Chris Brown ‘mesmerised’ by Rihanna

Rihanna is reportedly still ‘obsessed’ with the idea that she’s meant to be with Chris Brown.

The two stars ended their relationship after Chris assaulted Rihanna in 2009. They were seen in the same nightclubs twice over the last few weeks and it is thought that they have grown close again.

It’s been claimed Rihanna engineered both meetings as she is still hung up on her ex.

‘Rihanna has always been obsessed with Chris,’ an insider told the British edition of Grazia. ‘She’s yet to have a proper relationship with anyone since they broke up. She just can’t let go of the idea that they’re meant to be together. It’s like he has some sort of hold over her.’

Chris is still thought to be dating Karrueche Tran, although he is also said to be considering reuniting with Rihanna. Getting over Rihanna fully is struggle for Chris.

‘Chris is in two minds over what to do,’ a source said. ‘He does have feelings for Karrueche but it’s almost like there is some sort of massive pull between him and Rihanna. They have a toxic bond that neither of them seems to be about to let go. He’s absolutely mesmerised every time he sees her.’

FULL LIST: 2012 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS

Adele, LMFAO, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne lead the finalists for the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, which will take place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand and be broadcast live Sunday May 20, 8/7c on ABC.

Adele takes the lead as a finalist in 18 award categories, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist and Top Billboard 200 Artist. “Rolling In The Deep,” the lead single from her blockbuster sophomore album “21,” places the U.K. singer as a contender in seven song categories.

Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, More to Perform at the Billboard Music Awards

Meanwhile, LMFAO is a finalist in 17 award categories, although the electro-pop duo actually scored 22 entries compared to Adele’s 20. LMFAO and Adele will square off in the Top Hot 100 Artist category, which also includes Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Rihanna.

Speaking of Rihanna, the pop superstar is a finalist in 13 categories this year, after leading the pack with 18 category appearances in 2011. Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne each snagged a spot in 10 categories, and will both compete against Adele, Rihanna and Katy Perry for the prestigious Top Artist prize. And the Top New Artist category features a diverse collection of fresh talent, with Bad Meets Evil, Big Sean, Foster The People, Scotty McCreery and Wiz Khalifa serving as the 2012 finalists.

The awards will reflect Billboard’s chart rankings based on key fan interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, Youtube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound. The awards will be based on the reporting period of March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012. Top artists will be recognized in a variety of genres, including R&B, Rap, Pop, Country, Rock, Latin and Alternative.
Music fans can also follow news about the show and related events on Twitter at @Billboard or on Facebook.

Tickets for the 2012 Billboard Music Awards are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com and MGMGrand.com. The 2012 Billboard Music Awards will be co-executive produced by Richard D. Beckman, CEO of Prometheus Global Media and Don Mischer Productions.

See the full list of 2012 Billboard Music Awards finalists below:

ARTIST AWARDS:

Top Artist:
Adele
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top New Artist:
Bad Meets Evil
Big Sean
Foster The People
Scotty McCreery
Wiz Khalifa

Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Drake
Lil Wayne
Bruno Mars

Top Female Artist:
Adele
Lady Gaga
Nicki Minaj
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Duo/Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Coldplay
Lady Antebellum
LMFAO
Maroon 5

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Michael Buble
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne

Top Hot 100 Artist:
Adele
LMFAO
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Digital Songs Artist:
Adele
LMFAO
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Adele
Katy Perry
Bruno Mars
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna

Top Touring Artist:
Bon Jovi
Taylor Swift
Take That
U2
Roger Waters

Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Shakira

Top Streaming Artist:
Lil Wayne
LMFAO
Nicki Minaj
Bruno Mars
Rihanna

Top Digital Media Artist:
Adele
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Rihanna

Top Pop Artist:
Adele
Lady Gaga
LMFAO
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top R&B Artist:
Beyonce
Chris Brown
Cee Lo Green
Miguel
Rihanna

Top Rap Artist:
Drake
Lil Wayne
LMFAO
Nicki Minaj
Wiz Khalifa

Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

Top Rock Artist:
The Black Keys
Coldplay
Foster The People
Foo Fighters
Mumford & Sons

Top Alternative Artist:
The Black Keys
Coldplay
Foster The People
Foo Fighters
Mumford & Sons

Top Latin Artist:
Mana
Pitbull
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos
Shakira

Top Dance Artist:
David Guetta
Lady Gaga
LMFAO
Rihanna
Britney Spears

Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Skillet
Laura Story
Chris Tomlin

Rihanna has been named a tourism ambassador for Barbados

Rihanna

The ‘S&M’ singer ‘ who was born on the Caribbean island ‘ has joined forces with the country’s tourism authority because she wants people to experience the ‘spirit and warmth’ of her fellow Barbadians.

Rihanna said: “Barbados is a place like no other and one of the reasons for this is the spirit and national pride of our people. I want each and every visitor to this beautiful island to experience what makes this destination different from all others and that is the spirit and warmth of my fellow Barbadians.”

In addition to promoting Barbados worldwide, the 23-year-old singer will kick off her duties by bringing her ‘Loud’ tour to her hometown of Bridgetown in August.

The Barbados Tourism Authority said: “We are proud to announce that musical sensation and social phenomenon Rihanna has partnered with the Barbados Tourism Authority as an exclusive promotional partner for three years. Celebrate this amazing announcement today by joining us on August 5 as she brings her ‘Loud’ tour to Bridgetown, Barbados, her homeland.”