Barbadian singer Rihanna graces the August cover of Harper’s Bazaar magazine, which hits newsstands July 17, 2012. In the issue the pop star talks to interviewer Laura Brown about sex, music and living life in the public eye. See excerpts:

Rihanna doesn’t fancy herself a rebel, at least when it comes to love. For Bazaar‘s August cover story she opens up to Laura Brown over Italian food, and admits to being “rebellious through my music, through my fashion, tattoos, and my hair. I have been conservative in my love life… it’s pretty much nonexistent. If I come across someone who I find really cool, I’ll hang out. But the minute I find that we’re getting too close I just—I don’t let people in.”

However, the 24-year-old still racks up the drama in the tabloids with her infamous ex, Chris Brown. While she wanted to choose someone “shocking” to collaborate on the remix of her song “Birthday Cake,” she says she had no idea of the backlash it would cause. “The fans could have said, ‘We don’t want anything to do with it,'” she says. But she makes one concession: “I understood that people had every right to be concerned about it. But I didn’t see it that way because I’m in a different place.”

[. . .] Although she may be cautious in love, Rihanna continues to push the boundaries of personal style—the singer has recently stunned in everything from lowcut Armani dresses to slouchy Stella McCartney jumpsuits. At her shoot for Harper’s Bazaar, shot by Camilla Akrans, Rihanna glows in gowns by Tom Ford and Calvin Klein. And her body? Sleeker than ever.

For full article, see http://www.caribbeanemagazine.com/2012/07/rihann-talks-s-m-sex-music-in-harpers.html