London – On Friday, the number-one artist on the charts Rihanna released her first piece of original music in six years, an emotional ballad dedicated to the late actor Chadwick Boseman.
The soundtrack for the upcoming Marvel movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” includes “Lift Me Up”, the Barbados-born singer’s first brand-new song since her 2016 album “Anti.”
The movie is a follow-up to “Black Panther,” which broke box office records in 2018 and starred Boseman as King T’Challa.
The actor passed away in 2020 after a quiet, four-year struggle with colon cancer. He was 43.
Tems, who co-wrote the song with Rihanna, said on Instagram, “Blessed to have written this song in honor of Chadwick Boseman and even more blessed to hear the baddest @badgalriri voice it to perfection.
A follow-up to “Anti,” Rihanna’s eighth studio album, has been eagerly anticipated by her fans. The vocalist, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, has recently appeared on the songs “Lemon” and “Believe it,” but “Lift Me Up” marks her first solo effort since “Anti.”
Earlier this week, the 34-year-old Grammy Award winner revealed the new song, in which she sings: “Lift me up / Hold me down / Keep me close / Safe and sound.” She will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.
In recent years, Rihanna, whose chart-topping hits include “Umbrella,” “Diamonds” and “Work,” has developed her makeup and lingerie lines. She welcomed a baby in May with her rapper partner A$AP Rocky.
