Rihanna’s been teasing R9 for so long now that nobody knows what to believe anymore. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess when or if the album is indeed coming. The most recent mention of the album came during a red carpet event for her Fenty makeup line in Los Angeles on April 28th. During this appearance, she teased R9 once again, saying "It's gonna be amazing." She also went on about how much the album would showcase her evolution as an artist.
It’s been eight long years since Riri blessed us with a body of work. During this time, however, she’s dropped a handful of singles, including the Oscar-nominated "Lift Me Up" from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. She has primarily focused on her fashion and beauty empire, and since it’s raking in billions, we can’t really blame her. Until definite information is put out, here's a chronological list of all the information Riri (and others) has put out about R9 since 2018.
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2018: Rihanna Teases R9
The first time Rihanna stirred excitement among her fans about the release of her ninth studio album was in 2018. In an Instagram reply, she shared that fans should expect the album in 2019, sparking anticipation for new music, following her last album, ANTI, released in January 2016. The album was also rumored to be a double-disc release, with one disc featuring chart-friendly songs and the other comprising moody and experimental tracks.
2019: A Potential Reggae Release
As time passed, rumors surfaced that Rihanna’s upcoming album would involve producer Supa Dups, known for his work with Beenie Man and Sean Paul. With this information, R9 became subject to reggae and dancehall speculations. These rumors and sporadic updates continued to keep the conversation about R9 alive for a while. Moreover, twice in early 2019, Rihanna shared studio session photos on Instagram.
The first time was in January when she posted a video showing her at work in the studio. She did it again in March of the same year when she shared a photo of her best friend and project manager Jennifer Rosales' baby in the studio. Rosales would repost the baby pic on her own Instagram with this caption: “When tia @badgalriri gives you the first listen 😎. #newmusic.” No one knows whatever became of these studio visits, however.
Further along in the year, in an extensive interview with the New York Times Magazine for a cover story in May, Rihanna confirmed that she was working on a reggae sound. ANTI had featured the iconic hit “Work,” and so fans were thirsting for more. People soon speculated that the album could drop at any moment. Ultimately, this never materialized. The period coincided with her promotion of the Fenty fashion line, and amidst the album buzz, Rihanna was named by Forbes as the richest female musician in the world, and everyone forgot about R9 for a moment.
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2020: “Aggressively Working On Music”
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, some still held out hope that this would be the year Rihanna releases R9. Why? In May 2020, she graced the cover of British Vogue, and made history as the first person to wear a durag on the magazine cover. Rihanna spoke about her multifaceted career and balancing her music with her business. She then mentioned how she was "very aggressively working on music.” However, she did not disclose a release date. Like a true artist she said: "There are no rules. There’s no format. There’s just good music, and if I feel it, I’m putting it out."
2023: The Super Bowl And World Tour Rumors
In February 2023, Rihanna shared insights about her much-anticipated album R9 in an interview for her Vogue UK cover story. During the interview, Rihanna expressed her desire to release the album in 2023, saying, "I want it to be this year. Like, honestly, it’d be ridiculous if it’s not this year." She also emphasized how much fun she had to have with her music and the importance of aligning the album with her creative vision.
However, the interview took place shortly after Rihanna's performance at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, and the announcement of her second pregnancy with A$AP Rocky. Evidently, there was little hope it was coming out that year. Shockingly Capital FM reported that Rihanna was "quietly planning" a huge comeback world tour for 2024 and 2025. However, despite the speculation, insiders eventually clarified that "no tour has been confirmed.”
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2024: Rihanna Teases R9 Yet Again
For her Interview Magazine cover story, Rihanna explained how her creative process for R9 had “a lot of visual ideas,” but “no songs for them yet.” Again, on April 28 and 29, 2024, she made headlines with updates about her personal style and her long-awaited album. She also recently hinted that ASAP Rocky has had some hand in helping with the project's development. At a Fenty Beauty event, Rihanna shared more about her upcoming album, reiterating that it will be “amazing,” and that the delay in its release is because she wants it to truly represent her evolution. All we can do is wait.
