Rihanna might have added the titles ‘actor’ and ‘entrepreneur’ to her curriculum vitae but her devoted fans will always know her best for being a singer.
During her career, the ‘Umbrella’ crooner has won nine Grammy Awards, eight Billboard Music Awards, seven MTV Video Music Awards and dominated the charts with hit singles like ‘Diamonds’, ‘Rude Boy’, ‘Pon De Replay’ and ‘We Found Love’.
In recent years, the 35-year-old has focussed her attention on the launch of her now hugely successful brand Fenty, launching Fenty Beauty, Savage x Fenty and Fenty Skin. In December 2019, the Barbadian star was awarded the ‘Urban Luxe’ award for her eponymous Fenty label at the British Fashion Council's Fashion Awards.
In 2022, she became a first time mum, welcoming Rza baby with rapper beau ASAP Rocky, and ahead of giving birth spoke of her plans to juggle motherhood with work, telling American Vogue: 'Still, I have businesses that aren't going to run themselves.'
The couple's second child, Riot Rose was born in August 2023. The news was first announced during Rihanna's iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show performance after she unzipped her jumpsuit, and revealed her baby bump.
However, it sounds like RiRi is keen to return to the stage once again with new music, and in October 2022, she released her fist single in six years.
In 2018, the singer appeared on The Graham Norton Show to promote her film Ocean’s 8 with her co-stars Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson and Helena Bonham Carter.
‘I am actually in the studio at the moment,’ she told the TV presenter when quizzed about her new album, marking the first time she's let slip news about her upcoming music.
It was previously revealed that the ‘Umbrella’ icon’s next record would be reggae-influenced, with new music said to have been inspired by Bob Marley.
Here’s everything you need to know about Rihanna’s upcoming album:
February 17 2024: A$AP Rocky Teases Rihanna Dropping New Music
Rihanna's long-term boyfriend and rapper A$AP Rocky has announced that fans can definitely new music from the star. While posing for pictures with fans, he was asked when we could expect to hear new music, to which he replied: 'She's working on it.'
So while the exact date of when Rihanna is due to make her musical comeback is unclear, there at least seems to be something in the making, which is better than no music at all.
November 4 2022: Rihanna is reportedly 'in talks to headline Glastonbury Festival for the first time'
Not long after Rihanna released her first single in six years, and subsequent music video, it's been reported the singer is 'in talks to headline Glastonbury Festival for the first time', and it's safe to say we're going wild over this prospect.
The revelation comes shortly after the news that the singer is set to perform at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime show. Talk about spoiling us.
RiRi was understood to have been 'approached about Glastonbury' by festival organisers Emily Eavis and her father Michael, as per the Daily Mail.
'Next year’s festival would be just the right timing for herself,' a source told the news outlet of the possibility Rihanna will performing at the iconic music festival at Somerset’s Worthy Farm.
'She is a huge name for Worthy Farm and would be the perfect addition to the line-up,' they added.
An insider told The Sun that 'everything about Rihanna’s music comeback is being closely guarded but her team has been talking with the Eavis family.'
October 31 2022: Rihanna releases music video for single 'Lift Me Up'
Rihanna released her music video for new ballad, 'Lift Me Up' - the lead single on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, honouring Chadwick Boseman, who starred in the first instalment of the film.
The video (which you can watch at the top of this article) has been steered by the movie’s director of photography, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, and includes footage from the film.
Emotional, moving and heartfelt, it's a work of art.
October 28 2022: Rihanna releases first single in six years, and it's the lead track on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
At midnight on October 28, Rihanna answered her fans' prayers by releasing her first single in six years, 'Lift Me Up', (which you can listen to on Spotify here).
'Lift me up, hold me down, keep me close, safe and sound,' Rihanna sings in the chorus.
The song, it has been revealed, is the lead track on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, and honours the late actor Chadwick Boseman, who starred in the first movie before sadly passing away in August 2020, aged 43.
Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems, who co-wrote the track with Rihanna, Ludwig Göransson and director Ryan Coogler, said in a press release: 'After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I've lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them.
'Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honour.'
The night before, the nine-time Grammy winner posted the title of the song on Twitter, along with the date of its release and a 14-second clip.
