Did Rihanna retire from music? Singer’s current career status explored

Rihanna recently ignited retirement rumors when she was seen in a blue graphic T-shirt that read, "I'm Retired This is as Dressed Up as I Get." The nine-time Grammy-winning singer later clarified that the T-shirt was just a fashion statement and that she had no plans to retire.

Speaking to Extra TV at the launch event for her haircare brand, Fenty Hair, on June 10, Rihana answered questions about the retirement rumors and T-shirt, saying:

“That was just me looking into the future. I’m not retired. I just like that dress. I got it as a gift and I loved it. They didn’t read the second line, I’m not retired, I’m just retired from dressing up — it’s a lot of effort.”

The retirement rumors came on the head of the singer's eight-year-long hiatus. RiRi last released an album called Anti in 2016. The eighth studio album received a massive response from fans globally. It was followed by an international tour that began in March 2016 and ended in November 2016.

While the singer did not release any full projects after that, she appeared on the silver screen through movies like Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) and Ocean's 8 (2018). She also played the female lead in the 2019 musical film Guava Island. RiRi's latest single, Lift Me Up, was the lead single for the 2022 Marvel movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

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A look at Rihanna's R9 album and her current career status

After confirming that she would not drop the mic anytime soon, Rihanna has officially begun working on the much-awaited album, R9. The singer first revealed that she was working on a new project in 2016 and has teased the album multiple times over the last few years.

RiRi's reluctance to give a speculated date for the album's release, however, has caused fans to believe that her personal obligations have been the reason for the delay. The singer has been recently engaged in the joys of parenthood as she became a mother of two sons with her boyfriend A$AP Rocky.

Rihanna's entrepreneurial career has kept her busy over the last few years as she founded multimillion brands like Fenty Beauty in 2017 and Fenty Skin in 2020. The Diamonds singer also launched her haircare brand, Fenty Hair, earlier this summer on June 13.

Rihanna's R9 album is yet to have a speculated release date (Image via Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

During the Fenty Hair launch event, RiRi opened up about the delay in the album's release and said:

"It's gonna be amazing. It has to be — that is the only reason it's not out yet. If I'm not feeling it and I'm not feeling like it represents the evolution, the time I spent away. There should be a show of growth, right?"

Rihanna also confirmed that she was starting over for the much-awaited album and would revisit her past works with her newly found perspective.

"Yeah, I’m starting over. But I don’t want to neglect the songs that I have, so I actually want to go back and listen to stuff with new ears, with my new perspective and then see what applies and what I’m still in love with."

Most details about Rihanna's upcoming album have been under wraps, but she has hinted that it takes inspiration from the culture and environment she grew up in. Talking to Vogue in 2018, she confirmed that her upcoming project will be a reggae-infused or reggae-inspired album.

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Rihanna's R9 album does not have a confirmed tracklist. However, the music library, Genius.com, suggests it may include previously previewed and unreleased tracks like - Love Looks Like Us, Mayday, and Real High.