Rihanna’s much-anticipated ninth studio album ‘R9’ is set to release some time this year and fans eagerly await more details. The multi-platinum singer and Fenty Beauty cosmetics mogul announced back in October 2019 that she had been in the studio working on a reggae-inspired masterpiece. Rihanna has been busy managing her many entrepreneurial ventures including Fenty Beauty, lingerie line Savage X Fenty, and luxury brand Fenty. Now, the Rihanna Navy is abuzz about when she will finally break her four-year musical silence to once again grace airwaves and the stage.
BadGalRiri teased her followers in late December 2019 with a laughable Instagram post captioned “Update: Me listening to R9 by myself an refusing to release it.” Rihanna has a history of speaking her mind on social media and in media interviews. Her followers lit up the comment section with everything from heart emojis to frustrated pleas for more music ASAP! Though she nods to the album’s existence, she has yet to state when and how it will be released to the public.
Reggae star Shaggy took to the media to share that despite his desire to be featured on the reggae-infused R9 Album, fans would not be hearing this collaboration. Shaggy claims that Rihanna and her team “wanted him to audition.” This added fuel to the fire after Rihanna released a statement to clear up these claims. A representative from her team stated to the media that:
“after Rihanna had already gathered all the material for the album, Shaggy contacted her asking to be a part of the album. She explained to him that the album was pretty much completed and they were just working on mixing, mastering and deciding which songs to actually use. However, she invited him to submit some materials so she could see if it fits with the flow of the album. That was by no means asking for an audition, it was more going out of her way to get him on the album.”
The message is clear: Rihanna is busy trying to get this album ready for the ears of her fans.
By addressing Shaggy’s claims, Rihanna and her team have made it clear that fans can expect an album in the near future. They are work-work-work-work-working on finalizing the material. Rihanna does not like to be told what to do and has stayed hush-hush about her latest project aside from clearing up the rumors. Last year when fans on Instagram commented on her absence from the music charts she addressed them with sarcasm in true BadGirlRiri style: “…I love how y’all tell me what to do. It’s great,” the ANTI singer stated.
Though the Rihanna Navy is getting antsy, they are non-so-candidly being told to wait by Rihanna and other artists alike. Soul singer Ari Lennox recently ranted to those rushing the songstress to release her music calling them “gluttonous” and telling them “it’s coming!” Despite the release date not being clear, Rihanna fans and music lovers can be assured that the songstress has music on the way. All fans can do now is sit tight and hope that R9 drops before they lose their minds.
