Rihanna is officially back! After a three-year musical hiatus, the global pop icon is making a grand comeback with a brand-new single titled Friend of Mine, which will feature in the upcoming Smurfs movie. This marks Rihanna’s first release since 2022’s Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and fans couldn’t be more thrilled.
Taking to social media on Wednesday, Rihanna shared a behind-the-scenes clip of herself recording the song in a studio, dressed in a blue-and-white outfit inspired by the Smurfs. The Afrobeat-infused dance track plays as she grooves to the beat, offering fans a first taste of her much-awaited return. She captioned the post, “New #SmurfsMovie trailer featuring ‘Friend Of Mine’ from the Smurfs soundtrack out Friday.” The full song will be released on May 16, 2025.
In addition to lending her vocals, Rihanna is also serving as a producer for the animated film and will voice the beloved character Smurfette. The movie is slated for a theatrical release on July 18, 2025, and marks yet another creative milestone for the multi-hyphenate artist.
Rihanna’s musical comeback has been long-awaited—her last studio album, Anti, was released in 2016. She previously teased fans with updates about working on new music, promising that projects were in the pipeline. Friend of Mine may be the first of several new tracks to come.
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Aside from her music and film endeavors, Rihanna also made headlines recently by revealing her third pregnancy during Met Gala week. She and partner A$AP Rocky, who are already parents to sons RZA (2022) and Riot (2023), continue to dominate both the fashion and family spotlight.
Rihanna’s return signals a major moment for fans she’s back, and she’s bolder than ever.
