Oprah, Rihanna and Kim K top list as Forbes’ richest self-made women in America
Global superstars including Madonna, Taylor Swift and Beyonce also featured on the list.
Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna and Kim Kardashian are all self-made billionaires according to Forbes’ 100 richest self-made women in America list.
Award-winning US talk show host and entrepreneur Winfrey, 69, featured on the list at number 13 having amassed a fortune of 2.5 billion US dollars (£2 billion) from TV shows, the magazine said.
Meanwhile, Forbes estimated pop superstar Rihanna’s wealth at 1.4 billion dollars (£1.1 billion), largely derived from her music, having released Academy-Award nominated single Lift Me Up for the first time this year since her 2016 studio album Anti; and her cosmetics brand, Fenty Beauty, which she launched in 2017.
The 35-year-old, who headlined the Super Bowl half-time show this year where she debuted her second pregnancy, placed 20th on the list.
Rihanna was ahead of musicians Taylor Swift with an estimated 740 million dollar (£591 million) fortune who re-released her album Midnights in October 2022; Madonna and Celine Dion with 580 million dollars (£463 million) and 480 million dollars (£383 million) respectively, according to Forbes.
Reality TV star and businesswoman Kardashian, 42, featured at number 21 on the list with an estimated 1.2 billion dollars (£960 million) from her wildly successful shapewear brand Skims and her skincare brand, Skkn By Kim.
Her half sister, Kylie Jenner, also appeared, having amassed a fortune of 680 million dollars (£543 million) from her hugely popular make-up company Kylie Cosmetics, which first sold her popular lip kits before incorporating skin and eye makeup.
US superstar Beyonce, who is currently in the UK for her Renaissance World Tour, also makes the list at number 48 with a 540 million dollar (£431 million) fortune amassed from her music, having released her seventh studio album last year.
Forbes recently predicted that her upcoming world tour could earn the singer, who has became the most decorated Grammy artist of all time, more than two billion dollars (£1.6 billion).
US country singer Dolly Parton and Legally Blond star Reese Witherspoon, who sold the majority stake in her production company Hello Sunshine in 2021, both made the list for their respective 440 million dollar (£351 million) wealth, while actor and singer Barbra Streisand featured just below with an estimated 430 million dollars (£343 million).
TV star and comedian Ellen DeGeneres appeared towards the tail end of the list with an estimated 380 million dollars (£303 million) alongside Tennis star Serena Williams with 290 million dollars (£231 million).
The list also featured eight newcomers, including Bridgerton and Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes who has amassed a 250 million dollar (£199 million) fortune as the founder of Shondaland.
Forbes said that collectively, the 100 women on the list have a record high net worth of 124 billion dollars (£99 billion) which was up 12% from last year.
It is the ninth annual list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, highlighting the 100 most successful female entrepreneurs, executives, and entertainers in the United States.
Kerry Dolan, assistant managing editor of Wealth at Forbes, said: “This list is a testament to the hard work and success of these women.
“We continue to see women breaking records and increasing their influence and power along with their fortunes, and each year new women in a variety of industries break into these ranks.”
