Rihanna took to the stage at the 2020 NAACP Awards to humbly receive the President’s Award for her exceptional philanthropic efforts.

The singer turned fashion mogul, who started a non-profit organization, the Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012, received a standing ovation for her speech, in which she spoke about unity. “Imagine what we could do together,” she told the crowd.

Rih Rih wore a purple Givenchy gown with Manolo Blahnik custom satin heels, Chopard gemstone earrings, and a "Haute Joaillerie" sapphire earring. She pulled the entire look together with her hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail accented with two Goddess braids on top.

We spoke to Rihanna’s longtime hairstylist, Yusef Williams, about her NAACP Awards look. He's been slaying the superstar’s tresses for more than a decade, so there isn't a style they haven't tried, but he was excited for this look.

“What sets this look apart is a bit of a tricky because we have literally done everything you could possibly do to hair, but there is something about this effortless yet a bold approach to this pony tail that made it stand out from all the rest,” says Yusef.

Yusef was inspired by the couture dress Rihanna wore, and wanted to create a chic look around it. "Her amazing dress inspired the hair. When I saw it, I noticed was how voluminous it was and wanted to create something sleek with a bit of texture, I think the beauty of this look is that it is not super hard to achieve. It took an hour and 45 minutes to do this hair from start to finish, if she sits still lol," he explains.

Rihanna's style has evolved over the year's and so has her hairstyles. She's done blonde, red, pink, a pixie cut, faux locs, and extensions in all lengths. We asked Yusef how his approach to doing the star's hair evolved over the years. 

"I think it is an effortless sprain now it’s not a lot of thinking but more doing. I believe that Rih and I will forever keep evolving."

Yusef used Sauve Naturals and his Y by Yusef line to achieve Rih's sleek yet fun style. "I think the fact that it is not a complicated product to use is why I’m drawn to it and the ending result is phenomenal. Which is exactly what I needed for tonight’s look."

• I started by washing + prepping her hair with the Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Conditioner. The shampoo is sulfate free, and cleanses while infusing moisture and shine to the hair. The Moisturizing Curl Conditioner deeply hydrates and helps protect against breakage.


• Once her hair was cleansed and conditioned, I used the new ghd Helios Hairdryer  and my new The Y by Yusef Medium Round Brush to give her a sleek, shiny blowout. The ghd Helios Hairdryer is so lightweight, but powerful and works to give you a smooth, shiny blowout. Paired with my The Y by Yusef brush, which has a thermal barrel that retains maximum heat while drying and strong nylon bristles that easily grasp hair, I created a sleek base for the look. After her hair was fully dried, I used the ghd Platinum+ Styler to eliminate any frizz and get her hair as shiny and smooth as possible. 


• Next, I sectioned off her hair and braided a few cornrows and secured them. I added in a few extensions for length, then used The Y by Yusef Cushion Paddle Brush, which has a wider surface to detangle and smooth thick hair, to pull her hair in a tight, sleek ponytail and secured with The Y by Yusef hair elastics and bungees to really keep it in place. They're specifically designed to keep thick, curly hair in place without pulling on strands. Not a hair will move tonight! 


• After the ponytail was secured, I pulled out a few pieces and braided them to add a cool layer of dimension. I used the Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Define & Shine Gel Serum to make her hair super sleek and shiny and then locked it all in with the Suave Professionals Firm Control Finishing Hairspray, followed by the Suave Professionals® Refresh & Revive Dry Shampoo to get rid of excess oil and mess it up a little bit so it doesn’t look so pulled together. I finished off the look by using The Y by Yusef Toothbrush to style her baby hairs.