Rihanna's Esquire UK cover from July 2012 showcased the diva nude and blonde, and now we can revisit the sexy shoot.

Photographer Melissa Forde shares more photos on her Tumblr from the Esquire issue that had her famous best friend posing provocatively on the cover. Inside pages had the 'Stay' singer dressed, but still sexy, in white dresses, midriff baring tops and uncharacteristic platinum blonde hair.

The newly released images even included a behind the scenes peek at Rihanna's bare back during the cover shoot.

A lot has happened to the Barbados beauty since this particular cover. At the time of the interview, Rihanna was taking criticisms for collaborating on a duet with (then) ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

She opened up a little to Esquire UK saying, "I thought people were gonna be surprised that we finally did a record together, but I didn't see how people could think it was a bad thing, you know? In my mind, it was just music."

Fast forward to the present, less than a year later, where the volatile relationship of Brown and Rihanna is generally accepted-although not universally embraced-by the public. Media-savvy and (hopefully) more mature than they were during their first stab at a relationship, the couple now shares success, fame and a penchant for controversy.

Forde's released photographs could not have come at a better time as Rihanna is currently lying low due to a bad case of laryngitis. Her ailment has caused her to cancel a Boston show as per doctor's orders. The singer took to Twitter to extend her apology to her fans writing, "This is the hardes thing for me to deal with! I feel like we've been waiting for this day forever, and I'm hurt that I let you down."

For his part, Brown is reportedly doing his best to make his lady love feel better. According to Hollywood Life, the rapper misses Rihanna but did dole out some advice to the sick singer.

"He told her to chill out and sip tea," a source tells Hollywood Life. "He wants her to rock out on her tour and she's got a long a** way to go." 

Rihanna shows off her toned physique in tight skirts and revealing tops at the Esquire UK photoshoot.

Rihanna is known for being incredibly photogenic, and she shows it off, capturing her best angles in her Instagram account.

Melissa Forde shares more photos from the famous Esquire UK photoshoot nearly a year after the shoot took place.

Rihanna's blonde locks was a sharp change, but the 'Stay' singer is known worldwide for her constantly evolving and edgy sense of style.

Rihanna's photographer friend Melissa Forde captures little details of the shoot with ease.

Back in 2012, Rihanna was looking to expand the Rihanna brand. She tells Esquire, "I'm very creative so I like finding different outlets to be creative."

Her much-publicized cover with Esquire UK is definitely one of the magazine's more eye-catching ones.

Rihanna shows off one of her many tattoos, this one a small gun just below her right armpit.