It’s been almost three years since Rihanna last released new music, and nearly a decade since her last full album. That’s not to say she’s disappeared from the spotlight. In fact, she’s done the opposite. Her time away from the studio has been spent building a billion dollar empire in fashion and beauty. Still, her fans, known as the Navy, remain hungry for new music.
The wait for her next album has become a recurring theme online, with countless memes, tweets and interview moments where Rihanna is asked directly when it’s coming. These questions often pop up while she’s promoting her other ventures. It feels like the Navy is constantly being teased with the idea of new music, only to be let down again.
A good example was her Super Bowl halftime show. With such a huge global audience, it seemed like the perfect time to announce or release a new album. It would have made sense from a marketing perspective as the publicity would have had a positive impact on sales/streaming numbers. But nothing came of it. So when a teaser for a new Rihanna single appeared recently, fans were excited but also cautious. Was this the comeback they’d been waiting for?
The answer was both yes and no. Yes, she had a new single on the way, but it was for the upcoming Smurfs film. That initial buzz quickly turned into disappointment. It felt like a repeat of the time she released “Lift Me Up” for the Black Panther sequel. That track did well on the charts in both the US and UK, but it wasn’t the return to music fans had hoped for. While “Lift Me Up” had its moment, this new single hasn’t had the same impact.
“Friend of Mine” feels like Rihanna is going through the motions. It almost seems like it was made just to keep fans quiet rather than because she had something she wanted to say through music. Oddly enough, it doesn’t even sound like something that would be tied to a Smurfs film. It opens with a heavy drum beat that feels built for the club, but it doesn’t lead anywhere. besides the vocal distortion on her and the other featured vocals being a bit jarring.. she sounds bored.
Maybe we’re expecting too much. Rihanna has built a massive brand outside of music, started a family, and perhaps she’s simply moved on. Maybe it’s time her fans do the same, or at least give her space until she feels ready to make the album they’re waiting for.
