L.A. Reid Wasn't Convinced Rihanna Was Going to be a Star

Rihanna keeps her headphones on after her flight arrives at LAX airport on Friday (January 8) in Los Angeles.

The 27-year-old singer may be a superstar now, but according to record executive L.A. Reid, her record label wasn’t so convinced in the beginning.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Rihanna

“At the label, we thought Teairra Mari would be the big star. We spent more time on her, did more work on her, paid more attention to her. Rihanna already had a hit with ‘Pon De Replay,’ but we still thought it was the other girl,” he wrote in his memoir.

But Rihanna can credit Beyoncé to changing his mind!

“Beyoncé came up to me. ‘That Rihanna girl,’ she said, ‘she’s a beast.’”

FYI: RiRi is wearing Sunday Somewhere sunglasses.

10+ pictures inside of Rihanna arriving back in LA…