Rihanna announces music comeback nine years after last album



Rihanna is finally making her return to music with a brand new single.

The 37-year-old, who released her last studio album Anti back in 2016, initially excited fans when she confirmed that her new tune Friend of Mine would be out on Friday.

However, their joy soon turned to disappointment when people realized that the song was for the Smurfs 2 soundtrack and not actually the lead offering from her next album.

'People saw this and got excited. Then saw Smurfs,' wrote one.

'[I don't give a f**k] about a song in the movie! Where [the f**k] is R9! I'm getting sick of this ish!' commented a second.

'Bruh this better not be having me crying like Life Me Up did,' said another, referring to Rihanna's Black Panther single.

'Rihanna, you can keep this like you should have kept that Black Panther song,' added a fourth.

Rihanna is finally making her return to music with a brand new single from the Smurfs movie soundtrack
Rihanna is finally making her return to music with a brand new single from the Smurfs movie soundtrack

'I want some "na na, what's my name" music, not some damn Smurfs,' complained another fan.

According to Billboard, Friend of Mine is an 'afrobeats-inspired dance track.'

The new Smurfs film stars Rihanna as the voice of Smurfette and John Goodman as Papa Smurf.

Other stars include Sandra Oh, James Corden, and Nick Offerman. 

The Fenty designer - who is expecting her third child with her partner A$AP Rocky - recently confirmed that her pregnancy won't delay her return to music.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the Umbrella hitmaker was asked if the album - which has been dubbed 'R9' by fans - will be 'put on pause even longer' due to her pregnancy. 

'No, maybe a couple of videos. I can still sing!' she responded. 

Fans are disappointed that Rihanna's new music is from the Smurfs soundtrack rather than her next album
Fans are disappointed that Rihanna's new music is from the Smurfs soundtrack rather than her next album
The Fenty designer - who is expecting her third child with her partner A$AP Rocky - recently confirmed that her pregnancy won't delay her return to music
The Fenty designer - who is expecting her third child with her partner A$AP Rocky - recently confirmed that her pregnancy won't delay her return to music

In the meantime, fans are still waiting for the follow-up to 2016's Anti.

While details are few and far between, in February she offered a tease of what fans can expect from the album.

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She told Harper's BAZAAR magazine: '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!'

Rihanna insisted there was 'no genre' for the album, and she has been determined to make the next batch of songs something 'matching [her] evolution.' 

She added: '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.'

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