Fresh off the halftime show at the Super Bowl, Rihanna will perform her Oscar-nominated song 'Lift Me Up' at the Academy Awards
AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Rihanna rented a private residence when she was in Arizona to perform at the 2023 Super Bowl
  • She paid $500,000 to live in the 6,400-square-foot, five-bedroom mansion for a week
  • The property is owned by a cybersecurity expert named Spyro Malaspinas

Rihanna paid a whopping half a million dollars to rent a private estate for a week when she was in Arizona in February to perform at Super Bowl LVII in Glendale's State Farm Stadium.

Sitting on about an acre of land in Paradise Valley in Maricopa County, Arizona, the 6,400-square-foot mansion features a sleek all-white theme and a huge open-floor concept that's perfect for individuals who prefer having more space, such as the 35-year-old pregnant superstar, her boyfriend A$AP Rocky and their 10-month-old son.

The home has five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a 10-seater dining area as well as a massive living room with a grand piano, a fireplace and a huge chandelier. It also has three listed doors that expand to the residence's backyard.

One of the highlights of the home is the outdoor experience it provides with the swimming pool and the lanai with a fireplace.

The estate is situated in a gated community that gives homeowners and tenants protection and privacy, better than some five-star hotels in the area.

The home is owned by Spyro Malaspinas — a 48-year-old cybersecurity expert — who bought the property in Paradise Valley, an affluent town between Phoenix and Scottsdale, for $7.3 million in 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported.

An unidentified property management firm he hired to manage a smaller investment property he owns approached him and made him the $500,000 offer, according to the outlet.

"The last thing I am is a real estate baron," Malaspinas told the publication. "My pride's not that big. I don't mind moving out for $500,000 a week."

Malaspinas revealed that the rent Rihanna paid for her week-long stay would cover two years' worth of mortgage payments. He also shared that he hasn't moved back into the property since the singer's stay and has been offered "crazy amounts of money" to sell it.

As for the moment his family found out that Rihanna was the tenant, he said, "My [13-year-old] daughter was absolutely thrilled."

This isn't the first time A-list celebrities like the Fenty Beauty founder have opted to rent homes instead of checking in at luxurious hotels.

According to WSJ, former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama rented out a 9.5-acre compound in Chilmark, Massachusetts, in 2013. It was owned by Chicago investment banker David Schulte and his wife, Patricia Schulte. The property was sold for $15 million five years later.

Mariah Carey, Demi Lovato, Diplo, Lizzo and Billie Eilish are also among the celebrities who forked over massive sums to temporarily rent out lavish estates, the outlet noted.

Ballin' bigger than LeBron: Forbes estimates Rihanna is now worth $1.7 billion, thanks chiefly to the value of her cosmetics company Fenty Beauty
Ballin' bigger than LeBron: Forbes estimates Rihanna is now worth $1.7 billion, thanks chiefly to the value of her cosmetics company Fenty Beauty AFP / Frederic J. BROWN