Rihanna knows how to keep her fans on their toes. During a recent outing in New York City with A$AP Rocky, the music and fashion mogul was spotted wearing a cheeky T-shirt that read, ‘I’m retired,’ sending her fans into a whirlwind of speculation.
Adding fuel to the fire, the shirt also had a smaller line that said, ‘This is as dressed up as I get.’ It’s been a long wait for the Rihanna Navy, who haven’t seen a new album since 2016’s ‘ANTI.’ The singer has been busy expanding her beauty empire and starting a family, welcoming two children in the last two years.
The playful jab didn’t end there. Page Six captured the moment and shared it on Twitter, prompting a frenzy among fans who joked, ‘Never getting an album.’ Despite this fun tease, Rihanna has hinted that new music is indeed on the way.
In an April interview with Entertainment Tonight during the launch of her FENTY x Puma Creeper Phatty Earth Tone sneaker in London, Rihanna shared some insights about her upcoming ninth album. When asked if her children, RZA and Riot, were going to be featured, she left fans buzzing with: ‘I mean, it’s up to them. I already got stuff that I feel like I can make hits out of. Me and Rocky are really trying to figure out who’s gonna use what because it’s so good!’
She played coy about the album’s visuals, saying, ‘I can’t tell you! That would be me, like, snitching on my record.’
Rihanna’s creative process has also taken an intriguing turn. Speaking with Interview magazine earlier this year, she said, ‘I have a lot of visual ideas. It’s weird. My brain is working backward right now. I usually have the music first, and the music leads me into all of these visual opportunities, and now I’m having all of these visuals. I don’t have the songs for them yet, but maybe that’s the key, this time. Maybe the visual ideas are leading me to the songs that I need to make.’
When pressed if the album will signify a ‘rebirth,’ Rihanna remained enigmatic: ‘Random ideas, quirky ideas, things that have nothing to do with me at all. I mean, I can’t tell you. The opps is watching.’
Whether or not Rihanna’s ‘retirement’ T-shirt is just a playful tease, it has certainly stirred excitement and curiosity among her fans. With hints of new music and a fresh creative process, it seems there is plenty to look forward to from the multi-talented artist.
