Rihanna's new album helped her "recover" from the end of her relationship.

Rihanna, the 'Umbrella' singer – who split from Chris Brown after he assaulted her in February – singled out 'Photographs' from her forthcoming LP 'Rated R' as her favourite track on a record she found cathartic to write.

Rihanna said of the song: "It's called 'Photographs'. It's about a break-up, and the only thing you have to show for the relationship is some pictures... making this album was my recovery. It's the way I vented and expressed myself."

Rihanna, 21, avoided people for a month after the assault, but finally decided she wanted to go back into the studio after a night out at a club.

She explained to MSNBC: "The minute I decided to leave the house again, I called up Roc Nation executive Jay Brown and said: 'I want to do music, I want to go back in the studio' and we just did that. We started collecting songs and sounds and putting producers together, figuring out who we want to work with to develop new sounds." (c) BANG