Lifestyle Style That Time Rihanna Wore a Microwaved Wig to the VMAs By Sarah Kinonen Sarah Kinonen Sarah Kinonen is a former style and beauty editorial assistant at PEOPLE. She left PEOPLE in 2016. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 1, 2020 02:56PM EST Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup Back in 2010, long before Kylie Jenner and her brightly colored wigs took over the internet, Rihanna dominated the hair game with her own fresh faux tresses. And one of her most memorable wig moments, a bright red hairpiece she wore to the VMAs, has a backstory so crazy it deserves to be heard. Two days before the 2010 VMAs, while she was filming a movie in Hawaii, Rih was asked to perform alongside Eminem in a surprise appearance, which meant she and her hairstylist Ursula Stephen had less than 48 hours to hunt down a vibrant, show-stopping wig. Once Stephen found a faux piece she thought would be perfect, it sadly didn’t meet RiRi’s expectations, which meant the hair pro had to get to work to make it work — stat. RELATED PHOTOS: Rihanna’s VMAs Hair Evolution “When the wig arrived backstage, the color was all wrong and Rihanna wasn’t having it,” she explained to PeopleStyle. RELATED VIDEO: See Rihanna’s Changing Looks! So Stephen did what any great hairstylist would do: She re-dyed the wig and then nuked it in the microwave to shave off time. Seriously! “I had to recolor it in our trailer, so I threw it in the microwave to speed up the process … the rest is history!” Missed all our VMA coverage? Be sure to check these out: –Rihanna’s VMAs Hair Evolution –The Evolution of Britney Spears’ Moon Man Glam –VMAs Video Vanguard Winners’ Most Michael Jackson Moments –Throwback VMAs Looks We Still Love (and How to Wear Them Today) –The 15 Most Stylish VMA Couples of All Time –VMA Videos Style Superlatives: The Best in Beauty and Fashion from the Nominees –My First VMAs: See This Year’s Nominees’ Red Carpet Debuts! –Stars Assign Emojis to Their VMAs Outfits and the Results Are Hilarious -Your VMAs Look Reminds Us Of… -The Boldest, Brightest and Most Bedazzled Looks From the VMAs! What do you think of Rihanna’s hair horror story? Share below!