Rihanna Gets Real About Her Long-Awaited Ninth Album and Musical Evolution

So, here we are in 2024, and Rihanna still hasn’t dropped her ninth studio album. The queen of pop and fashion recently spilled the tea to Harper’s Bazaar, updating us on why she’s taking her sweet time. Turns out, even though it’s been almost a decade since she gave us “Anti,” Rihanna has been juggling motherhood and music creation, insisting that she won’t just slap any ol’ thing together for the sake of it. “I was just like, ‘No, it’s not me. It’s not right,” she reflected. And honestly, we can’t blame her—she’s on a mission to make sure whatever she releases reflects her growth and evolution as an artist.

The singer-songwriter shared that after being gone for so long, she wants her return to music to be significant and meaningful. “This much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears. It has to count. It has to matter,” she emphasized. Rihanna’s definitely not here for mediocrity; she’d rather see fans joke about her album release plans than compromise her artistry. And can we find a hint of sass in there? Because it sure seems like she’s embracing the long wait with a touch of humor!

For those worried about the New York City native being out of touch, fear not! She’s been busy experimenting in the studio and released the Oscar-nominated “Lift Me Up” for the *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* soundtrack last year. As a mother of two—RZA Athelston (2) and Riot Rose (18 months)—with boyfriend A$AP Rocky, she’s feeling a newfound energy in her creative process. Rihanna says, “This feels right. It feels like it digs right into where I need to be.”

What’s more, she hints that this upcoming material might defy commercial expectations. “It’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible,” she revealed, which sounds like exactly the kind of risk we expect from a titan like her. She’s reclaiming her artistic freedom, and can we get an ‘Amen’ for that?

While we wait for her musical magic to drop, it’s pretty cool to know she looks back at “Anti” fondly, stating that it’s an album she can listen to without shame. So let’s keep our fingers crossed—because when it comes to Rihanna, it’s worth the wait!

Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and Harper’s Bazaar, People Magazine, Billboard