Rumors that Rihanna recorded two new songs for the upcoming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack have left Twitter users salivating for confirmation. The “Work” singer hasn’t released new solo music in six years, after all — and might be planning a surprise.
“Rumors are flying and I can add to them: I’ve been hearing for weeks that Rihanna is recording the end-credits song for BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER,” tweeted Kyle Buchanan, a pop culture reporter at The New York Times.
“How do you follow up a classic like ‘All the Stars’?” Buchanan pondered, referring to the Kendrick Lamar and SZA hit from the original “Black Panther.” “By snagging Rihanna’s first big song in years.”
First reported by Hits Daily Double, the rumor spurred feverish hopes online that Rihanna was back in the booth, as she hasn’t released an album since 2016’s “Anti.” Her last outing as a singer comprised a 40-second chorus on PartyNextDoor’s “Believe It” in 2020.
There’s certainly more than one good reason for Rihanna to put her music career on the back burner, however. The pop star spent the last few years turning her Fenty brand into an empire, having her first child — and being named the youngest self-made female billionaire by Forbes.
While there’s no confirmation yet that Rihanna has recorded songs for the “Black Panther” sequel, let alone two entire tracks, the pop star has signaled a potential return to music by confirming she’ll perform at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show in Arizona.
Spearheading the “Wakanda Forever” soundtrack could set the pop star up for success, as Kendrick Lamar’s “Black Panther” soundtrack debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album charts and saw lead single “All the Stars” nominated for an Academy Award.
HuffPost has reached out to Rihanna’s representatives and Disney representatives overseeing “Wakanda Forever” for comment.
Rihanna even changed her profile photo on TikTok, which might signal the start of a rebranding related to new music. While fans will have to wait for “Wakanda Forever” to hit theaters on Nov. 11 to find out, their speculation has already commandeered Twitter.