Rihanna's "recorded new original music" for upcoming Smurf film

6 February 2025, 16:49 | Updated: 6 February 2025, 16:54

Rihanna is Smurfette in Smurfs. Picture: Getty / Paramount Pictures

By Abbie Reynolds

It looks like Rihanna's music hiatus is *kinda* over...

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This is not a drill, new Rihanna music is coming.

It's no secret that Rihanna fans are desperate for the 'Umbrella' singer to release new music after nearly a decade since her last album 'ANTI', which was released in 2016.

Since that epic album, which includes iconic tracks like 'Love On The Brain' and 'Needed Me', Rihanna has a released a couple of singles, 'BELIEVE IT' with PARTYNEXTDOOR and 'Lift Me Up', which she penned for the 2022 film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Her indefinite break from album creation has had her fans genuinely scared that she won't return to music. Last year, Rihanna played into the conversation by stepping out in a literal 'I'm retired' t-shirt. However, all hope was restored when the founder confirmed that R9 is coming during her Fenty Hair launch party.

But while we wait for that, it turns out we've got some unexpected music coming from RiRi in the form of original tracks written and recorded for the upcoming reboot of Smurfs being released by Paramount Pictures this year.

Read more: How many children do Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have & what are their names?
Read more: Rihanna Confirms 'R9' Is Coming As She Makes A "Start" On Next Album

Watch the Smurfette trailer

The trailer for the film, set to hit theatres July 18th, shows Rihanna as Smurfette in her first voiceover role since Home in 2015. In the cast with her are the likes of John Goodman, Octavia Spencer, James Corden, Sandra Oh and Billie Lourd.

Most importantly though, while the trailer features some of Rihanna's hit songs like 'Don't Stop The Music' and a cover of Belinda Carlisle's 'Heaven On Earth', the credits reveal some big news.

Clear as day, the end of the trailer says: "Pre-save The Smurfs soundtrack featuring new music from Rihanna".

Alongside new music from Rihanna, the song 'Higher Love' by Desi Trill featuring DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania and Subhi has been announced to accompany the film.

Rihanna has entered her blue era. Picture: Instagram

The details on Rihanna's new music for the movie are yet to be known, with Rihanna staying tight-lipped in her promo of the film so far.

First, she shared a film teaser on her Instagram with the caption, "In my blue era [blue heart emoji]". And she hilariously changed her iconic stick drawing profile picture from an all black doodle of a face with bantu knots, to a blue face with blonde hair, to match her character Smurfette.

Fans are naturally buzzing about the news but some are calling for her to focus on R9 rather than this, admittedly unexpected, side quest.

But someone wrote, "Yall be grateful! At least we getting a soundtrack with her voice on it," and we'd have to agree.

No matter what it is, we love to see Rihanna at work, work, work, work, work.