Fans have been eagerly waiting for new music from the pop icon for nearly nine years, and Rihanna hinted that she’s still on course to deliver the long-awaited project
Rihanna has reassured fans that her pregnancy won’t cause a major delay in the release of her highly anticipated album, R9. The 37-year-old pop star, who recently announced that she’s expecting her third child with partner A$AP Rocky at the Met Gala on May 5, 2025, addressed concerns about how this new chapter in her life might impact the album.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Rihanna was asked if her pregnancy would push back the release of R9 even further. “No, maybe a couple of videos,” she responded, suggesting that the album’s progress is still on track. Fans have been eagerly waiting for new music from the pop icon for nearly nine years, and Rihanna hinted that she’s still on course to deliver the long-awaited project. She cheekily added, “I can sing!” in response to questions about her ability to continue working during her pregnancy.
Rihanna, who already has two sons—RZA, two, and Riot, 21 months—with Rocky, also shared that she isn’t feeling too overwhelmed by her pregnancy, despite some initial shock. “I’m good! I’m shockingly feeling okay, and not too overwhelmed at the moment. At first it was kinda like, ‘Ahhh!'” she said, showing her usual calm and collected demeanor.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to her 2016 album Anti, but Rihanna has been tight-lipped about the details of the new project. Back in February, she offered a hint of what’s to come, revealing to Harper’s BAZAAR that she’s been working in the studio for the past eight years. “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,” she teased. “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 also emphasized that her new album will have no specific genre, reflecting her evolution as an artist. “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,” she said. “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.”
As fans continue to wait for new music, Rihanna’s pregnancy is only adding to the excitement and anticipation for what’s next in her musical journey.
