RIHANNA: I LOST A LOT OF MY FRIENDS OVER THEIR JEALOUSNESS TOWARDS ME.'

Pop star Rihanna is so successful she has lost many of her friends over their jealousy towards her. The 19-year-old singer - who dominated the global charts with her summer track Umbrella - admits she finds it hard to make new pals because of her beauty and successful career. She says, "When I was in school I had a lot of jealousy. I lost a lot of my friends to jealousy when I won a beauty pageant. When I signed my record label it got worse. People were very envious."

While the music biz may have safely guided the early stages of her career, it didn't protect her from salacious gossip. So when the very real drama of her mother being forced out of her longtime accounting job by catty co-workers who resented Rihanna's success unfolded back home, she was prepared to stand strong. "I don't want my mom to be in an uncomfortable situation," she says with resolve. "I was so sorry that it happened because of me. But everything happens for a reason and i thank God that she could leave."

In related news, the Bajan beauty has hinted she could strip off for a movie role after visiting a strip club. The singer visited the venue for research for a film role - but admits the experience "weirded her out". She says, "I went with some friends to a strip club not long ago. I went because I was very curious. I didn't learn any dancing tips. I've been reading some film scripts so I had to go to see what it's like. I was very weirded out."