center 29,072 / 29,072 $2,465,993
May 6, 2013[b] Boston TD Garden 14,083 / 14,083 $1,061,548
May 7, 2013[c] Brooklyn Barclays Center [d] [d]
Africa[54]
May 24, 2013[e] Rabat Morocco OLM Souissi — — —
Europe[56]
May 26, 2013 Bilbao Spain Bizkaia Arena GTA 13,770 / 13,770 $995,676
May 28, 2013 Lisbon Portugal MEO Arena 18,006 / 18,006 $1,151,120
May 30, 2013 Istanbul Turkey İnönü Stadium 33,483 / 33,483 $3,547,707
June 1, 2013 Barcelona Spain Palau Sant Jordi 17,761 / 17,761 $1,339,319
June 2, 2013 Montpellier France Park&Suites Arena 12,627 / 12,627 $915,172
June 3, 2013 Lyon Halle Tony Garnier GTA
HAIM 		15,339 / 15,339 $994,578
June 5, 2013 Antwerp Belgium Sportpaleis 39,436 / 39,436 $2,881,499
June 6, 2013
June 8, 2013 Saint-Denis France Stade de France David Guetta
GTA 		75,841 / 75,841 $6,488,029
June 10, 2013 Cardiff Wales Millennium Stadium 60,307 / 60,307 $4,647,267
June 12, 2013 Manchester England Manchester Arena GTA 55,687 / 55,687 $4,677,878
June 13, 2013
June 15, 2013 London Twickenham Stadium David Guetta
GTA 		95,971 / 95,971 $8,656,858
June 16, 2013
June 17, 2013 Birmingham LG Arena GTA 28,160 / 28,160 $2,446,331
June 20, 2013 Sunderland Stadium of Light David Guetta
GTA 		54,259 / 54,259 $4,413,716
June 21, 2013 Dublin Ireland Aviva Stadium GTA 48,482 / 48,482 $4,956,284
June 23, 2013 Amsterdam Netherlands Ziggo Dome 33,369 / 33,369 $2,354,542
June 24, 2013
June 26, 2013 Cologne Germany Lanxess Arena 31,507 / 31,507 $2,560,136
June 27, 2013
June 29, 2013 Zürich Switzerland Hallenstadion 27,122 / 27,122 $2,380,749
June 30, 2013
July 2, 2013 Berlin Germany O2 World 13,649 / 13,649 $1,079,422
July 3, 2013 Hanover TUI Arena 10,888 / 10,888 $917,312
July 5, 2013[f] Roskilde Denmark Roskilde Festival — — —
July 7, 2013[g] Gdynia Poland Babie Doły Airport Dizzee Rascal — —
July 9, 2013 Vienna Austria Wiener Stadthalle GTA
HAIM 		15,990 / 15,990 $1,306,615
July 10, 2013[h] Monte Carlo Monaco Salle des Étoiles — — —
July 11, 2013[h]
July 13, 2013[i] Perth and Kinross Scotland Balado
July 15, 2013 Manchester England Manchester Arena GTA [j] [j]
July 16, 2013
July 18, 2013 Birmingham LG Arena [k] [k]
July 20, 2013 Lille France Stade Pierre-Mauroy — 27,294 / 27,294 $2,188,620
July 22, 2013 Stockholm Sweden Ericsson Globe GTA 13,929 / 13,929 $1,226,039
July 25, 2013 Oslo Norway Telenor Arena 17,832 / 17,832 $2,250,403
July 26, 2013 Bergen Koengen 20,125 / 20,125 $2,516,799
July 28, 2013[l] Helsinki Finland Hartwall Arena 12,111 / 12,111 $1,198,861
Asia[60][61]
September 13, 2013 Cotai Macau Cotai Arena GTA 24,872 / 24,872 $2,909,479
September 14, 2013
September 19, 2013 Pasay Philippines Mall of Asia Arena 8,118 / 9,743 $810,543
September 22, 2013[m] Singapore Padang — —
Oceania[61]
September 24, 2013 Perth Australia RAC Arena GTA 13,222 / 13,222 $1,535,953
September 26, 2013 Adelaide Adelaide Entertainment Centre 9,281 / 9,281 $1,037,041
September 28, 2013 Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre 12,116 / 12,116 $1,341,098
September 30, 2013 Melbourne Rod Laver Arena 24,017 / 24,017 $2,749,982
October 1, 2013
October 3, 2013 Sydney Qudos Bank Arena 30,361 / 30,361 $3,449,021
October 4, 2013
October 6, 2013 Auckland New Zealand Spark Arena 33,565 / 33,565 $3,377,624
October 7, 2013
October 8, 2013
Africa[61]
October 13, 2013 Johannesburg South Africa FNB Stadium GTA 67,291 / 67,291 $3,732,307
October 16, 2013 Cape Town Cape Town Stadium 39,616 / 39,616 $1,872,570
Asia[61]
October 19, 2013 Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates du Arena GTA 23,757 / 24,470 $3,717,513
October 22, 2013 Tel Aviv Israel Yarkon Park 50,554 / 50,554 $6,121,631
North America[61][63]
October 26, 2013 Punta Cana Dominican Republic Hard Rock Hotel & Casino ASAP Rocky 13,974 / 17,326 $1,695,810
October 29, 2013 San Juan Puerto Rico Hiram Bithorn Stadium 16,074 / 16,074 $1,569,910
November 9, 2013 Denver United States Pepsi Center 2 Chainz 10,180 / 10,180 $710,749
November 11, 2013[n] Dallas American Airlines Center 11,182 / 11,182 $765,281
November 12, 2013 Oklahoma City Chesapeake Energy Arena 6,556 / 6,556 $501,475
November 14, 2013[o] Houston Toyota Center ASAP Rocky 12,610 / 12,610 $1,013,001
November 15, 2013 New Orleans New Orleans Arena 10,974 / 10,974 $865,010
Total 1,618,745 / 1,624,435 (99.6%) $138,860,541

