Source: JB Lacroix / Getty
This is not a Drill! It’s happening. It’s finally happening. After eight long years of begging, manifesting, and surviving solely on Fenty drops and Savage X Fenty fashion shows, Rihanna is releasing new music!
But its not exactly what we’ve been waiting for, there’s a catch—this new music is for the upcoming Smurfs movie. Not an album. Not a surprise single. A soundtrack for tiny blue cartoon creatures.
Rihanna has spent the past near-decade building a billion-dollar empire—redefining beauty standards with Fenty Beauty, revolutionizing fashion with Savage X Fenty, having a literal Super Bowl baby, and trolling us into oblivion every time we ask about her next album.
But despite all the success, there’s been one major thing missing: music. Her last album, ANTI (2016), remains an untouchable masterpiece, but eight years is practically a lifetime in pop culture.
Since then, Rihanna has continued to insist she’s not retired, and it looks like she wasn’t lying—she just wasn’t rushing back to music for us. Instead, she’s lending her voice (and vocals) to the role of Smurfette in an upcoming Smurfs movie. And yes, the film’s trailer promises new music from Rihanna.
On one hand, we are finally getting new Rihanna music. On the other hand… it’s attached to a Smurfs film.
The movie—which blends live-action and animation—stars John Goodman as Papa Smurf, alongside a comedy-heavy cast including Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, and Nick Kroll. But let’s be real—the main attraction here is whatever Rihanna has cooked up for the soundtrack.
Fans online are already spiraling, torn between excitement and frustration. We wanted R9; we got Smurf 9. We dreamed of deep-cut bangers, toxic anthems, and futuristic R&B. Instead, we might be getting… a Smurfs-themed bop?
Is this the R9 comeback we wanted? No. But is it a sign that Rihanna’s finally back in the studio? Absolutely.