Rihanna: "I Want to Help Young Women"

Updated 5:15 PM EDT, Tue, Nov 10, 2009

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Rihanna's rollercoaster year is ending on a high note and the singer says she's hoping to help other women in need.

On Monday night, the 21-year-old singer was honored at Glamour magazine's Women of the Year Awards in New York City – an accomplishment she's very proud of.

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"It's a lot of pressure," Rihanna told Access of her award. "But it's also very flattering and it makes me feel very accomplished… it's a great list of women and all women that I look up to, so it's an honor to be…amongst them."

The singer, who spoke out for the first time about her February assault by then-boyfriend Chris Brown last week, said she places this honor at the top of her list.

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"I'm a woman and I represent a lot of things for women so being woman of the year means a lot for me," she told Access.

Rihanna explained that she hopes to help other women with her star power.

"I've always been a role model for young women so it's only natural that I continue to set the right example and encourage them and give them insight," She explained. "It doesn't have to be a specific topic, but whatever it is I want to help young women."

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One way she's hoping to reach others is through her upcoming album, "Rated R," which the singer told People is an insight into in a part of herself that many never see.

"I'm usually a very guarded person, so having to go in and reach your emotions and personal things to say, it was very vulnerable," she told the mag of her upcoming album, adding that inspiration came from "personal experiences mixed with rock and hip-hop."

Rihanna's "Rated R" drops on November 23.

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