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Rihanna Shares 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Song Clip

Riri's bringing the vibes for Black Panther 2.

Kourtnee Jackson Senior Editor
Kourtnee covers TV streaming services and home entertainment news and reviews at CNET. She previously worked as an entertainment reporter at Showbiz Cheat Sheet where she wrote about film, television, music, celebrities, and streaming platforms.
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Kourtnee Jackson
2 min read
Rihanna smiles in close-up as she poses in front of a black backdrop

Rihanna is finally releasing new music -- for Wakanda.

 Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Rihanna sent social media into a frenzy on Tuesday night thanks to a surprise announcement from Marvel. The singer and beauty mogul is dropping a new song for the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, and fans can't wait for the release on Oct. 28.

After a rumor floated that Rihanna would be on the soundtrack, it's finally happening. Marvel left a not-so-subtle hint in a short video posted on Twitter and Instagram that featured the movie's title with a superimposed "R," which is like Rihanna's own bat signal. As fans guessed the meaning, the singer hit Marvel's Instagram post with two emojis: a heart and the X-crossed arms that symbolize Wakanda. If that wasn't confirmation enough, Riri posted a snippet of the song on social media with a Black Panther-themed graphic.

Titled "Lift Me Up," the single is a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman and was written by Rihanna, pop star Tems, movie soundtrack composer Ludwig Göransson and the film's director Ryan Coogler.

Though she's gearing up to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2023 and will launch her lingerie brand's showcase, Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4, in November, Rihanna hasn't released a new album since Anti in 2016. Her most recent musical release was a feature on PartyNextDoor's 2020 single, Believe It. With a contribution to the Black Panther soundtrack, could this mean an R9 album is on the way? Fans hope so. 

Wakanda Forever will arrive in theaters on Nov. 11, with Letitia Wright as Shuri, Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda and new hero Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, played by Dominique Thorne. This Riri is a teenage student and tech whiz who made her comic book debut in 2016. The soundtrack for Wakanda Forever will be available on Nov. 4. With two women named Riri touching down in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans can mark their calendars for all three releases.

You can catch up with the first Black Panther movie on Disney Plus.

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