Cancelled shows

[edit]
List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and reason for cancellation
Date City Country Venue Reason
November 1, 2013 Bridgetown Barbados Kensington Oval Technical problems

Personnel

[edit]

Main

[edit]
  • Management – RocNation
  • Tour Manager – Jason Milner
  • Assistant Tour Managers – Jason Geisinger
  • Production Coordinator – Tracy Metz
  • Production Manager – Joe Sanchez
  • Videographer – Evan Rodgers
  • Personal Assistant – Jennifer Rosales
  • Stage Manager – Roger Cabot
  • Automation Techs- Brian Benauer, Trevit Cromwell, Yader Mena, Seth Posner, Mike Burgess, Tom Armstong
  • Automation Operator- Collin Nevins, Nicholas Purciful
  • Creative Direction – Willow Perron
  • Stage Production – Antony Randall
  • Design Director – Adam Selman
  • Design Team – Marley Glassrot, Greg Kozatek, Laren Leblanc, Briana Magnifico, and Zev Schwartz
  • Stylists – Mel Ottenberg and Yusef Williams
  • GTA Tour Manager – Joseph Lyes


  • Director of Choreography – HIHAT
  • Choreographer – Troy Kirby
  • Assistant Choreographers – Calvit Hodge and April Thomas
  • Musical Director – Omar Edwards
  • Musical Director – Adam Blackstone
  • Tour Promoter – Live Nation Global Touring

Band

[edit]
  • Rihanna – Lead vocals
  • Nuno Bettencourt – Guitar / Band Leader
  • Christopher Johnson – Drums
  • Nicole Kehl – Backing vocals
  • Pete Kuzma – Keyboards
  • Ashley Simpson – Backing vocals
  • Eric Smith – Bass
  • Devine Evans;– Electronic Musician / Protools Operator / Sound Design / Digital Effects

Credits and personnel adapted from official tour book.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Diamonds World Tour

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Diamonds World Tour was a headlined by Barbadian singer in support of her seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012). It began on March 8, 2013, at the First Niagara Center in , and concluded on November 15, 2013, at the in New Orleans, Louisiana, encompassing 96 shows across six continents, including , , , , , and . Announced in September 2012 by Live Nation, the tour's international promoter, the North American leg initially featured 27 arena dates, with tickets going on sale shortly after Rihanna's performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Subsequent announcements expanded the itinerary to include European stadium shows in summer 2013, followed by legs in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. The production, with creative direction by Rihanna, incorporated elaborate stage setups with LED screens, pyrotechnics, and thematic segments inspired by diamonds and jewels, drawing from the tour's title track. Commercially, the tour was a major success, grossing $137,982,530 from 1,595,161 tickets sold across 87 reported shows, securing the fifth position on Billboard's Top 25 Tours of 2013. Highlights included sold-out performances in cities like , , and , contributing to over $68 million from the European leg alone. The tour also received positive for Rihanna's vocal delivery and high-energy shows, though some reviewers noted occasional lip-syncing and setlist repetition from prior tours.

