Rihanna Teases Much-Awaited Upcoming Album, Explains Why Fans Had To Wait For 8 Years For It: “I Can’t Stand By This”

It’s beginning to look like Rihanna might be making quite a banging comeback. She has been teasing her upcoming album. Read for more.

- February 24, 2025 | 3:00 PM IST

Is Rihanna making a comeback with a new album? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Rihanna has a lot to be grateful for over the years. From her building family with ASAP Rocky consisting of their two sons Rza and Riot as well as the recent acquittal of the rapper in the long-running gun case. The singer even took to her Instagram to share how thankful she was that her boyfriend was announced not guilty after the trial that took place over the last few weeks.

Amidst all of this, her music has been put on the back seat. Rihanna’s last album Anti released in 2016 and eight years later, fans are still waiting for her next record. Recently, the Rude Boy star gave an update about the much-awaited studio album and how it has been finally shaping up.

Rihanna Teases Upcoming Album, Explains Why Fans Had To Wait For 8 Years

During a cover story with Harper’s Bazaar, Rihanna opened up about how she has realized that music is her freedom. She said, “I just cracked the code on what I really want to do for my next body of work. I am actually feeling really good about this. I know I kept saying this over the years.”

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She also rubbished the rumors claiming what genre the next album will be. “Way off! There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited,” she said and added that every time she felt, “No, it’s not me. It’s not right. It’s not matching my growth. It’s not matching my evolution. I can’t do this. I can’t stand by this. I can’t perform this for a year on tour,” explaining her dilemma over time.

The long gap led her to make some crucial decisions. Rihanna felt, “After a while, I looked at it, and I was like, this much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears. It has to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait.” She expressed, “I cannot put up anything mediocre,” referring to making the long wait of the fans worth it.

“After waiting eight years, you might as well just wait some more,” Rihanna pointed out. About the studio record she said, she has been “feeling really optimistic.” The 37 year old further added, “This feels right. It feels like it digs right into where I need to be, and I want this. This body needs to come out, and I’m ready to go there. This is becoming my new freedom.”

She further expanded her process, “I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years. But it didn’t hit me. I was searching for it. I went through phases of what I wanted to do.” Rihanna is assured that “it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects.” She also made it clear that it won’t be “commercial or radio digestible” and will be where her artistry deserves to be right now.