Behind the Scenes of Rihanna's Cuban Invasion

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHRYN MACLEOD.Kathryn MacLeod, senior photography producer: “This was taken while Rihanna was getting in the mood to descend the staircase for the shot at La Guarida, a famous restaurant in Cuba. We basically took over the whole place. The staff was incredible to us. I think they were a little shocked when Rihanna walked in, because we didn’t really tell people what we were doing. We probably told them we needed a place for her to change. They were serving really incredible food and kept the mojitos going. We stayed up there far too long.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY RACHEL WILLIAMS.MacLeod: “When we did the cover shot of Rihanna with the car, the streets were just full of people. You couldn’t move. And they were coming out of the balconies, and wherever they could get a glimpse of her. It was just extraordinary.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHRYN MACLEOD.MacLeod: “We were doing a lot of our own location scouting for this shoot—even the most ordinary street in Havana is full of so much beauty.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHRYN MACLEOD.MacLeod: “This is another moment from our cover setup. In this shot is Yusef Williams, Rihanna’s longtime hair stylist. Yusef and Rihanna have come up with some of her most iconic hair transformations. In this picture, Yusef has wrapped Rihanna’s hair in a beautiful emerald scarf that perfectly matches our car.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHRYN MACLEOD.MacLeod: “This was after the cover shot. Throughout the shoot, Rihanna wanted to walk into the crowds and meet the people of Cuba. Annie [Leibovitz] would be photographing her, and the next thing you know, she would just be off, greeting her fans. After we wrapped the cover, Rihanna just walked up to this gentleman with his flower cart, he handed her a bouquet, and she walked up and down the street with those flowers. She just looked so happy and so radiant. It was nothing that was scripted.“
PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHRYN MACLEOD.MacLeod: “The car in this picture belongs to Rosa Bosch, who produced the famous Wim Wenders documentary Buena Vista Social Club, and who was instrumental in making our shoot happen in Cuba. It’s a very rare car, a 1959 Chevy Impala—the same make and model that Che Guevara drove. You see a lot of convertibles around Cuba, but this car is one of a kind. Annie loved it.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY RACHEL WILLIAMS.MacLeod: “Rosa Bosch suggested to Annie that we take Rihanna to the Egrem studios on San Miguel Street, in Central Havana. Annie was giving Rihanna a private moment to go in the recording studio by herself. While Rihanna was inside, Annie was downstairs photographing the people and the scene.“
PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHRYN MACLEOD.MacLeod: “It was amazing to watch Annie and Rihanna work together. They have a special connection, and Annie has a tremendous amount of respect for Rihanna as an artist. I was inspired by how much Rihanna loves to connect with her fans. When we wrapped this shot, so many Cubans came up to us to thank us for bringing Rihanna to Cuba—they love her so much, and it was clear that she loves them right back.”