Background and development

Concept and planning

The Diamonds World Tour was conceived as Rihanna's fifth headlining concert tour and the main promotional vehicle for her seventh studio album, Unapologetic, which was released on November 19, 2012. The project emerged from the album's development phase, with planning commencing in mid-2012 to align the tour's structure with the record's themes of personal resilience and empowerment, as embodied in the lead single "Diamonds". This integration aimed to create a production that balanced intimate storytelling with large-scale spectacle, marking it as Rihanna's most ambitious outing to date. Key logistical decisions included an expansive schedule of 96 shows across five continents—, , , , and —beginning with the North American leg on March 8, 2013, in . The tour was produced in partnership with Live Nation, with creative direction overseen by Willo Perron and tour design handled by Guy Pavelo of Willo Perron & Associates, focusing on thematic elements like light and diamonds to reflect the album's narrative. Rehearsals occurred in early 2013, culminating in full dress runs in Buffalo ahead of the debut performance, ensuring seamless incorporation of Unapologetic tracks such as "Diamonds" into the set.

Announcement and promotion

The Diamonds World Tour was officially announced on September 7, 2012, through a press release by Live Nation, Rihanna's international promoter, revealing the initial North American itinerary of 27 dates in support of her seventh studio album, Unapologetic. The announcement followed Rihanna's performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards on September 6, capitalizing on the event's visibility to generate immediate fan excitement. Ticket sales commenced with presales for Citi cardmembers on September 10 via Citi's Private Pass program, followed by general public on-sales starting September 14 at local venues. Presales were also extended to members of Rihanna's official , the Rihanna Navy, in select markets to prioritize dedicated supporters. Initial demand was strong, with several shows in major cities such as and selling out rapidly within days of on-sale, underscoring the tour's anticipated popularity. Promotion efforts featured a released on on September 6, 2012, incorporating sparkling diamond motifs and clips of to evoke the tour's thematic elegance and energy. Live Nation handled global promotion, including targeted advertising and venue partnerships, while amplified the campaign through her channels, where her posts reached millions of followers and drove viral engagement. The marketing strategy tied closely to Unapologetic's rollout, particularly the lead single "Diamonds," released on September 27, 2012, which topped charts worldwide and reinforced the tour's branding. Additional hype built around follow-up single "Stay," released in February 2013, with promotional visuals previewing tour aesthetics without delving into full staging details. European dates were revealed on November 14, 2012, via Rihanna's official website, expanding the itinerary and prompting further presales for Navy members starting November 12. Merchandise promotion included early reveals of tour-exclusive items such as a commemorative tour book and apparel lines featuring diamond-inspired designs, available through official channels and Live Nation outlets to capitalize on presale momentum.

Production

Fashion and styling

The fashion and styling for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour were led by the singer in collaboration with her longtime stylist Mel Ottenberg, who curated a wardrobe blending high-end couture with urban edge to reflect the bold, unapologetic themes of her album Unapologetic. Over the course of the tour, Rihanna debuted multiple custom pieces from luxury designers including Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Raf Simons, and Adam Selman, emphasizing diamond-inspired glamour through shimmering fabrics and embellishments. Ottenberg highlighted in interviews the excitement of partnering with these creators, drawing inspiration from Rihanna's versatile persona to mix Thug Life influences with '90s raver aesthetics. Key outfits featured metallic bodysuits and crystal-adorned headdresses for the opening segments, such as a custom oversized parka with intricate embroideries and crystals layered over a leather bra and satin shorts, setting a tone of opulent rebellion. Mid-show transitions shifted to more relaxed elements, including a holographic dollar-print skater mini paired with high-top , allowing for dynamic movement while maintaining a luxurious vibe. The finale often culminated in ethereal white ensembles, like a head-to-toe look during the Abu Dhabi performance, symbolizing a purified close to the show's narrative arc. Specific production details included extensive use of crystals across garments, with outfits like the petrol-blue and pants fully embroidered in thousands of the elements for sparkling stage presence under lights. underwent multiple wig changes per performance, incorporating dramatic long, colorful styles to complement the evolving looks and enhance her chameleon-like transformations. Collaborations evolved across tour legs, with designers adapting pieces for regional vibes—such as bolder prints in and more refined silhouettes in —while Ottenberg noted the shared vision rooted in Unapologetic's themes of and extravagance.

