I was scared of `Jaws` franchise: Rihanna

Los Angeles: R&B star Rihanna has revealed she was both intrigued and frightened by the 1970s classic 'Jaws' as a child.

Rihanna, 26, who appears on the cover of Harper Magazine's March issue with a shark, said while watching the horror film franchise during her growing up years she stayed away from beach for months.

"It freaked me out because I was a beach baby, so every time a new 'Jaws' came out I would take months off from the beach or just sit on the sand.

"If I happened to get in the water, my dad would hum the theme music, and I was right back out of it. But that was really my fault because I was obsessed with 'Jaws'. Steven Spielberg was my childhood hero," she said.

The 'Umbrella' hitmaker insisted she is not a sensitive person but is grateful she managed to develop a thick skin during her school days.

"This skin has been developing since my first day at school. It didn't happen after fame; I couldn't survive fame if I didn't already have it. So sometimes the toughest thing in life is to be vulnerable," she added.