For the first time since 2016, Rihanna will release new solo music on Friday, October 28. The song, ‘Lift Me Up’ was made for the Black Panther sequel. According to the movie’s director, Ryan Coogler, the 34-year-old musician was motivated to work with the team out of respect for the late Chadwick Boseman.
“Honestly, I think it was Chad,” Coogler told the PA news agency on the red carpet at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere. “A lot of improbable things needed to happen for it to come through and Rihanna was very clear that she did that for him.”
In typical Rihanna style, she announced the release by sharing what seems to be a snippet of the new song alongside a short video clip of her name in the Wakandan alphabet. The video includes an image of a large silver ‘R’ flanked by sentences in the Wakandan alphabet, with a translation of ‘Rihanna’ and ‘Lift Me Up’ appearing underneath. The clip was shared with a brief caption: “lift me up. 10.28.22”.
“It’s kind of incredible because Rihanna doesn’t make music for any old person or project so it’s huge,” Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actor Michaela Coel said, speaking at the movie’s premiere.
The song marks the singer’s return to music after giving birth to her first child with boyfriend ASAP Rocky. Last, month, Rihanna also revealed in a similarly cryptic social media post that she will be performing at the next Super Bowl halftime show.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has already premiered in Hollywood but will be available to watch in cinemas around the world from November 11. It will mark a new era for the Black Panther, with Marvel Studios deciding not to recast the role after the death of Chadwick Boseman.
(featured image: Frazer Harrison/Getty)
