The day has finally arrived. Not only are we getting set to get a much need dose of Rihanna for the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show, now it’s official, RiRi is making her long-awaited return to music.
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After more than six years of not releasing any new music, Rihanna shared a teaser for her new song, “Lift Me Up,” which also happens to be the lead single of the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever original soundtrack.
Set to be release on October 28, the clip shows a large silver “R” with hums from the pop star playing in the background.
As revealed in the song’s official press statement, the track was written as a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman by Tems, Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and the film's writer and director Ryan Coogler.
Boseman, who played King T’Challa in the original Black Panther film and various other Marvel projects, died of colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 43. Wakanda Forever centers on Wakanda’s leaders, played by Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke as they grapple with the death of their ruler and fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers.
“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 said in a statement. “Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor."
The last time Rihanna released music was in 2016, with her eighth studio album, ANTI. Since then, The Navy (aka her loyal fanbase) have been impatiently waiting for this day to arrive. And as members of said fanbase, we’re hype that it's finally here.
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