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Entertainment
Mike Bedigan, PA & Catherine Addison-Swan

Rihanna confirms first new song in six years with Black Panther track Lift Me Up

Rihanna Chadwick Boseman

Rihanna has sent fans into a frenzy after confirming that she is releasing new music this week - for the first time in six years.

The global superstar confirmed the surprise news on Wednesday that her new song, titled Lift Me Up, will be released on Friday 28 October. The hit was made for Marvel’s upcoming film Wakanda Forever, the sequel to Black Panther.

Rihanna announced the news on social media via a short teaser clip, which featured her name spelled in the fictional Wakandan alphabet. The 34-year-old singer later appeared at the world premiere of the upcoming film with boyfriend ASAP Rocky, after the pair welcomed their first child, a baby boy, back in May.

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Speaking at the premiere, Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler explained that the track had been made to honour Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who sadly died in August 2020 after a battle with colon cancer. “Rihanna was very clear that she did it for him,” the director told PA.

The news marks a long-awaited return to the music scene for Rihanna, who last released solo music in 2016 with her eighth studio album Anti. The star also revealed last month that she will be performing at the next coveted Super Bowl halftime show in February next year.

The announcement of the upcoming new song quickly went viral on social media, with Rihanna’s 14-second teaser clip racking up almost 10 million views on Twitter and 2.5 million likes on Instagram. The single will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and Amazon on Friday, and is available to pre-save now.

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