Palms rise to the universe as we moonshine and melee.
Feel the warmth, we'll never die.
We're like diamonds in the sky.
Today we are learning with one of the most iconic singers of all time, Rihanna.
We'll learn vocabulary and native pronunciation with Rihanna's song Diamonds and three funny clips where Rihanna talks about her strangest dress ever, telling white lies and how to make a good first impression.
You'll also discover how Rihanna became famous.
So let's jump right in.
And by the way, are you like me and you have a difficult time remembering new expressions?
Well, in learning six different languages, I depended a lot on spaced repetition software.
This is scientific technology that works with your brain so that you never forget new words.
And that's why the best experience with this lesson with Rihanna is on their RealLife app, where you have spaced repetition software to help you remember the most important expressions from this lesson forever.
Get the premium Rihanna lesson for free right now with the link down in the description.
When you see these pictures of all these people in these amazing dresses, I was going to think how did you get there?
Because that's not a car out there.
But how do you get there?
Well, this one was a piece of cake compared to the yellow situation.
What the yellow one?
This is you in 2015 in the yellow.
You're not getting out of a car in that, are you?
No.
I did.
No.
But I had to choreograph.
I got a stretch and I'm all gross.
I know.
I put the garment, the omelet, I put it in the car first and then You stopped, dropped and rolled into the rest of the car.
Then I had to put it on in the car, but the train actually had to come out first so that I wasn't dragging it out.
Yeah, did somebody help?
Six people.
Okay.
All right.
So before we dive into what Rihanna is saying about her iconic Met Gala looks, let's quickly break down some of the vocabulary from her hit song Diamonds.
First up, these are the palms of your hands.
Then she mentions two substances.
So moonshine is a legally made alcohol.
It's homemade, strong, and dangerous.
Molly is slang for a specific party drug.
Rihanna is using these terms poetically to describe an intoxicating, euphoric feeling of being in love.
And this is a shooting star.
People often make wishes when they see one.
It's a symbol of something rare, beautiful, and magical.
Moving on, let's get into the hilarious Graham Norton interview.
When you see these pictures of all these people in these amazing dresses, I always kind of think how did you get there?
Because that's not a car out there.
An outfit is simply clothing you're wearing, everything together as a complete look.
So Graham is observing that Rihanna's dresses definitely aren't practical for riding in a car.
Well, this one was a piece of cake compared to the yellow situation.
When Rihanna says the yellow situation, she's using situation in a humorous way.
Natives often use the word situation informally to describe a messy or complicated problem.
Like, if your friend is dating someone who's clearly wrong for them, you might say that whole situation is a mess.
Here's another example from Bridget Jones's baby.
By the way, let's check out some everyday native pronunciation of the word, of that we've seen so far.
Natives usually reduce of to just a.
Graham is Irish, but he said this phrase just like an American would.
Your speaking will only get better with lots of practice.
So listen to Graham again and try to say that, just like he did.
And Rihanna used the common idiom piece of cake.
This means something is very easy, like how the RealLife app makes remembering new words a piece of cake.
She pronounced it PEE-SA cake.
Piece of cake.
Again, listen and repeat.
Well, this one was a piece of cake.
Well, this one was a piece of cake.
To choreograph means to plan and arrange movements in a sequence.
We usually use this word for dance routines, but Rihanna is using it perfectly here to describe how she had to carefully plan every movement just to get in and out of the car in that massive dress.
Think about Beyonce's Super Bowl halftime show in 2013.
Every single move was choreographed down to the second.
A garment is a formal word for a piece of clothing.
Instead of saying dress or outfit fashion, people often use garment because it sounds more professional.
And a quick cultural note stop drop and roll is actually a fire safety technique that you learn as a kid.
Sarah Paulson is simply joking that getting into the car with this huge dress is like performing an emergency maneuver.
The train actually had to come out first so that I wasn't dragging it out.
In fashion, a train is the long part of a dress or gown that extends behind you and trails on the ground.
Many wedding dresses have trains.
Princess Diana's wedding dress had a train that was 25 feet long.
To drag means to pull something along the ground, usually with difficulty.
Rihanna had to be careful not to just pull her train out of the car in a messy way.
It had to come out gracefully.
Here's another Bridget Jones example.
Are you going to sit outside or am I going to have to drag you?
I ain't going to have to drag me.
Now let's watch one of the most adorable interviews ever.
