Rihanna is set to release her first song in almost three years, courtesy of the new Smurfs movie.
RiRi, who is among the film’s voice cast — she’ll play the role of Smurfette — is also set to contribute in a significant way to the soundtrack.
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The announcement came at the end of the first trailer for the movie, with a title card reading: “The Smurfs Soundtrack featuring new music from Rihanna.”
It is not yet known how many songs the Bajan singer has contributed to the film’s accompanying album.
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It was also revealed that DJ Khaled and Cardi B are collaborating on a new track for the movie titled “Higher Love.”
The soundtrack will be the first music Rihanna has released since “Lift Me Up,” which was featured in the 2022 film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever but failed to have a significant chart impact.
The 36-year-old has not released an album in almost a decade since 2016’s ANTI, much to the frustration of her fanbase.
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However, she has dropped a number of hints about a follow-up project over the last year.
During a red carpet interview at a Fenty Hair event last summer, RiRi revealed that she was “starting over” on her long-awaited ninth album.
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“Music for me is a new discovery, I am re-discovering things. I have been working on the album for so long that I kind of put all of that stuff aside. And now, I’m prepared to go back in the studio. Now I’m prepared. So I’m gonna start,” she said.
“I’m starting over, but I don’t wanna neglect the songs that I have, so I wanna actually go back and listen to stuff with new ears, with my new perspective, and see what applies and see what I’m still in love with.”
In an earlier interview with Entertainment Tonight, the mother of two hinted at her boyfriend and baby daddy, A$AP Rocky, being involved with the recording process.
Asked if her children, RZA and Riot, will be featured on the album, she said: “I mean, it’s up to them. I already got stuff that I feel like I can make hits out of. Me and Rocky are really trying to figure out who’s gonna use what because it’s so good!”
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In her time away from music and in addition to her various business ventures, Rihanna has been busy building her Savage X Fenty empire and raising a family Rocky, who she has recently been supporting in court as he faces trial for allegedly shooting former friend A$AP Relli in 2021.
