Rihanna hasn’t released an album since 2016’s ANTI, and fans are still hoping that changes. R9 has taken on almost mythological status, and until Riri makes an official announcement, fans will continue waiting.
Recently, Rihanna attended a Fenty Beauty event, where she was asked how many unreleased songs she currently has stored away. The singer gave a surprisingly candid answer, estimating that she has roughly 170 songs.
“If there are 10 products [in the Gloss Bomb Vault] then I have at least 17 Vaults,” Rihanna said. The phrase “at least” leaves open the possibility that she has far more than 170 songs, although at this point, who’s keeping count?
That’s a substantial number, and it suggests Rihanna has continued making music throughout the past 10 years. While fans remain curious about whether she plans to release new music, there’s little doubt that her creative spark is still there.
Over the past 10 years, Rihanna has poured her energy into a number of different pursuits. She has remained deeply involved with her Fenty Beauty business while also raising her family with A$AP Rocky.
Ultimately, she simply hasn’t felt the urge to release another album. Despite all the anticipation surrounding R9, there hasn’t been a point when the project genuinely seemed close to arriving. While that may be disappointing for fans, they’re essentially being asked to respect her decision.
There’s still a chance Rihanna could release new music down the line. However, fans shouldn’t expect R9 to arrive anytime soon. For now, patience remains the only option.
