Rihanna is officially dropping new music this week, and her fans couldn’t be more excited.
Rihanna set to drop new song this Friday
The global pop star and business mogul will release her new single Friend Of Mine this Friday, 17 May 2025. The track will appear on the soundtrack for the upcoming Smurfs movie, which is set to hit theatres on 18 July 2025.
This will be Rihanna’s first song since her 2022 release Lift Me Up, which featured on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. While Friend Of Mine is tied to a children’s movie, fans are still eager for any new music from the singer, whose last album, ANTI, came out in 2016.
The announcement comes just days after Rihanna made headlines at the 2025 Met Gala by confirming she is pregnant with her third child. Stepping out in a grey pencil skirt and sweater, she revealed her baby bump to the cameras before making her way down the red carpet with partner and rapper A$AP Rocky.
“It feels amazing,” Rocky said in a red carpet interview.
“It’s time that we show the people what we was cooking up. And I’m glad everybody’s happy for us ’cause we definitely happy, you know.”
The couple already shares two sons—three-year-old RZA Athelston Mayers and one-year-old Riot Rose Mayers. This third child marks another major moment in what fans often describe as their fairytale relationship.
As for Rihanna’s long-awaited ninth album, commonly referred to as R9 by fans, there is still no official release date.
In a February interview with Harper’s BAZAAR, Rihanna opened up about her long break from music and why the album has taken so long. She said that, despite spending time in the studio, earlier versions of the album didn’t feel true to who she is now.
“Every time, I was just like, ‘No, it’s not me. It’s not right. It’s not matching my growth,’” she said. She also clarified that the album won’t stick to one genre, rejecting rumours of a reggae-inspired record.
“I’m feeling really optimistic. This feels right. It digs into where I need to be, and I want this,” Rihanna added, giving fans hope that R9 is finally nearing completion.
Until then, Friend Of Mine will give listeners another taste of Rihanna’s voice—a rare treat for fans who have been waiting nearly a decade for a full-length album.