Rihanna to Make Musical Return with New Song for ‘Smurfs’ Movie
After nearly three years without releasing new music, Rihanna is set to make her long-awaited return with an original song for the upcoming Smurfs movie.
The Grammy-winning singer, who is also voicing Smurfette in the animated film, will contribute to the movie’s official soundtrack, marking her first musical release since “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack in 2022.
First Look at the Soundtrack
The news was confirmed at the end of the film’s first trailer, where a title card teased: “The Smurfs Soundtrack featuring new music from Rihanna.” While details remain scarce, it is unclear how many tracks Rihanna has contributed to the project.
In addition to Rihanna’s involvement, it has been revealed that DJ Khaled and Cardi B will collaborate on a song for the film titled “Higher Love.”
A Long-Awaited Comeback
Fans have been eagerly awaiting Rihanna’s next album since 2016’s ANTI, which remains her last full-length release. While she has teased new music over the years, a follow-up album has yet to materialize.
Speaking at a Fenty Hair event last year, the singer admitted she was “starting over” on the long-anticipated project.
“Music for me is a new discovery. I am re-discovering things,” Rihanna said at the time. “I have been working on the album for so long that I kind of put all of that stuff aside. And now, I’m prepared to go back in the studio.”
She also hinted at a possible collaboration with her partner, A$AP Rocky, stating that they are figuring out which songs to keep between them.
Balancing Music, Business, and Family
Beyond music, Rihanna has been focused on her Savage X Fenty brand and raising her two children, RZA and Riot, with A$AP Rocky. She has also been supporting Rocky amid his ongoing legal battle, where he faces charges related to an alleged 2021 shooting involving former friend A$AP Relli.
With her return to music now confirmed, fans are hopeful that her contributions to The Smurfs soundtrack signal a larger musical comeback in the near future.