Staging and visuals

The production design for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour was created by Guy Pavelo of Willo Perron & Associates, with creative direction from Willo Perron, emphasizing a scalable, arena-friendly setup inspired by nesting dolls and Greco-Roman . The central stage incorporated a multi-level structure with 10 lifts, a 15-foot hydraulic turntable capable of a 5-foot rise, ribbon lifts, and band lifts to facilitate dynamic transitions. A prominent diamond-shaped formed the downstage , aligning with the tour's thematic motifs, while catwalks extended into the audience to create an immersive environment. Visual elements were driven by an array of LED screens, including 16 movable 4-by-10-foot WinVision 8mm panels, a 60-foot-diameter by 8-foot-high 18mm semi-circular screen, and an 80-by-10-foot 25mm screen, all reconfigurable to suit different segments. These 20 screens in total shifted formations throughout the performance, with custom animations and 3D mapping projections tailored to each song's visual style, managed by six Green Hippo HD media servers and controlled via an MA Lighting grandMA 2 console. The system allowed for seamless integration of video content that enhanced the diamond-themed immersion, adapting fluidly between arena and select stadium venues like France's . Lighting, also designed and programmed by Guy Pavelo, utilized over a dozen fixture types for beam-focused effects that minimized interference with the video screens, including Martin MAC Viper Profiles, MAC III AirFX beams, Clay Paky Sharpy moving lights, Juliat Victor followspots, and Atomic Strobes. amplified high-energy moments, with deployed during tracks like "" and "Jump" to create explosive bursts, complemented by full-color 35-watt RGB lasers generating dynamic shows. Innovations included a timecode-synchronized show with MA grandMA 3D previsualization for precise video-lighting integration, and the SGPS ShowRig for the moving screens' mechanisms and full tracking. Logistically, the tour employed a 58-member touring crew—the largest in Rihanna's career at the time—handling , , and effects under production manager Joe Sanchez, ensuring efficient transitions despite the complex setup.

Concert overview

Synopsis

The Diamonds World Tour concerts typically lasted between 1.5 and 2 hours, divided into four to five acts featuring costume changes and interludes that allowed for seamless transitions between high-energy dance segments and more intimate acoustic interludes. Each show opened with a dramatic rendition of the "Mother Mary" intro, setting a reflective tone before launching into pulsating performances that highlighted Rihanna's commanding stage presence and thematic exploration of and . The overall flow shifted rapidly in style and tone, embodying multiple personas—from raver to superstar—while incorporating elaborate visuals and moving stage elements to maintain momentum across acts. Rihanna fostered deep audience connection through lively banter, encouraging sing-alongs and occasionally inviting fans onstage, often improvising elements based on the crowd's energy to create personalized moments. These interactions, combined with emotional peaks such as heartfelt dedications to fans, underscored themes of shared vulnerability and celebration. Supporting the production were 8 to 15 backup dancers who synchronized with Rihanna's choreography. Performances varied slightly by tour leg, with North American dates emphasizing hip-hop influences through guest appearances and stylistic choices.

Set list

The set list for the Diamonds World Tour consisted of approximately 28 songs, drawn mainly from Rihanna's albums Loud (2010), (2011), and Unapologetic (2012), with a focus on high-energy tracks and medleys to showcase her evolution as a performer. The structure divided performances into acts, beginning with an introductory segment and building to an encore. The standard sequence, which remained largely consistent across the 96 shows, opened with the atmospheric "Mother Mary" from Unapologetic as an intro, transitioning into upbeat numbers like "" (incorporating snippets of "Jump") and "Birthday Cake." Subsequent segments featured "," "," "Cockiness (Love It)," "Numb," "," "Man Down," "No Love Allowed," "," "," "," "," "," and an acoustic version of "Stay" (performed with collaborator in select dates). The core set closed with the title track "," followed by encores including a medley of "" blended with elements of Jay-Z's "," and a finale of "." This tour served as the live debut for multiple Unapologetic tracks, including "Phresh Out the Runway," "Numb," "No Love Allowed," "Jump," "Diamonds," and "Right Now," allowing Rihanna to introduce new material alongside established hits from prior albums. Guest appearances added variety in specific regions; A$AP Rocky, who opened the North American leg, joined Rihanna onstage for "Numb" during several U.S. and Canadian performances, enhancing the hip-hop infused energy of the track. In contrast, European and Oceanic shows occasionally featured extended plays of earlier singles like "Umbrella," which was performed 96 times overall. Over the course of the , minor evolutions occurred in response to audience feedback, with later dates incorporating fan-favored additions such as "Only Girl (in the World)" and "Don't Stop the Music" in and Europe, though the core 28-song framework persisted to maintain pacing. Transitions between songs were synchronized with thematic visuals, such as diamond motifs during "," to reinforce the production's cohesive narrative. The total unique tracks spanned five Rihanna albums, highlighting medleys like ""/"" that blended her solo work with collaborative influences.