Rihanna talking with a little kid named Miles on recess therapy with Julian Shapiro Barnum.
Do you know what I do?
Sing.
How did you know that?
I obviously listen to your songs.
What's your favorite one?
Shine bright like a diamond.
I mean, it's a classic.
Classic one.
Have you ever lied before, Miles?
Lied a few times.
And have you ever lied?
Never.
Not once, right?
Only maybe white lies, like the little tiny specks of lies.
Don't lie anymore.
It's always a good time to start fresh, turn over a new leaf, right?
I won't lie if you won't lie.
Okay.
Deal.
Deal.
What's your favorite song you wrote?
Okay, Love on the Brain is one of my favorite songs I've ever sang.
How cute was that?
Now let's break down what they were talking about.
So, first off, Miles and Julian called the song that we heard at the beginning of the lesson a classic.
What's your favorite one?
Shine Bright Like a Diamond.
I mean, it's a classic.
When something is a classic, it means it's timeless.
It will always be loved.
Think about songs like Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen or thriller by Michael Jackson.
Those are classics that every generation knows and loves.
Listen to this example.
My husband had a jacket, just like Now.
Here comes a fun quiz.
Rihanna mentioned something interesting about lying.
Let's see if you can figure out what it means.
So what do you think white lies are?
Lies you tell while wearing white?
Small harmless lies that don't hurt anyone?
Lies that are written down on white paper?
Easy peasy.
White lies are small, harmless lies that people tell to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
For example, if your friend gives you a gift and you don't like it, you might say, I love it.
Thank you.
That's a white lie.
It's not meant to deceive in a harmful way.
Specs are really, really, really small pieces of something.
You might have specs of dust on your furniture or specs of paint on your clothes after painting a room.
Rihanna is using this word creatively to describe white lies as being so small.
They're basically nothing.
But as Miles observes, honesty is the best policy.
Don't lie anymore.
It's always a good time to start fresh, turn over a new leaf right, all right.
We have two beautiful expressions here that basically mean the same thing.
They mean to begin again with a clean slate, leaving past mistakes behind.
It's like how january 1st is a chance to start fresh with new, healthy habits.
Or how, after robert downey jr struggled with addiction in the early 2000s, he turned over a new leaf and became one of hollywood's highest paid actors as iron man.
Here's another example.
Maybe a road trip is exactly what I need right now.
I'm turning over a new leaf.
Whoa.
Want to turn over a new leaf with your English this year?
Well, the best way to start fresh is with the real life app.
I recommend you try our micro lessons.
You just need five to 10 minutes a day.
You simply watch a short scene, learn a couple new words and then practice speaking them in a real conversation with your AI coach.
Get that and so much more right now.
Try it for free with the link down in the description.
All right, next Rihanna makes an agreement with Miles.
I won't lie if you won't lie.
Okay.
Deal.
When you say deal, you're agreeing to an arrangement or promise.
It's like sealing a contract with a handshake.
You hear this all the time in casual conversations like, I'll help you move if you buy me pizza.
Deal.
Listen to this example.
If I sell it, I take 10%.
Deal?
Deal.
And the clip ends with Rihanna sharing one of her favorite songs that she's performed.
What's your favorite song you wrote?
Hmm.
Okay.
Love on the Brain is one of my favorite songs I've ever sang.
Actually, I'd say it's my favorite Rihanna song too.
Before we watch our final scene, I want to briefly share Rihanna's incredible journey.
So Rihanna grew up in Bridgetown Barbados, in a small house where she shared a bedroom with her mother and brother.
Her childhood wasn't easy, her family struggled financially, and her father battled addiction.
But Rihanna had an incredible voice and determination.
So this is it.
Your living room?
These windows, we would hang out on these windows.
Where was your bedroom?
Me, my brother, and my mom stayed in here.
At just 16 years old, she auditioned for music producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados.
He immediately recognized her talent and helped her record a demo which landed in the hands of Jay-Z.
Rihanna flew to New York, auditioned for Jay-Z, and he signed her on the spot.
She didn't leave the building until the contract was done because he knew someone else would sign her if he waited.
Rihanna's story is truly inspiring.
She turned over a new leaf from a difficult childhood and created an amazing life for herself.
And speaking of Rihanna's life, now she's in a relationship with rapper AAP Rocky and they have two sons and a daughter together.
Now in our next clip, Rocky interviews Rihanna.
