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It’s safe to say that Rihanna’s ninth album, R9, is one of the most anticipated projects in music. Saturday morning (Feb. 22), the Barbados-bred songstress unveiled her newest cover story with Harper Bazaar, in tandem with an exciting interview that gave some insight on her forthcoming album.
While discussing her new project, she shared, “I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years. … I know it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible … I feel like I’ve finally cracked it, girl!”
While fans have been under the impression that the new project will lean into the reggae space, she quickly asserted, “Way off! There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited. Every time, I was just like, ‘No, it’s not me. It’s not right. It’s not matching my growth. It’s not matching my evolution. I can’t do this. I can’t stand by this. I can’t perform this for a year on tour.’” She continued, “After a while, I looked at it, and I was like, this much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears. It has to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre. After waiting eight years, you might as well just wait some more.”
At this point, some supporters have begun to believe that the “What’s My Name” singer has shifted her focus solely to her loving relationship with ASAP Rocky, her growing fashion/beauty empire and motherhood. While new tunes from Rihanna will always be welcomed, her impressive catalog continues to put up major sales numbers. She even opted for the opportunity to headline the Apple Music halftime show at Super Bowl LVII in 2023, more than 7 years after her critically acclaimed eighth LP, ANTI.
While the rumblings will still funnel in regarding the status of her forthcoming project, the newly-cemented billionaire is seemingly in no rush to deliver her next album. If we’re being honest, the demand for a new Rihanna project will never go away.