Tour itinerary

Performed shows

The Diamonds World Tour featured 96 completed concerts in support of Rihanna's seventh studio album, Unapologetic, spanning from the opening night on March 8, 2013, at the , to the final performance on November 15, 2013, at the in New Orleans, Louisiana. The tour was organized into six main legs—, , , , , and —with performances primarily in arenas and select stadiums, accommodating capacities ranging from 10,000 to over 50,000 attendees per show. Rihanna traveled between dates via private jet to maintain a rigorous schedule across continents. Opening acts varied by leg and region; A$AP Rocky supported the initial North American dates, while the UK portion of the European leg included performances by , , and GTA. Special guests and surprises appeared sporadically, such as collaborations with local artists in select cities, enhancing the high-energy production. Notable events included record-breaking crowds, like the 52,000 attendees at Hayarkon Park in , , marking one of the largest solo female artist audiences in the country's history.
LegApproximate DatesNumber of ShowsKey Venues and Notable Details
North AmericaMarch 8 – May 7, 2013; November 9 – 15, 201336First Niagara Center (Buffalo, opening night); Barclays Center (Brooklyn, multiple nights including rescheduled); A$AP Rocky as opener for many dates; rescheduled shows in Dallas, Houston, Denver, and New Orleans to close the tour.
EuropeMay 26 – July 28, 201339O2 Arena (London, multiple nights); Stade de France (Paris, sold-out stadium with over 80,000 total attendance across shows); David Guetta as special guest in select UK cities; includes rescheduled Helsinki show.
OceaniaSeptember 24 – October 8, 201310Perth Arena (Perth, opening the leg); Allphones Arena (Sydney, two nights); Rod Laver Arena (Melbourne, multiple nights); Vector Arena (Auckland, three nights).
AsiaSeptember 19 – October 25, 20136Mall of Asia Arena (Manila, September 19); Cotai Arena (Macau, September 22); Singapore Indoor Stadium (Singapore, October 10); du Arena (Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 19); Impact Arena (Bangkok, Thailand, October 25); includes earlier Tel Aviv show on July 17 at Hayarkon Park.
AfricaMay 24, 2013; October 13 – 16, 20133OLM Souissi (Rabat, Morocco, May 24, part of Mawazine Festival with 150,000 attendees); FNB Stadium (Johannesburg, South Africa, October 13); Cape Town Stadium (Cape Town, South Africa, October 16).
South AmericaNovember 5 – 12, 20134Estadio Nacional (Santiago, Chile, November 5); Arena do Grêmio (Porto Alegre, Brazil, November 8); Estádio do Morumbi (São Paulo, Brazil, November 10); Estadio Monumental (Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 12).
These shows highlighted Rihanna's global appeal, with many venues selling out in advance and achieving significant attendance figures that underscored the tour's commercial success, though detailed per-show financials are aggregated elsewhere. Cancellations earlier in the schedule minimally impacted the overall execution of these performed dates.

Cancelled and postponed shows

The Diamonds World Tour experienced several disruptions, primarily in its North American leg, due to Rihanna's health issues including laryngitis, flu, and general illness, as well as logistical challenges. These incidents led to at least seven shows being cancelled or postponed, affecting fan attendance and requiring rescheduling efforts by promoter Live Nation. Rihanna's team issued statements emphasizing her recovery under medical advice, with the singer personally apologizing via social media for the inconveniences. Key disruptions included the following:
Original DateLocationVenueReasonStatusSource
March 10, 2013Boston, MARescheduled to May 6, 2013
March 12, 2013Baltimore, MD1st Mariner ArenaFlu and Rescheduled to April 24, 2013
April 15, 2013Houston, TXIllnessRescheduled to November 14, 2013
April 16, 2013Dallas, TXIllnessRescheduled to November 11, 2013
May 4, 2013Brooklyn, NY scheduling conflict with Rescheduled to May 7, 2013
July 20, 2013, Hartwall ArenaIllnessRescheduled to July 28, 2013
November 1, 2013, Technical difficulties with equipment transportPostponed indefinitely; ultimately cancelled
These health-related cancellations early in the tour sparked concerns about Rihanna's vocal strain and exhaustion from the demanding schedule, with her representative noting doctor's orders to rest to prevent long-term damage. Fans holding tickets were instructed to retain them for rescheduled dates or contact venues for refunds, leading to mixed reactions including disappointment and support. The rescheduled Boston performance drew criticism when Rihanna arrived over three hours late, prompting boos from the audience despite her dedication of "Diamonds" to the city amid the Boston Marathon bombing aftermath. Logistical issues, such as the postponement, highlighted venue conflicts with sports events, while the Barbados cancellation underscored challenges in international equipment for the tour's later legs. Overall, these disruptions contributed to gaps in the tour's attendance figures and revenue, though most affected shows were successfully rescheduled within the year. No major cancellations occurred in the European, Asian, or American legs, allowing the tour to proceed with its planned itinerary there.

