Rihanna confirms album nine, says it’s ‘not going to be commercial or radio digestible’
"I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years. But it didn’t hit me."
Rihanna has shared details about her eagerly anticipated, as-of-yet untitled ninth studio album.
The pop icon’s last record was 2016’s critically-acclaimed Anti – and her last single was 2022’s ‘Lift Me Up’.
In a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the 37-year-old dismissed rumours of a reggae theme for the new LP, saying: “Way off! There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited.”
She went on: “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.”
The ‘Where Have You Been’ singer continued: “This is becoming my new freedom. Because when I’m in the studio, I know that my time away from my kids is to blossom something that hasn’t been watered in eight years. I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years. But it didn’t hit me. I was searching for it. I went through phases of what I wanted to do. ‘This kind of album, not that album.’
“I know it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible. It’s going to be where my artistry deserves to be right now. I feel like I’ve finally cracked it, girl!”
“If it’s not better than [Anti], it’s not even worth it” – Rihanna
Speaking about the record to Vogue in 2023, the ‘Umbrella’ singer said: ““I want it to be this year. Like, honestly, it’d be ridiculous if it’s not this year. But I just want to have fun. I just want to make music and make videos.”
“But there’s this pressure that I put on myself,” the mother-of-two then added. “That if it’s not better than that [Anti] then it is not even worth it.”