Rihanna has confirmed her ninth studio album, informally referred to as “R9,” is underway. The global pop star, who has not released a studio album in four years since her critically-acclaimed Anti in 2016, has been keeping her followers in suspense while she built her cosmetics and apparel company, gave birth, and explored other creative pursuits. And with R9 in the works, anticipation is fever.
Rihanna has spent eight years working on the record but revealed in a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar that she’s “started over” countless times. She emphasized the record would sound unlike anything she’s ever produced in the past, insisting, “I know it’s not going to be anything that anybody is expecting. And it’s not going to be commercial and radio friendly.”
The singer has also said the record would feature a reggae and dancehall sound heavily rooted in her Barbadian roots. But she also eschewed the idea of keeping within a specific genre, saying, “There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited. Every time, I was just like, ‘No, it’s not me. It’s not right. It’s not matching my growth.’
One of the key reasons the record was delayed is Rihanna’s artistic and personal development. She revealed about going back and listening to Anti in order to get in touch with the soul of her songs. “After eight years, you could wait a little longer. I need to show them the value in waiting. I could not settle on anything subpar.” The creation process with R9 has been intensely personal. Rihanna said she felt pressured in the past to keep having commercial hits, but she doesn’t care about charts anymore. “The only thing I could not endure was disappointment. You really think you need a number one record in order to be a success.”
Several high-profile producers are said to have contributed to R9, such as Pharrell Williams and The Dream. Fans are particularly excited about rumors about a collaboration with Billie Eilish. Rihanna has praised Eilish in the past, calling her a “dream artist” with whom she would love to collaborate, and rumors about future musical collaborations on the record have been fueled.
Motherhood has also greatly influenced Rihanna’s music approach. Now a mother of two, she spoke about how her hiatus from the studio has shifted her perspective. “When I’m in the studio, I know I’m taking time away from my kids to pour into something that hasn’t been tended to in eight years.” Her newfound life balance with family and music has given her a clearer sense of purpose in her music.
Rihanna’s fanbase in the U.K., U.S., Canada, and Australia has been vocal about their anticipation. Twitter and other media are filled with rumors and hearsay, with #R9 going global on a daily basis. Her followers have been committed, passionately disagreeing on theories about what themes, producers and other artists she would feature on the record, and potential dates.