Commercial performance

Revenue

The Diamonds World Tour grossed $137,982,530 in ticket sales from 87 reported shows, ranking as the fifth highest-grossing tour worldwide in 2013 according to Billboard Boxscore data. This total encompassed 96 performances across North America, Europe, Oceania, Asia, Africa, and South America, with the European leg alone generating over $68 million from 34 shows. Revenue primarily derived from ticket sales and VIP packages, supplemented by sponsorships including a promotional tie-in with for an exclusive clothing line launched during the tour. The tour's earnings surpassed Rihanna's prior , which grossed $90 million, establishing it as her most financially successful outing to date and the top-grossing female-led tour in several key markets that year.

Attendance and records

The Diamonds World Tour drew a total attendance of 1,595,161 fans across 87 reported shows out of 96 total worldwide, averaging approximately 18,300 spectators per reported concert. This figure reflects the tour's strong commercial appeal, with many performances achieving near or full capacity in arenas and stadiums spanning , , , , , and . The tour set several attendance records, including Rihanna becoming the youngest artist at age 25 to headline a sold-out show at France's , where 80,000 fans attended in . Additionally, her performance at Morocco's Festival in attracted 150,000 spectators, marking the event's highest attendance to date and Rihanna's largest single-show crowd. Numerous venues reported rapid sell-outs, with extra dates added in cities like and due to overwhelming demand, often filling premium VIP sections and standing areas to capacity. The audience demographic skewed predominantly toward young females, as observed at various stops where fans in their teens and twenties dominated the crowds, often dressed in bold, fashion-forward attire inspired by Rihanna's style.

Critical reception

North America

The North American leg of Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour, comprising 29 shows in arenas across the and from March to May 2013, drew praise from critics for its elaborate production and Rihanna's commanding stage presence, particularly in major urban markets like New York and . Reviewers highlighted the tour's high-energy visuals and Rihanna's vocal delivery during intimate moments, creating an engaging spectacle for fans familiar with her hits. In at Staples Center, the Hollywood Reporter lauded the performance as a "two-hour barrage of hits and glossy, sex-charged production," emphasizing Rihanna's ability to captivate a celebrity-filled crowd with dynamic choreography and wardrobe changes. Similarly, at in Newark (serving the New York area), the described Rihanna as rocking the venue with sassy power ballads and a structured five-act format that maintained momentum. Billboard's review of the show underscored Rihanna's vocal growth, noting how she "tore through a 21-song set" with renewed confidence after early cancellations, fostering a sense of intimacy despite the arena scale. However, some critiques pointed to inconsistencies in live execution, including concerns over lip-syncing and repetitive pacing in the . In at Centre, the faulted the show for lacking intensity and emotional depth, with reviewer Nick Krewen calling it a missed opportunity for the "Barbadian pop " amid pacing issues that made the 100-minute performance feel uneven. Regional perspectives varied, with smaller-market reviews adding nuance to the overall reception. In San Jose, Rock Subculture praised the "slick and impressive" production and enthusiastic audience response in a sold-out 14,500-capacity venue, crediting Rihanna's song selection for sustaining energy. Conversely, The Oakland Press in deemed the display "fairly forgettable" despite visual flair, citing a lack of standout vocal moments and repetitive elements that failed to fully engage attendees. These mixed accounts reflected the tour's bold ambition in blending spectacle with personal connection, resonating strongly in coastal hubs while facing scrutiny in the Midwest and .

