Rihanna Releases New Song Co-Written With Nigerian Singer, Tems For ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

Rihanna announced the release of "Lift Me Up," her first new song as a lead artist in six years, as part of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack on Friday, marking the end of her long-awaited musical comeback. The song was co-written by Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems. Other co-writers are Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty and Ryan Coogler. It was produced by Göransson.

The raw, poignant ballad co-written by Rihanna, Tems, Ludwig Göransson, and the film's director, Ryan Coogler is a tribute to the life and legacy of late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020.

"Lift me up / Hold me down / Keep me close / Safe and sound," she sings in the track, a stripped-down affair anchored by piano, strings, and harp. A choir surfaces to back her delicate vocals at the song's halfway mark. Its simplicity is striking for Rihanna, who's become famous mostly for her sexy, defiant dance-pop bangers, EW reports.