Rihanna confirms release of long-awaited new song

By Connie Evans, PA Entertainment Reporter

Rihanna has confirmed she will release a new song titled Lift Me Up, on Friday.

The 34-year-old Barbadian singer last released solo music in 2016 with her eighth studio album Anti.

The new track has been recorded for the upcoming Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever.

lift me up
10.28.22 pic.twitter.com/hIvhUQP8Bj

— Rihanna (@rihanna) October 26, 2022

In a post on social media, Rihanna shared what appeared to be a snippet of the new song, featuring a soft melody and swelling strings and a short video clip showing her name spelled in the fictional Wakandan alphabet.

The clip, posted to Twitter with the simple caption: “lift me up. 10.28.22” showed the image of a large silver ‘R’ flanked by sentences in the Wakandan alphabet, with a translation of ‘Rihanna’ and ‘Lift Me Up’ appearing underneath.

Late month the singer, who welcomed her first child with rapper boyfriend ASAP Rocky earlier this year, also revealed she will be performing at the next Super Bowl halftime show.

The performance will be the star’s first major live performance in many years.

Speaking to American news outlet TMZ shortly after the news of the performance was announced, Rihanna reportedly said: “I’m nervous…but I’m excited”.

In the years since the release of Grammy-nominated Anti, the singer has been focusing on her philanthropic efforts, acting roles and her businesses, which include make up and skin care brand Fenty Beauty as well as her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty.

In 2019, Rihanna declined to perform in the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show out of solidarity with former US football player Colin Kaepernick.