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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Ekin Karasin

Rihanna finally confirms ninth album is coming and teases 'unexpected' twist: 'I've cracked it'

Rihanna has finally confirmed she is working on her ninth album after making fans wait nine years.

The We Found Love singer, 37, hasn’t released a new album since her chart-topping Anti album in 2016, focusing instead on her Fenty underwear and beauty lines.

However, the superstar has now revealed she has found the type of music she wants to make after working in the studio “the whole eight years”.

“I just cracked the code on what I really want to do for my next body of work. I am actually feeling really good about this. I know I kept saying this over the years,” Rihanna told Harper’s Bazaar.

She added that the album won’t be a mainstream project, saying “it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible.”

The nine-time Grammy winner also dispelled rumours that her new music will be reggae-inspired and explained why she waited has waited so long to drop a new LP.

She hasn’t released a new album in nine years (Anthony Behar/PA) (PA Archive)

“After a while, I looked at it, and I was like, this much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears. It has to count. It has to matter,” she said.

“I have to show [the fans] it was worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre. After waiting eight years, you might as well just wait some more.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Rihanna said that aging has been “s***” but also a “blessing” as she aims to be mindful and “live in the moment”.

Beginning her career in 2003, the pop icon has gone on to achieve nine UK number one singles and four UK number one albums.

The singer is best known for songs such as Umbrella, Shut Up And Drive and What’s My Name?

She has two sons with rapper A$AP Rocky (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

She has had two sons, RZA and Riot, with her partner, rapper ASAP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Diamonds hitmaker is tipped to headline Glastonbury this year amid her apparent plans for a run of concerts in London.

She has yet to perform at the famous music festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, despite years of speculation.

Music insiders are claiming she is likely to headline the festival in June because she is said to be planning a major London residency just days later.

The pop superstar is lining up six concerts at London Stadium, formerly the Olympic Stadium, according to The Telegraph.

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