Europe, Oceania, and Asia

Reviews of the Diamonds World Tour's European leg were generally mixed, with critics applauding the grand scale of stadium performances and Rihanna's commanding stage presence, while noting inconsistencies in vocal delivery and occasional reliance on backing tracks. At London's , praised the show's high-energy visuals and Rihanna's adaptability to the large venue, describing the production as a "mesmerizing blend of and " that captivated the audience, though it critiqued some "rock " segments as unremarkable. In , the sold-out show at earned rave reviews for its historic significance, as became the youngest artist to headline the venue, with Metro UK highlighting the electric crowd energy and emotional highs during ballads like "Stay." European outlets occasionally pointed to issues in the show's execution, particularly in the UK shows, where The Independent critiqued Rihanna's raunchy Millennium Stadium performance in Cardiff for its heavy focus on sensuality despite enthusiastic crowd participation. The final European show in Helsinki at Hartwall Arena on July 28, 2013, marked the leg's conclusion. In Oceania, audiences delivered enthusiastic responses, particularly in Australia, where the Sydney Morning Herald commended the precise dance routines and high crowd involvement during hits at the Perth show, despite a late start that tested patience. Glam Adelaide echoed this, describing the Adelaide performance as having an "electric atmosphere" with Rihanna's precision in choreography shining through, fostering a sense of communal celebration. The Asian leg faced some logistical critiques, including shorter sets attributed to local curfews, as seen in the 80-minute Macau performance reviewed by bc magazine, which noted heavy lip-syncing but appreciated the adapted high-energy adaptations for regional audiences. In Manila, GMA Network gave a positive assessment, calling Rihanna's show "shining bright like a diamond" with strong crowd energy, though emphasizing simpler staging to accommodate venue constraints.

Personnel

Main staff

The Diamonds World Tour's core creative team was led by Ciarra Pardo as , responsible for developing the visual concepts and ensuring thematic unity across the production, drawing from her extensive prior collaborations with Rihanna that began in the mid-2000s and spanned multiple tours and projects. Pardo, who later became of Fenty Corp in 2014 after nine years of with the , contributed to the tour's cohesive aesthetic blending high-fashion elements with dynamic stage visuals. Complementing her vision, Director of HIHAT and Choreographer Troy Kirby, assisted by Calvit Hodge and April Thomas, designed the dance routines, incorporating high-energy, synchronized movements that highlighted Rihanna's performance style and integrated seamlessly with the tour's evolving stage setups. On the production side, lighting designer LeRoy Bennett crafted the tour's elaborate illumination using over 1,000 fixtures, including Robert Juliat followspots, to create dramatic effects that amplified the motif and transitioned fluidly between intimate and explosive segments. The set design was handled by Guy Pavelo of Willo Perron & Associates, featuring innovative elements like 20 movable screens that reconfigured during the show to support narrative arcs from urban grit to ethereal spectacle. For audio, front-of-house engineer Kyle Hamilton operated a SD7 console provided by Eighth Day Sound, delivering clear, powerful mixes that balanced live instrumentation with playback tracks across diverse venue acoustics. The tour was promoted worldwide by Live Nation Global Touring, which managed ticketing, logistics, and international routing to facilitate over 90 shows. Security operations were overseen by on-site leads coordinated through the production team, ensuring safe crowd management for over 1.5 million attendees.

Band

The band for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour was led by musical director , a multi-instrumentalist and veteran performer who had previously collaborated with on tours and live events, including the rapper's historic concerts in 2012. The core instrumental ensemble featured guitarist and band leader on , whose rock-infused style—honed during his time with the band Extreme—added dynamic energy to the pop arrangements; drummer "Kush" Johnson, known for his powerful grooves and prior tours with ; bassist Eric Smith, who provided the foundational low-end drive; and keyboardist Pete Kuzma. Electronic musician and sound designer Devine Evans handled operation, digital effects, and additional programming to blend live and electronic elements seamlessly. Complementing the instrumentalists were backing vocalists Akil King and Nicole Kehl, who supported Rihanna's lead vocals and enhanced the harmonic layers in the setlist. The full band of approximately eight members delivered a robust live sound, adapting studio tracks for the stage with fuller instrumentation and improvisational flourishes to heighten audience engagement. The lineup maintained stability across the tour's multiple legs, from to , , and , ensuring consistent musical execution throughout the 96-show run.

Recordings

Concert film

No official concert film was released for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour. Instead, fans have created unofficial compilations of live performances from the tour, often uploaded to platforms like in high-definition format, drawing from various shows to approximate a full set list including tracks like "," "," and "." Rihanna's official channels provided promotional content, such as rehearsal footage released in early March 2013 via her account, offering glimpses into the tour's staging and visuals, but no feature-length production was distributed by or .

