"Unfaithful" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006). It was written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith with the song's producers StarGate. The song was released by Def Jam Recordings on May 2, 2006, as the second single from the album. It is a R&B song that is about cheating, it was also different because it was the first ballad Rihanna had released.[1]
Live performances
"Unfaithful" has been performed by Rihanna many times, including on July 27, 2006, she performed the song on the MTV series, Total Request Live.[2] Rihanna opened the 2006 MOBO Awards on September 20, 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall in London with a performance of "Unfaithful".[3] On November 15, 2006, Rihanna performed the song at the 2006 World Music Awards, which also took place in London. Rihanna wore a long, purple gown.[4] The song was also sung on her first major North American tour Rihanna: Live in Concert Tour (2006).[5] On July 7, 2007, Rihanna together with other artists performed at the Live Earth Concerts, which were held to raise awareness of global warming. She performed "Unfaithful", "Shut Up and Drive", and "Umbrella".[6]
"Unfaithful" was the twelfth song on the set list of Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad Tour (2007–2009), her first major world tour.[7] Her performance in Manchester was released in the UK through iTunes[8] and is featured on the Good Girl Gone Bad Live DVD.[9] Rihanna was an opening act on some dates on Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour (2008–2009).[10] Her set list featured "Unfaithful" and other songs from her 2007 release Good Girl Gone Bad including "Don't Stop the Music", "Shut Up and Drive" and "Umbrella".[10] Following the release of her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009), in the UK, Rihanna performed a Nokia promotional concert at the Brixton Academy in London.[11] She performed songs from the new release including "Russian Roulette", "Wait Your Turn" and "Hard", a song Rihanna performed with Young Jeezy. Rihanna performed "Unfaithful", and songs from her older albums, including "Disturbia", "Don't Stop the Music" and "Take a Bow", during this set.[12]
In 2010, to promote her fourth album Rated R, Rihanna went on her second worldwide tour, Last Girl on Earth Tour (2010–11). "Unfaithful", which she performed while standing on a stage set with red baroque style curtains in the background, was the thirteenth song on the set list.[13] On December 11, 2010, Rihanna was invited to appear on series seven of the UK version of The X Factor to perform her new single "What's My Name?.[14] She also performed "Unfaithful" with finalist Matt Cardle, who later won the series.[14] In June 2011, Rihanna embarked upon the Loud Tour, her third major worldwide tour. "Unfaithful" was the fourteenth song on the tour's set list.[15] Rihanna performed the song on a levitating stage while wearing a long yellow dress and with a fan blowing her skirt up,[15]
