Pop-star Rihanna appeared late for a high-school show in Chicago, keeping her young spectators waiting for four hours and thirty minutes, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Barbadian superstar did not even acknowledge her tardiness when she took the stage at Barrington High School. Her fans were nearly despondent minutes earlier, but were ecstatic and greeted her with wild applause nonetheless as soon as she appeared on stage. Despite Rihanna being late, she still received a Beatlemania-type of screaming.

“Thank you guys for coming and waiting”, says Rihanna, before paying tribute to the school’s charitable works.

Sixteen minutes and roughly a dozen smiling pictures later, the pop star has disappeared and her late arrival seemingly forgiven and obviously forgotten by a starstrucked crowd.

The collective change in the mood was hard to fathom, as she has been the reason for what is quite possibly the most angst-ridden moment in Barrington High School history only minutes earlier.

The mostly female crowd had been patient waiting for hours for her arrival, after the school won a visit from the star. Teens have been chatting on their phones, grabbing snacks and braiding each other’s hair while waiting for her to appear. Many have been at the school since the doors opened, as early as 12 noon.

The singer was supposed to start her visit at 1 PM. Thursday evening, the school announced that it had been pushed back to 2 PM. As of 5 PM, Rihanna was still nowhere to be seen.

A lot of the students were freely expressing their dismay at the event, frustrated at the long delay of the singer's appearance.

“It’s one thing to be fashionably late. This is just rude, ” says junior Patricia Halle. She nicknamed the afternoon “survive Rihanna event.”

“It’s so rude,” says Halle’s friend, Cassie Mullay, and said she was thinking of leaving, having waited since 1 PM.

At 4:22 PM, Rihanna tweeted a picture saying, “This Chicago traffic is not working.”

According to Barrington High Principal Steve McWilliams, he had spoken to Rihanna earlier in the day and she apologized for being late. RiRi sent more tickets for her United Center show to be given to the students.

The DJ that was sent earlier to the event, said to be pop star’s personal DJ, hosted an impromptu dance contest during the unexpected four hour and thirty minute waiting period, with a pledge that the winner will get to go backstage at her United Center concert.

Barrington High School won the visit from Rihanna after winning a contest she’s sponsored. She invited schools to produce videos set her “Diamonds” single that would highlight charitable work. The video sent by Barrington High, by the students of BHS-TV class, is a montage of shots that shine light on several initiatives the school participates in. Included in its numerous service projects is the assistance it has provided to victims of the Joplin, MO tornado and Native Americans who live on a reservation in South Dakota.