Rihanna has discussed the timeline for her long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s ANTI in a new interview, saying it would be “ridiculous” if the project doesn’t materialise by the end of the year.
RiRi made the comments in a new profile with British Vogue, discussing motherhood, her creative process at the moment, and her career-spanning performance at the Super Bowl on 12th February.
Rihanna on the Cover of British Vogue
During the interview, Rihanna reflects on the “toxic” pressure she placed on herself after releasing the acclaimed ANTI, which she refers to, “in hindsight”, as both her “most brilliant” and “most cohesive” album.
“There’s this pressure that I put on myself. That if it’s not better than that then it is not even worth it,” she said. “It’s not the right way to look at music because music is an outlet and a space to create, and you can create whatever. It doesn’t have to even be on any scale. It just has to be something that feels good. It could just be a song that I like. It literally could be that simple.
“So I realised that if I keep waiting until this feels right and perfect and better, maybe it’s going to keep taking forever and maybe it’ll never come out and no, I’m not down to that. So I want to play. And by play, I mean, I have my ideas in my head, but I can’t say them out loud yet.”
According to the profile, Rihanna has been recording music all throughout the seven years since ANTI arrived, and there are many unreleased songs that will likely never see the light of day. A new album is firmly on the horizon, though.
“I want it to be this year,” the singer said. “Like, honestly, it’d be ridiculous if it’s not this year. But I just want to have fun. I just want to make music and make videos… I need the right background music with the visuals. I can’t just go shoot a video to me talking.”
Rihanna’s output has been sporadic since the release of ANTI. She featured on tracks with Future, DJ Khaled and Kendrick Lamar in 2017, and appeared on PartyNextDoor‘s ‘Believe It’ in 2020. Last year, she contributed the single ‘Lift Me Up’ to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
Rihanna – ‘Life Me Up
Elsewhere in the Vogue interview, Rihanna explored her decision to headline this year’s Super Bowl halftime show despite turning down an offer to perform at the 2019 game in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.
“There’s still a lot of mending to be done in my eyes,” Rihanna said, “but it’s powerful to break those doors, and have representation at such a high, high level and a consistent level.” She went on to acknowledge that “two Super Bowls back-to-back” have now “represent[ed] the urban community, globally.”
Last year’s halftime show was headlined by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and Eminem. “It is powerful,” Rihanna said. “It sends a really strong message.”
Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show featured a hit-filled medley that spanned her entire catalogue, including segments of ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’, ‘Only Girl (In the World)’, ‘We Found Love’, ‘Work’, ‘Umbrella’, ‘Diamonds’, ‘All of the Lights’ and more.
She also used the opportunity to reveal she is pregnant with her second child, something later confirmed by her representatives. The singer’s first child with partner A$AP Rocky, a son, was born last year.
Further Reading
Rihanna is Pregnant with Her and A$AP Rocky’s Second Child
Watch Rihanna Perform a Career-Spanning Medley of Hits During Super Bowl Halftime Show
Rihanna, Lady Gaga, & Mitski Up For Best Original Song At The Academy Awards
