In spite of numerous magazine interviews and an elaborate artwork unveiling event, Rihanna has yet to release her long-awaited follow-up to Unapologetic. According to sources, however, the wait may finally be over on Friday 27 November.
The album, entitled Anti, will reportedly make its debut on Jay Z’s Tidal service on Black Friday, with wider distribution taking place the following week, on 4 December. A spokesperson for the artist was unable to comment on the rumoured release date.
Rihanna’s allegiance with Tidal should come as no surprise: the singer was part of its official launch, and has premiered her American Oxygen music video via the streaming service.
There have been some cryptic clues surrounding the release of her eighth studio album which suggest the album will be imminent: on 19 November, she shared a message on Twitter, writing: “Excited to share this with you!!” which links to a mobile site titled ANTIdiaRy. Here, a seven-second clip appears to trail the album with a montage of striking, dream-like visions.
The cover of Anti features a picture of Rihanna as a child, with a crown covering her eyes. Laid over the image is a poem by Chloë Mitchell, written in braille, whose work has previously been used by Kanye West, Anti’s executive producer. Speaking at the launch of the cover in October, she said: “The whole idea behind the braille is that people who have sight are sometimes the people who are blindest.”
