Nuno Bettencourt Denies Rihanna Wants To Release A Heavy Metal Album

Nuno Bettencourt (Instagram @nunobettencourtofficial)

JAKARTA - Rihanna's live guitarist, Nuno Bettencourt, has denied the old rumor that the singer wants to make a heavy metal album.

In 2009, The Daily Star reported exclusively that Rihanna was adamant about switching to the heavy metal genre. However, her record label was at a loss with the California King Bed hitmaker's desire to change musical direction.

“When I spoke to Rihanna, she really wanted to transform herself into a heavy rock girl. She listened to Led Zeppelin and new artists like Paramore and said that was the direction she wanted to go, so I said yes," Nuno said according to The Daily Star at the time.

However, in a new interview with Classic Rock, Nuno denied that he had made any of the comments in that 2009 article.

“That's a complete lie,” he said, “that's a fabrication. That's so wrong. I promise you in my children's lives that those words will never leave my mouth. It's a good story, that's why I thought it was written, but that's completely untrue," Nuno explained via LouderSound.

“What happened is they contacted me because they said they wanted a guitar player, and wanted to rock the show, and they had seen some of my songs online.

"I said, 'Why do you want me, no guitar on so many songs?' And I was told, well, that they just wanted me to be myself, and do it on an Umbrella song and all, with heavy chords and riffs. I was like, 'Wow, that sounds really interesting for a guy like me who loves all genres of music.'

"Maybe that's how the story started.' But she (Rihanna) didn't want to make a heavy metal album."