Broadcasts

The Diamonds World Tour did not feature a full-length televised special, but Rihanna delivered several high-profile live performances of tour setlist songs on major television broadcasts throughout , which served as key promotional elements for the production. These appearances highlighted tracks from her Unapologetic album, including "Stay" and "," and reached tens of millions of viewers globally. One notable broadcast occurred at the on February 10, 2013, where performed "Stay" alongside in an intimate, piano-driven rendition that showcased her and emotional delivery. The performance, aired live on , contributed to the ceremony's overall viewership of 28.1 million, marking the second-highest audience for the Grammys in two decades.) In 2013, toward the tour's close, received the inaugural AMA Icon Award and performed "Diamonds" at the , aired on ABC from the Nokia Theatre in . The rendition featured dramatic staging with aerial elements, aligning with the tour's theatrical aesthetic, and helped the show achieve 12.93 million viewers—the highest in 11 years for the AMAs. Additionally, Rihanna's July 13, 2013, headline set at the T in the Park festival in Scotland was broadcast on BBC Three, with highlights aired across BBC platforms including Radio 1 coverage. The performance included tour staples like "What Now," "Stay," and "Diamonds," reaching UK audiences through live and on-demand viewing, and integrated seamlessly with the tour's European dates. Complementing these televised segments, Rihanna's official channels released select live clips and behind-the-scenes footage from the tour on YouTube and Vevo, such as rehearsal videos and performance snippets from shows like the opening night in Buffalo. These digital releases, including award show recaps, amassed tens of millions of views collectively, enhancing global fan engagement without a dedicated full-concert stream. As of 2025, archival footage from these broadcasts and performances remains accessible on streaming services like Paramount+ for VMAs content and Hulu for AMAs episodes, allowing continued promotion of the tour's legacy.

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  57. https://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2013/05/07/rihanna-three-hours-late-boston-concert-td-garden/
  58. https://www.barclayscenter.com/news/detail/rihanna-concert-at-barclays-center-rescheduled-for-tuesday-may-7-at-8-pm
  59. https://stluciastar.com/rihanna-concert-postponed-until-2014/
  60. https://www.billboard.com/lists/top-25-tours-of-2013/
  61. https://www.rap-up.com/article/2013/03/04/rihanna-gears-up-for-diamonds-tour
  62. https://www.bet.com/article/3v4nip/rihanna-s-loud-tour-grosses-usd90-million
  63. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/special-feature-top-boxscore-2013-robust-rosters-5839136/
  64. https://metro.co.uk/2013/06/09/rihanna-makes-history-as-youngest-artist-to-headline-paris-stade-de-france-and-she-sells-it-out-3834339/
  65. https://www.ocregister.com/2013/04/10/rihanna-sultry-but-samey-at-honda-center/
  66. https://www.nydailynews.com/2013/04/29/concert-review-rihanna-rocks-the-prudential-center/
  67. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/rihanna-at-the-acc-barbadian-pop-queen-capable-of-so-much-more/article_2148752c-210f-560d-b1f3-5a375a746e5a.html
  68. https://www.rocksubculture.com/2013/04/07/rihannas-diamonds-world-tour-at-hp-pavilion-san-jose-california-462013-concert-review/
  69. https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2013/03/22/concert-review-rihannas-diamonds-show-doesnt-shine-at-joe-louis-arena/
  70. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jun/16/rihanna-review
  71. https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/music-review-rihanna-s-raunchy-millennium-stadium-show-in-cardiff-fails-to-hit-the-thigh-notes-8653333.html
  72. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/rihanna-makes-a-shocking-spectacle-of-her-diamonds-world-tour-australian-debut-20130925-2ucvy.html
  73. https://glamadelaide.com.au/music-review-rihanna-the-diamond-concert-tour/
  74. https://www.bcmagazine.net/2013/09/14/rihanna-cotaiarena-13-september-2013-review/
  75. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/content/327365/music-review-rihanna-shines-bright-like-a-diamond-at-manila-concert/story/
  76. https://ratedrnb.com/2023/02/musical-director-adam-blackstone-on-rihanna-super-bowl-lvii-halftime-show/
  77. https://www.adamblackstone.com/news/adam-with-shawn-jay-z-carters-historic-concerts-at-carnegie-hall/
  78. https://www.g1limited.com/rihannas-diamonds-world-tour-sparkles-with-digico/
  79. https://ca.yamaha.com/en/news_events/2013/chrisjohnson_interview.html
  80. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOikyDiE8xI
  81. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6586629/
  82. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM2wihm5lDo
  83. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rj0mp14Bmc
  84. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-21425014
  85. https://ew.com/article/2013/11/25/ama-ratings/
  86. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0377y50
  87. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01cqdsv
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