Finally! Rihanna Releases First New Song ‘Lift Me Up’ in Six Years

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Leading the soundtrack to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Rihanna’s single pays tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.

This is not a drill. Rihanna is finally making her most awaited comeback to music. Released on the last Friday of October, Lift Me Up is her lead single from Marvel’s blockbuster sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The said song pays tribute to the life and legacy of Black Panther, the late Chadwick Boseman. It was written by Tems, Ludwig Göransson, director Ryan Coogler, and Rihanna herself. Before making it official, Rihanna first teased her fans with a melodic hum posted on social media.

In a statement released, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems shared, “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 life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”

Lift Me Up is produced and co-written by Ludwig Göransson, who also scored the first Black Panther film, as well as Creed, Venom, and Tenet. The score for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled for release on November 11.

In partnership with Roc Nation, Def Jam Recordings, and Hollywood Records, Rihanna is releasing Lift Me Up with her label, Westbury Road, reportedly on November 4.

Updates on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

In this sequel, the follow-up film focuses on Wakanda’s leaders as they contend with the death of their ruler. It can be remembered that Chadwick Boseman, who took the role of King T’Challa in the first installment of the Black Panther movie, died after a long battle with colon cancer in 2020. This time, the reigning leaders fight to protect their nation from invading forces in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, co-stared by Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, and Winston Duke, is expected to hit the box office – even better than the original, which grossed $700.4 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide.

Rihanna’s Most Awaited Return to Music

While there’s no word yet on Rihanna’s upcoming album, the release of Lift Me Up has already heightened the anticipation of her fans—which will continue as she announced that she will be headlining the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show in February of 2023.

It has been six years since Rihanna released her last full-length album, Anti. After that, the new mother expanded her range and became a successful businesswoman with her cosmetics brand, Fenty Beauty, and lingerie line, Savage X Fenty. She also made a historic fashion deal with LVMH (the parent company of Dior, Givenchy, Fendi, and many other luxury brands) – making her the first woman to create an original brand with LVMH and the first woman of color to head one of the conglomerate’s fashion brands.

At present, Rihanna is preparing for her fourth annual Savage X Fenty Fashion Show, which features unforgettable performances by Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver, and Maxwell.  The said event will debut exclusively on Prime Video. It was reported to be attended by Cara Delevigne, Bella Poarch, Avani Gregg, and Ángela Aguilar.

Meanwhile, don’t miss watching the official music video of Lift Me Up here.

_{Cover image credit: Rihanna’s Instagram}