Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
This is not a drill. New
Rihanna music is here! After teasing her participation on the
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, Rihanna dropped her highly anticipated song
Lift Me Up, written by Tems, to an anxious Rihanna navy and they are in their feelings about it. While reactions have been mixed, one thing is for sure — Lift Me Up is an emotional ballad that puts Ri Ri’s vocals on display. Fans noticed Rihanna’s rich vocals have sonically matured since her last release.
Lift Me Up may not be the upbeat tune some fans were hoping for, but it perfectly fits the poignant tone of
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them,” Tems said in a statement. “Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”
After trending all night,
Lift Me Up has entered the top 10 on the US Apple Music charts.
Tems shared the single art on her social media page, with the caption, “Blessed to have written this song in honour of Chadwick Boseman and even more blessed to hear the baddest
@badgalriri voice it to perfection
.” Ri Ri kindly responded, “It’s the pen for me … love to you sistren.”
Rihanna may have taken a hiatus from music but she’s been busy building her Fenty Beauty empire, prepping for the Savage x Fenty brand, balancing motherhood, and being a bad bish. We’re excited to see what other new music she’ll be dropping in the future.
Check out reactions from fans, below:
