Rihanna celebrates iHeart Award nominations after mourning murdered cousin
Stay hitmaker laid Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne to rest in Barbados on 10 January.
![Rihanna](https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1655900/rihanna.jpg?w=736&f=4ebfc6995ae6f724188934a05f29fd0f)
Having had a difficult few weeks following the murder of her cousin, pop superstar Rihanna may now have a reason to smile. The 29-year-old songstress is up for five awards including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and R&B Artist of the Year at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
She expressed her gratitude in a post to her 59.4 million Instagram followers which included the caption: "Bless! 5 #iHeartAwardsnominations. Thank you @iHeartRadio and all you guys for listening and requesting!! Glory to God!!!!"
Her fans flocked to the comment section to applaud the eight-time Grammy winner's latest achievement.
"Proud and so happy for you babe! You deserve it! Slayyyy! I love you forevahhhhh ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ NAVY OR DIE," one fan said. Another wrote: "You are a strength of nature and I love you so much!"
A third added: "u r worthy of all nominations and awards. I never doubted u for 12 years u deserved it."
This year's iHeart Radio Awards is scheduled to take place on 11 March. The show will air live on TBS, TNT, and truth at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Rihanna was left devastated by the death of Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne, who was gunned down as he walked through the Eden Lodge area of St Michael's on Boxing Day.
![Rihanna](https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1658222/rihanna.jpg?w=736&f=3e17ec396e9483f8ab80e59fd21a22b1)
Taking to Instagram, The Umbrella hitmaker shared a tribute gallery of them both in happier times and called for an end to gun crime. The accompanying caption read: "RIP cousin... can't believe it was just last night that I held you in my arms! never thought that would be the last time I felt the warmth in your body!!! Love you always man! ❤ #endgunviolence."
On 10 January, Rihanna was among the mourners that gathered to lay Alleyne to rest in Barbados. For the funeral she wore all white and was photographed laying a heart-shaped wreath at the grave following the service at St George Paris Church.
Barbados Today reported that a man named Shawayne DaShawn Williams from St Michael has been charged with the murder.