The pop icon is set to play the Super Bowl half-time show next year, sparking speculation about new material. Is the much-discussed R9 set to land in the next few months? Or is she thinking about something more fluid, in terms of a release roll out?

One thing is for sure: something is happening, even if nobody seems quite sure what that is.

New song ‘Lift Me Up’ ends an extensive period of silence from Rihanna, and it appears on the soundtrack of keenly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

A moving salute to the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman, it serves as a reminder of just how emphatic a vocalist Rihanna truly is – an exquisite vocal turn, it’s an emotive R&B ballad that speaks from the heart.

Written alongside Tems, Ryan Coogler, and with an arrangement from Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, it’s a suitably stirring tribute to a modern cinematic great.

Rihanna sings: “take some time and stay with me / keep me in the strength of your arms / keep me safe, safe and sound…”

Tune in now.

AE News