“Really Love Rihanna and Beyonce”: Naomi Osaka Names Her Icons

Published 05/16/2021, 7:59 AM EDT

A few months back, Naomi Osaka appeared in a fashion campaign for Levi’s “Beauty of Becoming” series. In another collaboration with the brand, the WTA star recently featured in the campaign launch for Levi’s 501 Originals collection.

Every May, the company celebrates the 501 Day, which marks the anniversary of their 501 original jeans. On the 148th birthday of the blue jean this year, the iconic denim brand has created a campaign starring Osaka, model Hailey Bieber, singer Jaden Smith, soccer player Marcus Rashford, basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and many others.

Naomi Osaka stars in Levi’s 501 Originals campaign

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During the campaign shoot, Osaka answered a host of interesting questions ranging from a motto she lives by, to the best gift she received last year and her first memories of Levi’s 501’s.

Among a repertoire of questions, the interviewer asked Osaka which icon, dead or alive, inspires her the most. In the reply, Osaka expressed her fondness for pop-star Beyonce and ‘Umbrella’ hitmaker, Rihanna. Interestingly, Osaka also named her parents as a source of inspiration over the years.

“If you’re a famous person, I really love Rihanna and Beyonce. If you’re talking not famous, my parents,” Osaka said.

Osaka’s numerous achievements, on-court activism combined with her philanthropic initiatives embody Levi’s brand spirit of “creativity, authenticity, self-expression, and originality.”

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Since winning her maiden Grand Slam title, Osaka’s surge in popularity has taken shape into multiple high-profile brand endorsements.

Over the last few years, the four-time Grand Slam champion has signed up sponsorship deals with Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer, Nike, Mastercard, and many others. Last year, Forbes named Osaka as the world’s highest-paid female athlete, pegging her earnings around USD 34 million in 2020.

Meanwhile, Osaka’s poor form during the ongoing clay-court season doesn’t augur well for her chances at the upcoming 2021 Roland Garros. At the Madrid Open, she lost in the second round whereas she crashed out in the opening round at the Italian Open this week.

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With the French Open just two weeks away, Osaka will have to make amends to improve upon her subpar record at the tournament. Since her debut at the French Open in 2016, Osaka hasn’t gone past the third round in Paris.

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Kshitij Tayal is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. Having played district-level tennis competitions, Kshitij is also a tenured journalist of the sport with over four years of experience. At EssentiallySports, he pens down some thought-provoking pieces on players and tournaments across the ATP and WTA.

“Really Love Rihanna and Beyonce”: Naomi Osaka Names Her Icons

Naomi Osaka stars in Levi’s 501 Originals campaign

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