Rihanna's first song in 3 years lands this Friday
What's the story
Pop icon Rihanna is finally breaking her three-year music hiatus with the release of a brand new song, Friend of Mine.
The track, which is part of the upcoming Smurfs film, will be her first musical offering since Lift Me Up in 2022.
The news was announced by Rihanna on Wednesday, alongside a trailer for the film featuring snippets of the song.
Music style
'Friend of Mine' features Afrobeats-inspired dance track
The teaser clip for Friend of Mine features Rihanna in the studio, recording the track. The song is an Afrobeats-inspired dance track, with the lyrics "You're looking like a friend of mine."
This release comes eight years after her last studio album, Anti, which launched in 2016.
Even though she hasn't released an album since, Rihanna has remained one of pop music's biggest stars.
Twitter Post
Riri is back!
new #SmurfsMovie trailer 🩵 featuring “Friend Of Mine” from the Smurfs soundtrack out friday. pre-save now. 🪩🎵 pic.twitter.com/c2keWCVwYN
— Rihanna (@rihanna) May 14, 2025
Dual role
Rihanna's involvement in 'Smurfs' film extends beyond music
Apart from lending her voice to the Smurfs film along with actors John Goodman, James Corden, Nick Offerman, and Sandra Oh, Rihanna is also producing the project.
While the song Friend of Mine will be out on May 16, the Smurfs film is slated for a July 18 release.
This dual role only highlights how Rihanna is all over the upcoming animated film.
Personal updates
Rihanna's personal life: A look at her recent pregnancy news
Earlier this month, Rihanna announced her third pregnancy at the 2025 Met Gala. She debuted her baby bump while exiting The Carlyle Hotel in New York City.
The singer already has two sons, RZA and Riot Rose, born in May 2022 and August 2023 respectively.
In a 2023 interview with British Vogue, Rihanna called the whole experience of becoming a mother "beautiful."