Rihanna and A$AP Rocky miss 2024 Met Gala: Fans left disappointed

Rihanna's absence from the 2024 Met Gala left her fans disappointed, especially after she had hinted she would attend.

The singer teased her presence before the event but ultimately pulled out. According to People, Rihanna missed the gala due to being down with the flu. As the night unfolded and attendees flaunted their looks on the red carpet, Rihanna and her partner, A$AP Rocky, were nowhere to be seen. 

A source mentioned to Page Six that despite battling illness, Rihanna still made it to New York City following her appearance at the F1 Grand Prix in Miami. Meanwhile, her stylist was spotted at the Carlyle Hotel earlier that day, handling the singer's jewels.

A$AP Rocky, was seen casually jogging around Soho on Met Gala Monday, opting for a tracksuit and headphones while other A-listers prepped for the high-profile event.

In an interview with Extra in late April, Rihanna mentioned she intended to go for a simpler style this year, saying, "I’m actually just keeping it real simple this year...very simple...I think it’s gonna come to what my makeup and what my hair is going to do. We wanna play with that, but I have no idea what I’m gonna do with that.” 

Adding to the intrigue, she unveiled a new pink hairdo the weekend before the gala.

Courtesy: @pumamotorsport

While she didn't create a show-stopping fashion moment this time, fans still remember her iconic looks from previous Met Galas, such as the 2018 "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" event, where she dazzled in a bejeweled Maison Margiela Artisanal pope-inspired outfit. 

The couple made their red carpet debut at the 2021 "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" gala, donning coordinating ensembles, with Rihanna in Balenciaga and Rocky in ERL. 

Though she missed this year's event, themed "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," she joked about going "real simple" for the ball and may have taken it to a new level with her night in at the hotel. Despite the absence, her and Rocky's fashion legacy remains iconic and fondly remembered.