Rihanna's First New Song In Years Is Coming With Black Panther 2, And Fans Are Sounding Off On Twitter

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By Riley Utley
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Rihanna's first song in years has fans very excited.

The new Black Panther in Wakanda Forever and Rihanna on the Graham Norton Show.
(Image credit: Marvel and BBC)

After waiting what feels like an eternity, fans will get to hear Rihanna’s first song in years when she drops “Lift Me Up." The song is part of the soundtrack for one of Marvel’s most anticipated upcoming projects: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. According to a Marvel press release, the song is “a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman.” While Rihanna’s involvement has been rumored, now that it’s confirmed fans are freaking out, and for good reason. 

This comes not long after Rihanna announced she’d be playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Between these two announcements, and the anticipation of more new music, fans are ecstatic about the pop star's return. This fan encapsulated the excitement well, posting this hilarious video in response to Rihanna: 

Meanwhile, another fan noted that it has been 7 whole years since we’ve gotten new music from the pop star turned entrepreneur, and visualized her excitement with this video: 

As you can see in Rihanna’s post there is a tiny clip of the song playing. It’s really just her humming, but after being deprived of her music for so long, lots of fans are reacting like this:

Another Twitter user is pointing out how wild it is that Rihanna’s return is going to be with a Marvel movie soundtrack, writing: 

While it is kind of surprising that her comeback is for a Marvel movie, it’s not just any Marvel movie. Black Panther is a cultural phenomenon. Its soundtrack is critically acclaimed, and the song “All the Stars” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA, was nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars. The soundtrack also featured acclaimed artists like Khalid, Vince Staples, Anderson .Paak and many more. So, the Black Panther music has a prestigious history, and Rihanna joining this elite group of artists is super exciting. While Kevin Feige isn’t sure about the sequel’s chances at the Oscars, I have a good feeling about it, especially since Rihanna is involved.

"Lift Me Up" was created by Rihanna, the film’s director Ryan Coogler, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems, and the Oscar-winning Black Panther composer Ludwig Göransson. From the hint of the song we got, it sounds like it will be a beautiful and moving way to honor Boseman and his character King T’Challa. 

Rihanna is just one of many reasons to be excited about this highly anticipated addition to the 2022 movie schedule. Between the music, honoring Boseman’s legacy, and having the chance to return to Wakanda with beloved characters I have no doubt Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be an exciting and important movie. 

The pop star's song “Lift Me Up” drops on October 28, and you can catch Wakanda Forever in theaters on November 11. In the meantime, you can watch the Marvel movies in order with a Disney+ subscription to watch Chadwick Boseman’s brilliant performance as the king of Wakanda. 

Riley Utley
Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.