Rihanna

Rihanna fought back tears while being honored as one of Glamour‘s 2009 Women of the Year at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Monday (Nov. 9). The magazine’s latest cover girl broke from her all-black-everything look, turning heads in a dramatic white gown. She was accompanied by her Island Def Jam label head L.A. Reid. Other honorees included Michelle Obama, Maya Angelou, Serena Williams, Maria Shriver, and Amy Poehler.

“I am shaking right now. I am so nervous, but overwhelmed and honored by this honor to be Glamour‘s Woman of the Year,” an emotional Rihanna said as she was presented with her award from supermodel Iman. “I really look up to my gran-gran and my mom. They are my two women of the year. I love you very much, granny. I love you very much, mom.”

Video via Just Jared