While no official announcement has been made, it seems likely Rihanna will grace us with a new album this year.
It has been seven years since the billionaire goddess last dropped an album — 2016’s career-best Anti — but her appearance as the halftime performer in next month’s Super Bowl suggests new material is on the way. Why take the country’s biggest stage with nothing to promote?
We also got a new single from Rihanna late last year in ‘Lift Me Up,’ the end credits song of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The song served the film’s powerful ending beautifully, eulogizing the late Chadwick Boseman with grace. It’s likely Rihanna will have an Oscar nomination on her resumé by the end of this month.
Super Bowl performance, Oscar nomination… a chart-topping album has to complete the trifecta, right?
Lift me up
Hold me down
Keep me close
Safe and sound
[Verse 1]
Burning in a hopeless dream
Hold me when you go to sleep
Keep me in the warmth of your love
When you depart, keep me safe
Safe and sound
[Chorus]
Lift me up
Hold me down
Keep me close
Safe and sound
[Verse 2]
Drowning in an endless sea
Take some time and stay with me
Keep me in the strength of your arms
Keep me safe
Safe and sound
[Chorus]
Lift me up
Hold me down
Keep me safe
Safe and sound
[Verse 3]
Burning in a hopeless dream
Hold me when you go to sleep
Keep me safe
We need light, we need love
[Chorus]
(Lift me up) Lift me up in your arms
(Hold me down) I need love, I need love, I need love
(Keep me close) Hold me, hold me
(Safe and sound) Hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
(Lift me up) Hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
(Hold me down) Hold me, hold me
(Keep me safe) We need light, we need love
Meet Me In Montauk 
You may be right about a new album, though doing the Super Bowl halftime show is a singular event that is not typically tied to promotion of a new release.
I have a good feeling for more Ri Ri this year 🤞🏼🤞🏼
Very excited to see what she does at the Superbowl and her contribution to Wakanda Forever was beautiful.