We thought our girl RiRi had left for the beauty world and never looked back, but our prayers have been answered—Rihanna has finally broken her silence on R9! It’s been nearly a decade since she dropped ANTI, and the Navy has been holding onto hope like it’s the last lifeboat on the Titanic. Over the years, the singer’s teased new music, left us in limbo, and given just enough breadcrumbs to keep us from completely losing our minds. But now, we might actually be getting somewhere.
Rihanna’s last album, ANTI, was a game-changer. Released in 2016, it redefined her artistry, moving away from mainstream pop hits to a more alternative and deeply personal sound. Tracks like “Work,” “Needed Me,” and “Love on the Brain” became instant classics, proving that she wasn’t just a hitmaker—she was an innovator. ANTI pushed boundaries, went triple platinum, and solidified Rihanna as an artist who does things her way, on her terms.
But a lot has happened since then. Rihanna has transformed from a global pop star to a billionaire mogul. She launched Fenty Beauty in 2017, and the brand has been a massive success, changing the beauty industry with its inclusive range of shades. She expanded into lingerie with Savage X Fenty, redefining body positivity and fashion with runway shows that rival the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
And let’s not forget—she’s also a mother now. Rihanna welcomed her first son, RZA, in May 2022, followed by her second child, Riot, in August 2023. Balancing motherhood, business, and music isn’t easy, but Rihanna’s been doing it all with the same effortless cool that made her a cultural icon in the first place.
The Navy has been starving for new music from RiRi. Some fans were even starting to think ANTI might be the last full album the singer would ever release we ever got. Rihanna used to be on a roll, dropping seven albums between 2005 and 2012 while stacking up 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. But times have changed, and so has she.
Since ANTI dropped in 2016, we’ve only gotten breadcrumbs—her most recent being “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2023. The emotional ballad, which earned Rihanna an Oscar nomination, was a reminder that even after years away, Rihanna’s voice still holds power. But a single song isn’t enough to hold fan over—we need a full album, and we need it now!
Rihanna Says She’s Working On R9.
In an exclusive interview with Harper’s Bazaar on Feb. 22, Rihanna finally opened up about her long-awaited return to music, and her words gave fans hope. “I think music is my freedom. I just came to that realization,” she said. “I just cracked the code on what I really want to do for my next body of work. I am actually feeling really good about this. I know I kept saying this over the years.”
But this time, it feels different. Rihanna went on to say, “There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited. Every time, I was just like, ‘No, it’s not me. It’s not right. It’s not matching my growth. It’s not matching my evolution. I can’t do this. I can’t stand by this. I can’t perform this for a year on tour.’”
So, what does this mean? Basically, Rihanna has been sitting on music that didn’t feel authentic to her, and now she’s finally in a place where she’s ready to release something that fully reflects her evolution. No more forcing sounds that don’t align with who she is today. This might also explain why she hasn’t been rushing to put out a random album just to satisfy the hype.
When Will R9 Be Released?
Of course, Rihanna has been booked and busy these past few years—a billion-dollar beauty empire, motherhood, and making history at the 2023 Super Bowl, to name a few. But now that she’s cracked the creative code, it’s looking like R9 is on the horizon. How soon? That’s still up in the air, but this is the closest we’ve gotten to a real update in a long time.
If there’s one thing we know about Rihanna, it’s that she does things on her own time. And when she finally decides to drop R9, I already know it’s going to shake the industry. So, Navy, stay ready. It might actually be happening this time.