Rihanna has assured fans that her long-awaited ninth studio album will be worth the wait. In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the nine-time Grammy winner, 37, opened up about the highly anticipated project, which has been eight years in the making.
The singer dismissed rumors that her next album would be a reggae record, saying, “Way off! There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited.” She explained that she couldn’t settle for anything less than perfect. “Every time I tried to work on it, I felt it wasn’t right. It didn’t match my growth or evolution. I couldn’t stand by it or perform it on tour for a year,” she said.
Rihanna’s last album, Anti, was released in 2016. Since then, fans have eagerly awaited new music. The star recently sparked excitement after being spotted in the recording studio. She told Harper’s Bazaar that the long break from music has been intentional. “After this much time away, the next thing I release has to count. It has to matter. I need to show fans the worth in the wait,” she said.
While she didn’t reveal many details about the album, Rihanna promised it won’t be mediocre. “I can’t put out anything average. After waiting eight years, you might as well wait a little longer,” she joked. She also shared that the album won’t follow commercial trends. “It’s not going to be radio-friendly. It’s going to reflect where my artistry deserves to be right now. I feel like I’ve finally cracked it,” she said.
The singer, who is a mother to two sons, RZA, 2, and Riot, 18 months, with partner A$AP Rocky, said working on the album has become her “new freedom.” She explained, “When I’m in the studio, I know my time away from my kids is to create something special. This album is where I need to be, and I’m ready for it.”
Rihanna also reflected on her past music, admitting that Anti is the only album she can listen to without feeling embarrassed. “I usually don’t like listening to my own music, but Anti is different. I can listen to it from start to finish. It feels like it’s not even me singing,” she said.
Though she hasn’t released a full album in nearly nine years, Rihanna hasn’t completely stepped away from music. In 2022, she contributed two songs, “Lift Me Up” and “Born Again,” to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. She also headlined the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, delivering a career-spanning performance that reminded fans of her musical legacy.
Rihanna’s new album remains under wraps, but one thing is clear: it will be worth the wait.
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