Among a year crowded with releases, Rihanna has still managed to command attention, captivating her fans with an innovative experience termed the "AntidiaRy". In partnership with Samsung, RiRi has successfully utilized social media marketing combined with real world experiences, simulating a virtual world experience - where fans are unaware which side they stand on.

This multifaceted campaign is said to embody Rihanna's transformation through the various eras of her musical and personal life. At the heart of the operation lays the AntidiaRy website, which has a total of eight rooms - perfectly coinciding with Anti being Rihanna's eighth studio album.

The interactive component stems from an ominous and downright spooky Twitter and Instagram user only referred to as the "Keyholder"; who posts cryptic clues regarding the narrative, using everything from braille to sophisticated strands of computer code to convey their messages.

Despite this entity's semi-active presence, very little actual information is relayed, and instead new discoveries and theories are unearthed by Rihanna's passionate fanbase who call themselves the #Navy. Indeed, just like the United States Navy, it takes a selfless dedication to wade through the muddy waters of this elaborate promotion plan.

In the midst of frustration, watching day by day slip by without a tracklist, release date, or single in sight, I received a Direct Message (DM) from the keyholder on December 4th 2015 via Twitter. They explained that I had been chosen to be marked as "an innocent" and was instructed to make my way to the Samsung studios in Los Angeles from noon to seven that day.

I immediately found myself flustered, rushing to make transportation plans. I hurriedly agreed to partaking before it even really sunk in as to what I had signed myself up for. My racing thoughts were only interrupted by the "ding!" of another Twitter notification. In a true cult-like manner I was warned that I needed a secret code to enter, and that if I shared it with anyone I would be unable to pass.

Armed with nothing but a love for music and a broken phone I made my way to the head-quarters. I arrived at about one-thirty in the afternoon, and stood awestruck at the looming massiveness of the Samsung buildings, which had been painted in all black. At the door there was a smiling woman who invited me to look inside the store, in a hesitant manner I stammered...

"I'm here for the AntidiaRy experience"

She looked at me curiously so I added more to persuade her and justify my out-of-place presence:

"I have a code from the Keyholder on Twitter..."

My heart sank.

I became worried that all this had been a ruse, however, at this she seemed to understand and directed me to a front desk. I look to my right and saw a long, empty, hallway with doors on either side and a mirror in the far distance. Momentarily distracted, I was greeted by an employee who told me the keyholder was not around and would take approximately an hour to come.

I sighed, but after my long journey here, I agreed to wait. I was seated in a room that was surrounded by black walls, at a white leather couch with red decorations, a familiar harkening to the color scheme of Anti's cover, revealed only days prior. After what seemed like a lifetime of Rihanna video clips and some soft pop music in the background, I was approached by a man in all black; he identified himself as Dominik, and had a distinct British accent.

I asked if he was the keyholder, and he stated he was, and proceeded to whip out a shiny new Samsung Galaxy S6. In a hushed tone he asked for my code; I shifted my eyes around and whispered it, as if I was engaging in a shady transaction. He smiled and welcomed me, telling me that my code really suited me (it was an adverb). I smiled at being accepted, and was ready to move forward with the AntidiaRy experience.

After asking me a myriad of questions, I was told to move to another part of the room and sit in a black chair; nervously I complied. Here I was greeted by a beautiful but serious looking woman, who handed me a Samsung Galaxy S6 and instructed me to draw in a child-like manner, she then swept her hand to an electronic mural which displayed various stick figures and scrawled statements of admiration for Rihanna.

I was relieved at the lack of artistic talent from those before me, and hastily attempted to draw our new Genius logo along with the words "Genius loves Rih!" She then took the phone from me and inspected it, I felt I had perhaps broken some unspoken rule about advertising and explained to her my affiliation with Genius - at this I saw her first smile, and she spoke:

"Don't worry, we love all our fans." She then allowed my drawing to join the electronic billboard prominently displayed within the store, as I sat mesmerized by all the personal messages left by fans before me, I felt a vibration wake me. I thought it was my personal phone, but found that the Samsung phone had a text message from the keyholder. After asking me if I knew what AntidiaRy was, they asked in an almost taunting manner "Do you like scavenger hunts?"

I do, and from that moment I descended into Rihanna's world. I rushed down the hallway and was instructed to stop at a door with four dots on it, I entered carefully so as to not alert anyone. I was plunged into pure darkness, with nothing to illuminate me but the faint glow of the phone. The keyholder asked me...

"Are you scared?"

Being a bit of a nyctophobe I replied that I was, then a heavenly melody entered the room - the keyholder assured me that I was safe with Rihanna. Slowly a bit of light began to illuminate my path, and I entered a set of beautiful white doors. I was taken aback by the room before me, a construction of the first room of the AntidiaRy campaign, Rihanna's bedroom.

The keyholder began to recount a story "just like mine." I was instructed to get into the luxurious bed, and to lay there in tranquility. As I became comfortable the fairytale continued...the keyholder went on:

"You are inside the room of a young girl, her name is written on the armoire by the end of the bed, she has only just left."

I turned to my side and saw in bold letters, Rihanna. Once again I looked back at the phone to a new message, the plot was eerily similar to what I had just experienced:

"She awoke to find herself here and she was not alone, she was with two little girls. One was playful and fierce and one was graceful and starry eyed."

While I contemplated the significance behind this juxtaposition of temperaments, I was asked to add a self-portrait to the walls of the bedroom with a pencil. In my full artistic brilliance I drew a round face, some scraggles of hair, and a smile, then wrote my name among the other "chosen ones". At the bottom of this mural stood an affirmation of kindness - you are loved. As I completed this task, the keyholder went on:

"But when she looked up the two girls were gone, and I was there instead. I left a key for her on the floor, she took it and followed me."

I immediately turned my focus to the floor besides me but was met by only a trodden wooden floor and a vintage child's tricycle. I took this as an opportunity to explore the magnificent room which I inhabited, and had so sorely neglected until now. I saw a desk with stationary filled with more stick-figure drawings. I saw necklaces of pearls strewn across the furniture, and a large wooden piano. At this piano I began to play a few melodies, moving my fingers to softly play the introduction to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

The phone demanded my attention again, and I was asked if I liked to read. Having always hungrily consumed books, I answered yes and began to scurry around trying to find a book. I found a stack of them by the bedside table, and took the top one, which was a bound in a pure white hardcover, devoid of any markings alerting me to its contents.

Upon cracking open the book, I noticed a hollowed out rectangle framing the treasure I had come seeking - a golden key. In a rush I skimmed through the book trying to find any additional clues to bring back to my brothers and sisters of Rihanna, the only thing of interes I managed to see was a room layout which belonged to a fictional character named "Sophie."

Acutely aware that I had spent much too long exploring and was perhaps beginning to arouse suspicions in the Samsung employees, I read the last of the communications the keyholder gave me. I was asked to keep my key "close to my heart" until the time came to know what it unlocked. The last message read as follows:

"And now you have your own journey, you can go back now....I will find you and you will find me by the shine of my crown. Thank you."

Spoken like a true Queen. Rihanna had more than delivered, rewarding the patience of her fanbase little by little. This story only captures a portion of this incredible journey the AntidiaRy family has taken together. I have gained one of the most valuable riches through this - the gift of friendship and memory building. Even among the frustration of being left in the dark, the light of hope keeps us safe - patience will be rewarded.


Note: Each key unlocks two $150 valued ticket to Rihanna's Anti Tour. Additionally, these members have been entered into a raffle to win Samsung products.