Rihanna Finally Back in Studio
Rihanna has finally shown herself back in the studio, teasing her first new music in a decade. While no official release date has been announced, the pop and R&B icon's return to recording has the industry and fans on high alert for what could be one of 2026's biggest comebacks.
Rihanna's last full-length album, *Anti*, was released on January 28, 2016. The critically acclaimed album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and included hit singles like "Work," "Needed Me," and "Love on the Brain." In the years following *Anti*, the singer focused on building a formidable business empire. She launched her inclusive cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty, in 2017 in a partnership with LVMH. The brand was an immediate success, reportedly earning over $550 million in annual revenue by its first full calendar year. Her entrepreneurial success continued with the launch of the lingerie brand Savage X Fenty in 2018. By 2021, that company had raised $115 million in funding and was valued at $1 billion. These ventures, along with Fenty Skin and Fenty Hair, are the primary sources of her wealth, which *Forbes* estimated at $1.4 billion. While she hasn't released a solo album in a decade, Rihanna has occasionally featured on tracks with other artists, including DJ Khaled's "Wild Thoughts" (2017) and PartyNextDoor's "Believe It" (2020). In February 2023, she returned to the stage for the Super Bowl LVII halftime show. The performance became the most-watched halftime show in history, attracting over 121 million viewers and signaling a massive public appetite for her musical comeback. Following the show, her music streams surged by over 640% in the U.S.
