Nine-year-old in Rihanna short film has performing arts goal

By Anesta Henry 

Rehma Harper feels blessed to have been chosen to be one of the stars in the short film, Run This Town, released by Rihanna and Apple Music ahead of the Barbadian superstar’s performance at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime show two Sundays ago.

For the nine-year-old, it was a great experience just shooting the film. But when she saw the end result she was so overcome with emotion that tears came to her eyes.

“This is something I always wanted to do. It was really great. I am grateful, I am excited and I cried when I saw it. I listen to Rihanna’s music a lot. I am just grateful and thankful that they [the producers] brought me on the set,” she told Barbados TODAY during an interview at her Glenburnie, St John home.

Rehma was one of three girls dressed in the uniform of Charles F Broome Primary School, which Rihanna attended, walking along Rihanna Drive where the singer spent many of her childhood years. 

The promo which was released two days ahead of Rihanna’s Sunday, February 11 performance at the Super Bowl, also included footage of Barbadians playing dominoes, children riding bicycles, and children flying kites in neighbouring Westbury Cemetery, painting a picture of the singer’s childhood experience.

Rehma and her colleagues’ performance impressed the millions that saw them in action.

The Class 3 St Margaret Primary School student said her relatives, friends, teachers and schoolmates were pleased with her performance. 

In fact, she said since the airing of the 90-second promo, which was produced by local production company Parachute Film Studios Ltd, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

“People have been asking me if that is me in the video and I say ‘yes’ and they hug me,” she said.

Admitting that the process of the two-day shoot was tiring at times, Rehma said she “worked through it” to ensure the best outcome.

Her mother Charlene Harper said she was proud but not surprised with how the young star executed her role.

“I am really excited to be honest. We actually cried when we saw the final promo and everything. It was really an exciting moment. This is something that she has always been interested in; she loved dancing and performing from a young age so it was really exciting for both of us. 

“And I am happy that she gets to be a part of history. Everybody is excited for her and they have been asking how she got into it and how she felt about it,” she said.

Explaining to Barbados TODAY how Rehma got involved with the project, Harper recalled that her daughter was approached by people associated with the film when she visited Bridgetown one Saturday morning. 

“They took our information and a headshot of Rehma and the ball got rolling from there. She had to go through a series of auditions. She did the first audition and she got her second call back, then she got her third call back and all systems were a go from there,” Harper said. 

“We had to be up and on set by six in the morning so we literally were leaving home just after 5 a.m. and we were there until sundown filming. But she enjoyed the process; they were excited and she persevered. It really was an amazing experience for both of us and the rest of the family,” she recalled.

Harper explained that her daughter, an aspiring dancer, comes from a long line of family members involved in the performing arts. She was, therefore, not surprised when from a young age her only child began creating her own dance moves and routines.

“She actually started with the Israel Lovell Foundation a couple terms back so we are looking to get her back in for the next term. 

“And we are also looking to get her into OTT [Operation Triple Threat] in the next semester and that is going to expand her further in the performing arts, not only dancing, but also acting,” Harper said. 

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb