Rihanna hasn’t released an album in 8 years: “Say, when will you be back?” ,

Published on January 29, 2024 at 4:52 pm.

This is a letter, or rather a cry from the heart. The journalist who puts aside his press card to wear his fan’s hat. A fan who can’t stand it anymore, let’s be clear. Rihanna has not released an album in eight years. For eight years – almost – without hearing his voice. So, hey, if you really think Rihanna’s Navy – her community of fans – is sufficiently excited by the “Wakanda Forever” soundtrack and the Super Bowl halftime show… you’re wrong. No, we need a new proposal musical, with a real comeback, an established communication strategy, a sign on the streets with your face in a 4 x 4 and above all a project that will stick. In short, everything he taught us during the first half of his career. Because we have to remember that between 2005 and 2016 – roughly the same period as her musical break, yes, yes – Rihanna didn’t stop. She burned like no one else. One album almost every year and 14 No. 1 singles, including “Umbrella”, “Diamonds”, “Only Girl” and “Rude Boy”. A record breaker on every level. And this is what worries her fans…does she say to herself that she has given a lot to the world of music? Is she tired of this industry for which she has given so much? Is she making more money selling her Fenty Beauty bronzer stick and plumping oil? Yes, broadly. Rihanna has not hidden her desire to be independent, to prosper in her various businesses and, above all, to focus on her new family. Rihanna became the mother of RZA and Riot Rose with her partner A$AP Rocky. But when you’re passionate about music, you’re passionate about it for the rest of your life, right? We try to reassure ourselves.

Rihanna, tired of the music?

On January 29, 2016, Rihanna released her eighth album. An excellent composition called “Anti”, however, is not unanimous. To us it seems disorganized, without clear guidelines, like a catch-all of songs. However, it’s all in the title: ANTI. The album goes against previously established patterns in the fashion industry. This is an experimental laboratory. Additionally, she abandons acidic pop melodies for more urban, Caribbean sounds on the lead single “Work” and even plays the blues on the eccentric “Love on the Brain”. This new project is off to a bit of a rocky start… They have also been accused of lying and inflating sales figures to increase the hype around “Anti”. But here again, Rihanna surprises everyone as this album will be a long lasting one. She, who faced so much criticism for being a Kleenex artist who was only good at making singles, proves that she is one of the biggest record sellers in the world and her music can go down in history. To drive the point home, she performed an incredible feat on 4 different tables during the 2016 MTV VMAs, where she received the famous “Vanguard Award”, rewarding her entire career. However, once again, Rihanna (who was to be the centerpiece of the evening) is somewhat overshadowed by Beyoncé’s excellent performance, performing a medley from her album “Lemonade”. And there, it’s the fan analyst who wonders: Could Rihanna have been hurt – rightly so – by these countless comparisons between herself and Queen B? If the concept of her next album isn’t cast in reinforced concrete, it might explain her reluctance to return… since that’s expected right around the corner. The music industry has changed dramatically since his departure. Streaming platforms have killed all other sources of music distribution (which is no challenge for Rihanna who already rules Spotify with astonishing figures), and TikTok is a tool that should not be neglected. Needed But we are not too worried about that at this stage. Although…

Will Rihanna release a new album one day?

So for eight years, every fan of theirs has had to smile when asked: “Well, we are waiting for this new album”… Yes, we confirm and it’s even longer for us. The project, dubbed “#R9” by its community, has been at the center of all rumors for several years. The information contradicts itself. In 2019, Universal announced the upcoming release of their new album. “I’m thinking of calling him R9, probably because they (his fans) have bothered me with it. “When will R9, R9, R9 be released?”. How can I accept another title when this one has settled into my skull? », Rihanna also joked. The project was ultimately probably cancelled. In 2021, the “Radio France” site reported the words of his label, who said they did not know anything regarding his return to music: “I don’t know… I haven’t heard anything. He’s a Releases an album, we like it, then she disappears into the English countryside for five or six years. This is Rihanna. She became bigger than the music. ” From? Nothingness, in addition to “Lift Me Up” and “Born Again” from the soundtrack of the Marvel film “Black Panther.” Well, the void…not for those looking for clues and clues. Because very regularly, bits of information get leaked. In February 2023, he spoke of his return to music in the pages of “Vogue British”. He said the album would be released that year… well, you’ll see, he lied to us. But he also revealed what kind of music he might have recorded. He compared listening to new songs to “almost trying to dress like before”. Like, “Uh, no. I’ll never wear it again.” Your taste changes, your vibration changes. So I realized that if I keep waiting until it gets perfect and perfect and better, maybe it will go on forever and maybe it will never come out and no, I won’t do that. I don’t agree with this. That’s why I want to play. And by acting I mean I have my thoughts in my head, but I can’t say them out loud yet. » And yes, it is the snake that bites its own tail. She knows that she will be awaited in the near future, but she waits until it is right. But do we want Rihanna’s album to be perfect? Or do we just want it to look the same and be comfortable? Recently, Deputy, the producer of one of his biggest hits, “Bitch Better Have My Money,” spoke out. He said he sent some compositions to Rihanna and her team: “She’s borderline, she never wanted to succumb to the easy path. Especially with music. He has always pushed boundaries. When you hear “BBHMM,” it goes against what was happening at the time. It was offensive. And Rihanna is the artist who can do that. So that’s what I’m imagining right now. » Look, we’re prepared for this kind of information – and her appearance at Fashion Week – to not be completely thrown into despair.

Tell me when you will come back,

Say, at least you know this.

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