Kori Barnes 
After releasing her eighth studio album “Anti” in 2016 that made fans become re-obsessed with this Barbados icon, Rihanna hasn’t put out a new album since. Fans have practically been on their deathbeds when reminded of this fact. However, Bad Gal RiRi has officially confirmed that she’s on the new soundtrack of the sequel film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with her latest single.
According to Billboard, the newly released song “Lift Me Up,” which dropped today, was written as a tribute to the late Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died from colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 43. Tems, Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler all have writing credits on the track.
Although she hasn’t officially announced any chance of her ninth studio album or tour dates after her upcoming debut Super Bowl Halftime performance, critics and fans are speculating that this is only the build up before her surprise drops.
After the release of “Lift Me Up,” the angelic vocals of this singer have captivated her fanbase already. And, they’re already begging for more. This song sounds as a serving serenade to the death of a loved one whose life has brought more joy than sadness within a lifetime. After the sudden death of Boseman, who didn’t get to finish the sequel of Black Panther, family, cast, and fans were rocked throughout the world as to how to go on without him. However, the director and producers of the movie thought that with the right elements being put into the film, some of that pain will hopefully ease.
According to thehollywoodreporter.com, at the movies Hollywood premier, Coogler said for this film they were “looking for artists who would embody it thematically,” similar to the success he had with Kendrick Lamar on the first Black Panther soundtrack. Rihanna was the artist at the top of the list. “Rihanna, man, we knew she was at a point in her life as well where she was focusing on different things — focused on business, motherhood, which is a big theme in our film. We were holding out hope that maybe it could work out, and boy did it for this song,” Coogler teased. “I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
The official Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack will be released next Friday, Nov. 4th. What are your thoughts about “Lift Me Up” being the first track? Hit me up and let me know.
By Kori Barnes, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Instagram: @korixnicole
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