Rihanna Releases Her First Single After 6 Years

The uplifting, emotional ballad is a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, the late and beloved Black Panther star whose loss has been felt deeply by fans and fellow actors, particularly his former Wakanda Forever cast members.

The long-awaited song has been received warmly by her fans as it has already gained over 105,000 views in less than two hours. The song comes after 6 years since she last released her last album, 'Anti'.

According to sources, the song 'Lift me up' was written by Rihanna, co-written by Tems, Ludwig Van Göransson, and director Ryan Coogler. The song was recorded in five countries and produced by Göransson.

Rihanna. PHOTO FILE

“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," Tems stated.

“Rihanna has been an inspiration to me, so hearing her convey this song is a great honor,” she added.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with its Rihanna-led single, continues the tradition established by its predecessor of enlisting high-profile Black artists to create original music for the film.

Along with her Super Bowl performance, Rihanna is preparing for her fourth annual Savage X Fenty fashion show, which will feature performing artists Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver, and Maxwell. The event will be available exclusively on Prime Video, and other notable names such as Angela Aguilar, Avani Gregg, Bella Poarch, Cara Delevingne, and others are expected to appear.

Since Rihanna's disappearance from the music world, she has been seen expanding her business including her Fenty products which were launched into the African market.