Apparently the rumors are true: Rihanna is back with new music thanks Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rihanna releases two songs for the film, both of which appear in the credits. The first song is called “Lift Me Up” and will be released on Friday morning.
“Lift Me Up” is scheduled for release Thursday at midnight ET on the morning of October 28, according to a tweet from Rihanna. The song appears on most major streaming platforms
The pop star’s other song for the film is called “Born Again,” but it’s unclear if that will also be released early. This music comes as the first preview of the Black Panther the soundtrack of the sequel. The companion album to the first film, which featured songs curated by Kendrick Lamar, proved hugely popular in its own right, with several hits including “All the Stars,” which garnered multiple Grammy nominations and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song received.
The release of this single marks a major return to music for Rihanna, who hasn’t released much since her amazing 2016 album. Anti. In 2017, Rihanna announced that she was working on another album and a year later said that the album should be released in 2019. But now, five years after the original announcement, she still hasn’t released an album.
The good news for fans is that the past few months have been the most promising for Rihanna’s new projects in years. In September, Rihanna announced she would be headlining the Super Bowl along with a rumored stadium tour set to begin in 2023. Now, with two new songs heading to the theaters, streaming platforms, and radio stations, it seems like Rihanna may finally have her back.