To the relief of the Navy, Rihanna has finally found her way back to the studio. At midnight on October 28, the billionaire businesswoman remembered that she does music, too, and dropped her first solo release since her Anti album in 2016. “Lift Me Up,†part of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, is a moving tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. “Lift me up, hold me down / Keep me close, safe and sound,†she sings over the ballad’s strings-heavy instrumental. She goes on to describe drowning in an endless sea, but finding strength in the arms of the person she’s singing to. The song was co-written by Tems, Ludwig Göransson, and director Ryan Coogler. The “Lift Me Up†music video landed hours after the song’s release, depicting a lone Rihanna wandering an empty beach at dusk.
It’s not the only taste of Rih that Black Panther 2, out November 11, will offer. According to multiple critics, two Rihanna songs play during the credits. In addition to “Lift Me Up,†she reportedly sings another ballad, which is produced by the-Dream and called “Born Again.†Could that title signify a musical rebirth that leads to R9? Let your thoughts run wild.
This post has been updated throughout.