October 26 2022: Fans are convinced Black Panther: Wakanda Forever teased the release date for Rihanna's new music
Fans are convinced that upcoming film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (which premieres tonight, October 26 in LA), has dropped a hint about the release of new music from Rihanna.
The studio for the film shared a video clip on Tuesday, October 25, which began with the title of the film forming on the screen in metallic silver letters, before the rest of the letters disappeared to leave just the first 'R' in the word 'FOREVER', and underneath the date '10.28.22' appeared.
The video was captioned with an eyes emoji and '#WakandaForever.'
Rihanna's fans think that this teaser clip confirms the release date for Rihanna's song on the movie's soundtrack.
'RIHANNAAAAAAA [sic],' wrote one Twitter user, sharing a gif of people excitedly screaming at a concert.
'RIHANNA IS BACK EVERYONE !!! [sic],' commented another.
Someone else echoed those sentiments when writing: 'We waited for too long.'
A fourth commented: 'The Rihanna drought is over.'
October 1, 2020: Rihanna is loving her new music
Rihanna opened up about how she’s been working on her upcoming album, telling the Associated Press that she’d held ‘tons of writing camps’.
As a result, she had been asking herself: ‘What do I feel personally? What do I want to put out, and as an artist, how do I want to play it with my art? How do I want to interpret that?
‘How do I want to reimagine it because it’s been so structured before.’
The Savage x Fenty designer continued, noting: ‘You do pop, you did this genre, you do that, you do radio, but now it’s just like, what makes me happy? I just want to have fun with music. Everything is so heavy. The world that we live in is a lot. It’s overwhelming every single day. And with the music, I’m using that as my outlet.’
The singer also touched on how the pandemic has put a spanner in the works when it comes to her usual promotion of music.
‘I want to go on tour but I can’t, so I’m stuck with music that I love, and now I’m trying to figure out how I can even create visuals to that,’ she said. ‘That’s a challenge as well. But I love challenges so, you know, I’m gonna get it done.’
February 14, 2020: Rihanna is in the studio making music
After months (and months) of teasing her fans that new music was on its way, Rihanna confirmed she was in the music studio recording new tracks.
The singer shared a photograph of herself in the studio and suggested that she had collaborated with The Neptunes, which is Pharrell Williams' hip-hop duo.
‘Gang. back in da STU,’ she captioned a photo of a soundboard.
RiRi last teamed up with The Neptunes for Williams’ N.E.R.D. 2017 track ‘Lemon’.
The singer previously spoke about her new music with The Cut, explaining that she was planning to be in the studio on Valentine’s Day.
‘I'm so excited actually. I can't say who I'm working with, but it's somebody I've been wanting to work with him for a long time,’ she said, before adding ‘ok, I’ll tell you. It’s Pharrell.’
December 22, 2019: Rihanna teases new music to fans
It was seeming as though Rihanna’s gazillion fans would have to continue waiting impatiently for the singer to release new music.
The Barbadian star shared a viral video of a puppy enthusiastically appearing to dance to the House of Pain’s 1989 hit song ‘Jump Around’.
‘Update: me listening to R9 by myself and refusing to release it,’ the singer captioned the sweet clip.
However, it appeared her fans were far from amused by the Fenty Beauty founder’s social media antics over the weekend, with several of them commenting about their frustration that she was yet to release new songs.
‘Why you playing with us babyyyyyyy [sic],’ one user commented.
‘Cmon it’s Christmas time... make that gift! [sic],’ another added.
One fan wrote: ‘YOU TEASE. [sic].’
In December 2018, Rihanna promised her fans she would release new music in 2019, which would feature on her ninth album.
However, when her stylist and Fenty’s junior creative director Jahleel Weaver asked the singer ‘Where's the album heaux?!!! [sic]’ on Instagram, it looked like RiRi was over people quizzing her as to when new material would arrive.
‘I don't need this kinda negativity in my life! [sic],’ the singer joked. ‘BLOCKT. [sic].’
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
![new york, new york may 06 lana del rey attends the 2024 met gala celebrating sleeping beauties reawakening fashion at the metropolitan museum of art on may 06, 2024 in new york city photo by dimitrios kambourisgetty images for the met museumvogue](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/lana-del-rey-met-gala-2024-6639708a31095.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.668xh;0,0.0545xh&resize=360:* "The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" - Arrivals")