What's the first thing you notice in somebody when you see them for the first time?
Like what's the first thing you look for?
I usually tend to look at their skin, their teeth, their smile.
And then after that, it's more about like whatever energy they're giving off.
That's really, really important, because all of that prettiness could go to shit if your demeanor is like whack.
And then after that it's more about like what, whatever energy they're giving off.
When someone is giving off energy, you perceive a vibe or feeling from them.
Someone might give off positive, friendly energy, or they might give off negative, aggressive energy.
For example, when keanu reeves appears at events, people always say he gives off such a kind, humble energy.
By the way, notice how she pronounced that whatever energy they're Instead of a full giving off, she dropped the last G and just said given off.
Given off.
You try.
Then Rihanna uses really informal, casual language here.
That's really, really important, because all of that prettiness could go to shit, if To go to shit is a very vulgar way to say that something fails completely or loses its value.
Rihanna is saying that even if someone is physically attractive, all that beauty loses meaning if their personality is bad.
Someone's demeanor is the way that they present themselves to others.
A teacher might have a strict demeanor, or a customer service representative might have a friendly demeanor.
Check out this example.
Ha, here's an idea.
Santiago and I will impress him with the depth of our forensic knowledge, and you can wow him with your stoic, silent demeanor.
No stories, understood?
Now let me give you a quiz on this last word.
What does whack mean as slang?
Really cool and impressive?
Bad, uncool, or inferior?
Loud and energetic?
Exactly.
Whack is the opposite of cool.
You might say that movie was whack or his attitude is whack.
All right, now comes the most important part of the lesson.
It's time to prove that you were paying attention.
You watch all the clips again, but this time, there's no subtitles to help you.
I'll also increase the challenge a little bit with a few quiz questions.
All right, you got this.
I believe in you.
Shooting star.
When you hold me, when you see these pictures of all these people in these amazing dress, i was trying to think how did you get there, because that's not a car out there, but how do you get there?
Well, this one was a piece of cake compared to the yellow situation.
You're not getting out of a car in that, all right.
No, i did.
No, i had to choreograph.
What's the long part of a fancy dress that trails behind you on the ground called?
A train.
The train actually had to come out first so that I wasn't, like, dragging it out.
Yeah, did somebody help six people?
Okay.
And it was all choreographed.
And were they in the car with you?
Yes, yes, yes.
Under the omelet.
I can't lift that thing by myself.
How did you get up the stairs?
Six people.
Where did six people help?
They just carry it.
Do you know what I do?
I sing.
How did you know that?
I obviously listen to your songs.
What's your favorite one?
Shine Bright Like a Diamond.
Oh, my God.
I mean, it's a classic.
Classic one.
Have you ever lied before, Miles?
Lied a few times.
Rihanna, have you ever lied?
Never.
Not once, right?
Only maybe white lies.
Which of these is an example of a white lie?
Telling your boss you finished a project when you haven't started it.
Saying you like your aunt's cooking when you actually don't.
Lying about your age to get into a club.
Only maybe white lies, like little tiny specks of lies.
Don't lie anymore.
It's always a good time to start fresh, turn over a new leaf, right?
I won't lie if you won't lie.
Okay.
Deal.
What's your favorite song you wrote?
Hmm.
Okay.
Love on the Brain is one of my favorite songs I've ever sang.
What's the first thing you notice in somebody when you see them for the first time?
Like, what's the first thing you look for?
I usually tend to look at their skin, their teeth, their smile.
And then after that, it's more about like whatever energy they're giving off.
That's really, really important, because all of that prettiness could go to shit if if your demeanor is like whack.
Oh yeah, I hope that you had a lot of fun learning English with Rihanna.
I've gotten back into her music again after creating this lesson because she just has so many hits.
So that can be a great next step for you on your journey to learning English.
Go and listen to her music, look at the lyrics and see what you can learn from it.
And if it's your goal to understand fast-speaking natives like Rihanna without getting lost, without missing the jokes and without subtitles well, every single week, here on Learn English with TV Series, we make two new lessons to help you to do just that.
And 11 million learners from around the world are already doing this, so you know it must work.
Just hit the subscribe button and bell down below, and that way you won't miss a single one of our new lessons.
And if you're really ready to level up your English well, the best way to do it is by watching these lessons on the RealLife app.
So download that for free now.
And if you're sticking with us here on YouTube, you might want to check out this lesson next.
Debbie, throw the ball!
