It's been nearly eight years since Rihanna released her last studio album, 2016's Anti, and fans are eagerly awaiting the oft-teased follow-up to her number one record.
However, while the singer, 35, has dropped little hints here and there about the prospect of new music, it's her longtime partner A$AP Rocky who finally gave her adoring fanbase the news they wanted to hear.
The rapper, 35, real name Rakim Athelaston Mayers, was seen this weekend in Paris and stopped for pictures with some of his fans, captured in a viral video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
At one point, a fan asked him about Rihanna's ninth album, which has unofficially been dubbed by fans as R9, and A$AP responded on his way out: "She's working on it," which sparked quite an enthusiastic response from the group.
Rihanna has devoted much of her time away from the recording studio to building her beauty and fashion empire with the Fenty brand while also building a family with A$AP.
The couple, who have been together since 2020, welcomed their first son, RZA, in May 2022, and in August 2023, they welcomed their second son, Riot Rose.
We haven't been completely devoid of any music from the singer, however, thanks to the 2022 track "Lift Me Up" from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, which was a top three worldwide hit and was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
A little over a year ago as well, the "Umbrella" singer headlined the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, where she memorably announced to the world that she was pregnant with Riot Rose.
© InstagramIn November, A$AP was asked by Complex about the potential of collaborating with Rihanna after they teamed up for a remix of her 2012 track "Cockiness (Love It)," but he asserted that beyond their fashion and musical endeavors, their best project was becoming parents.
"If me and my lady was to collab what could we team up and just [expletive] smash and go crazy on?" he asked at first. "I think we do a real great job at collaborating and making children. I think that's our best creation so far."
© Getty ImagesHe even hinted at the potential of expanding their family, adding: "Nothing's better than that out there. Any design…I mean we had a third designer come and help, a ghost designer named God, you know, and shaped everything and we had these beautiful angels. So that's the best collaboration."
On the eve of her 36th birthday, however, fans of the Barbadian songstress couldn't be more excited for a new record, and Rihanna feels the same, telling Entertainment Tonight in December that she was ready to go back on tour once she had new music out.
© Getty Images"We're always gonna go back on tour," she said. "I want to do a tour when there's new music. I feel like it's only fair that my fans get what they've been waiting on, which is new music, and after that, let's just blow everything up."
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