Rihanna Teases New Music With Cryptic Studio Photos After Seven Year Hiatus

Celebrity | By Андрей Заруев | March 30, 2026

The internet collectively lost its mind on Sunday when Rihanna posted a series of cryptic photos from what appears to be a professional recording studio, reigniting hopes that her long-awaited ninth album is finally on the way. The Barbadian superstar, who hasn't released a solo album since "Anti" in 2016, shared three black-and-white images on Instagram showing her wearing headphones, standing before a microphone, and reviewing something on a laptop with producer Pharrell Williams.

The post, captioned simply with a microphone emoji and the number "9," amassed over 20 million likes in under six hours — a testament to the fervent demand for new Rihanna music. Fans, who have spent nearly a decade pleading for the album informally dubbed "R9," flooded social media with memes, tears, and theories. The hashtag #R9IsComing trended number one worldwide on X within an hour of the post.

Music industry sources tell GetCelebrity that Rihanna has been quietly working on the album for the past year, having stepped back from day-to-day operations at her Fenty empire to focus on music. The project is said to feature a mix of dancehall, Afrobeats, and R&B, with production contributions from Pharrell, Metro Boomin, and Tems. "She's been very protective of this album," a source close to the singer said. "She wanted it to be perfect before she let the world know it was happening."

Rihanna, 38, has spent the years since "Anti" building a multi-billion-dollar business empire encompassing Fenty Beauty, Savage X Fenty lingerie, and the LVMH-backed Fenty fashion house. She also welcomed two sons with partner A$AP Rocky. But fans have never stopped asking about new music, and the singer has repeatedly teased that she wasn't done with her recording career. Sunday's post appears to confirm that the wait is nearly over.