New music? A fashion show? Rihanna’s putting in work, work, work, work for resurgence
Rihanna #Rihanna
When Rihanna makes a comeback, she does not skimp on the work.
The “Work” and “Umbrella” hitmaker, who welcomed her first child last spring with embattled rapper artist ASAP Rocky, not only teased fans with new music Wednesday, she’s also curated a star-studded lineup for her “Savage X Fenty Vol. 4” fashion show, which will stream live on Prime Video on Nov. 9.
Broadway star and newly minted Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph, who stars in ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” will be among those walking in the fashion show, along with “Empire” alum Taraji P. Henson,”Shang-Chi” star Simu Liu, “Black Panther” actor Winston Duke, “black-ish” actor Marsai Martin, “Snowfall” actor Damson Idris, model-actor Cara Delevingne, drag queen Kornbread, singer Ángela Aguilar, actor and dancer Taylour Paige and comedians Lilly Singh and Rickey Thompson.
Other models include TikTok stars Avani Gregg and Bella Poarch, as well as supermodels Irina Shayk, Joan Smalls, Lara Stone, Precious Lee and Zach Miko, among others, Prime Video said in a Tuesday statement.
Musicians Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver and Maxwell are also set to perform at the event, for which Rihanna served as an executive producer and creative director.
“Now in its fourth consecutive year, the extraordinary fashion experience continues to challenge tradition and break boundaries. The trailblazing event is raising the bar yet again with a new all-star lineup of models, actors, some of the biggest names in music, and more, debuting the latest Savage X Fenty styles,” Prime Video said, describing the event as “a seductive fashion fever dream.”
The size-inclusive collection features bras, underwear, sleepwear and loungewear. It will be available for purchase at the Amazon Fashion Store and Savage X Fenty on the same day the fashion show airs.
The nine-time Grammy Award winner also sent her fans into a frenzy on Wednesday when she released a snippet for long-awaited new music six years after she released her last studio album, “Anti.” The billionaire entertainer dubbed the project “Lift Me Up” and announced that it will be dropping Friday, just a few weeks before the fashion show and months ahead of her headlining performance at the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 12.
“Lift Me Up,” which is being released on Rihanna’s Westbury Road label in partnership with Roc Nation, Def Jam Recordings and Hollywood Records, is the lead single from the soundtrack to Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” due in theaters on Nov. 11.
Riri wrote the track along with screenwriter and director Ryan Coogler, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems and Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, who scored Coogler’s 2018 blockbuster.
The song, Marvel Studios said, is a tribute to the life and legacy of “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer in 2020. The single was recorded in five countries and was produced by Göransson.
“After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them,” Tems said of the track. “Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.