Rihanna Releases ‘Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack Song ‘Lift Me Up’

Rihanna’s highly anticipated return to music is here!

At midnight on Friday, Rihanna dropped her new song “Lift Me Up,” off the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack.

The emotional ballad is a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer at 43 in August 2020.

Rihanna co-wrote the song with Tems, Ludwig Göransson and director Ryan Coogler.

In a statement, Tems said, “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I've lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor."

On Wednesday night, “Extra’s” Melvin Robert spoke with Ryan about working with Rihanna at the Hollywood premiere of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” He said, “This is a song that she could heave only made right now, like who she is right now, what she’s going through right now as a woman… it’s full-circle right because she told us she did it for Chad. It wasn’t any other reason.”

“I’m a Rihanna fan. I love her music. I love what she stands for as a person,” Ryan went on. “It’s been amazing watching her create so much music at the same time, watching her grow up and me growing up as I’m listening to her music myself.”

Aside from “Lift Me Up,” RiRi has been working on her upcoming album!

In May, she told Vogue, “I'm looking at my next project completely differently from the way I had wanted to put it out before. I think this way suits me better, a lot better. It's authentic, it'll be fun for me, and it takes a lot of the pressure off."

In a few months from now, Rihanna will be headlining the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show near Phoenix.