Rihanna's Words Of Wisdom For Future Creatives

Rihanna is famously encouraging of the next generation, and while attending a benefit in aid of the Parsons School of Design this week where she was honoured for her philanthropic work and fashion influence, she took the opportunity to encourage more support of rising creative stars.

“It was especially important for me to come to Parsons tonight because you are all the next generation, and we need to invest in you,” she told the students and attendees, which included designers Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan and Thom Browne, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “You’re the ones who see the world with new eyes, with new perspective, who care about the future of our planet and the current state of the world. I’m here to say that I’m listening and I’m watching, and you’re up next."

The superstar singer - who is a regular advocate of the institution's work, frequently wearing its students' designs to high-profile events - continued, saying that the creativity the students demonstrate should be given more credence in themselves.

"I don’t think you get celebrated enough," she told the crowd. "You should be celebrated for every aspect of your growth and your growing pains. You should be celebrated for your creativity, for your fearlessness, for your persistence and determination. You should be celebrated for all the effort that you put into building your future, for being different, for not being given enough credit—for not having to use eye cream! My point is, we often tear our youth down when we should be building them up. At the end of the day, our future is in their hands."