 The song 's accompanying music video was directed by Anthony Mandler , and premiered in May 2006 . It features Rihanna in a love triangle in which she struggles to choose between her romantic interest and her lover , and regrets having cheated on the former . Since its release , " Unfaithful " has become a staple of Rihanna 's live performances . In 2006 , she performed it on award ceremonies such as the MOBO Awards and the World Music Awards . The song was on the set list of three of her major tours , Good Girl Gone Bad ( 2007 – 09 ) , the Last Girl on Earth Tour ( 2010 – 11 ) and the Loud Tour ( 2011 ) . 
