Rihanna opens up about Chris Brown beating, says she's 'stronger, wiser'

Chris Brown was Rihanna's "first big love," but if she can be attacked by her boyfriend, "it can happen to anyone," Rihanna tells ABC's Diane Sawyer in an interview to air this week on "Good Morning America."

November 4, 2009

Rihanna and Brown performed at a number of radio station-hosted Jingle Ball concerts this past December, including this one at Madison Square Garden in New York. The two got close while performing "Umbrella" together on stage, but they continued to walk red carpets separately until the Feb. 8 alleged incident. (Scott Gries / Getty Images)

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Rihanna also opened up about the aftermath of Brown's February assault in an interview for the December issue of Glamour magazine, in which she is named one of Glamour's Women of the Year, People.com reports. She says she feels "stronger, wiser and more aware," and she realized she could take advantage of widespread media coverage to reach out to battered women and "represent a voice that really isn't heard."

The coverage of the story, however, was constant, she says: "I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears."

Excerpts of the "GMA" and Glamour interviews were released Tuesday.

Rihanna's big month
Tuesday: Video for "Wait Your Turn" posted on Rihannanow.com

Thursday: Part 1 of "Good Morning America" interview airs

Friday: Part 2 airs, interview continues on "20/20"

Nov. 23: New album, "Rated R," to be released

View photos of Chris Brown and Rihanna's romance