"The Challenges of Playing for Rihanna: Nuno Bettencourt's Perspective"

Nuno Bettencourt, guitarist for Extreme and frequent collaborator with Rihanna, explains that playing a pop gig with Rihanna is far more challenging than playing rock music. He believes that even the greatest rock guitarists, such as Slash, would struggle to perform a clean intro to Rihanna's songs. The gig requires versatility and the ability to adapt to different styles, from reggae to R&B to dance tunes. Bettencourt's diverse musical background and influences have allowed him to excel in this role, and it has also shaped the sound of his band, Extreme.