Rihanna’s current concert tour in Northern Ireland has spiraled into controversy with a Christian farmer insisting she leave his field during a video-shoot that proved too steamy for the God-fearing man. The singer, who is on the Irish leg of her current European tour, was filming a video for her new single ‘We Found Love’, when the outraged farmer asked her and her team to leave.
The 60 year old farmer had been approached for the use of his field and had agreed despite being unaware of the pop star’s identity. But soon after the shoot had started, he had no choice but to intervene:
“I realised things had got to a stage which were not acceptable to me. Things became inappropriate and I asked the film crew to stop. I never heard of Rihanna until someone called me requesting the use of my land. I knew on Monday who she was. Someone explained she was as big as it gets as far as pop stars were concerned. I am a bit illiterate about those issues.’
Rihanna was in Northern Ireland for three concerts at the Odyssey on a tour that also takes her to Dublin and London. The singer-songwriter is no stranger to controversy. In 2009 she failed to perform at the Grammy Awards after an alleged altercation with her then boyfriend, Chris Brown. However, the Barbadian singer is also well-known for her philanthropy, and in 2006 set up her Believe Foundation to help terminally-ill children. She is also involved with many charities. This recent controversy will do little to dent her popularity, although the stock of Irish farmers may be a little lower as a result.