Rihanna on the cover of GQ

Part of Rihanna's GQ interview:

You’ve had a crazy couple of days.
Yeah. [nervous giggle]

Now that you’re talking about everything, is it hard, or is it liberating?
Very liberating. It’s relieving. Because it was built up for so long, and all these thoughts and emotions have been running through my mind for the past eight months. And now it’s like I finally get to let go and move on.

Is it therapeutic to talk about it?
Um, I don’t like talking about it a lot. But every time I do, it’s better; it’s easier each time.

Because you said something about wanting to give some insight to young women.
Mm-hmm.

And that’s a brave thing. You could have said nothing.
Mm-hmm.

What made you decide that this was the right thing to do?
Because I wanted to move on. And I knew that was the only way I could have done it. And I wanted people to move on with me. ‘Cause the last big thing they know about me is That Night. And I don’t want that to be what people define me as.

Before I came here—I live across the street from a pretty tough public school in New York City. And I went to talk to the girls there.
Oh, wow.

Just to say, “Hey, I’m going to meet Rihanna. What would you like to know?” And it was interesting, because a lot of them had been in your situation, and they wanted to know how you handled it. Are those the insights you’re talking about?
I guess definitely. I just knew I’d be good one day. I just knew it. So I just kept waiting for that day. Like, you know, even though it was tough the entire time, there were ups and downs, I just kept knowing: I’m gonna get over it one day. I’m gonna get over it.

Who helped you through it?
Nobody.

READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW IN GQ'S MAGAZINE & SEE THE SEXY PICS FROM THE PHOTO SHOOTS.