After a three-year musical hiatus, Rihanna is making a highly anticipated comeback with a new Afrobeats-inspired single titled Friend of Mine. The song, featured in the trailer for the upcoming Smurfs film, marks her return to the music scene and is set to officially drop on Friday, May 16th. Rihanna announced the release on X, sharing the trailer with her fans.
The upbeat dance track, previewed in the trailer, showcases Rihanna singing the catchy hook, “You’re looking like a friend of mine,” over an Afrobeats-infused rhythm. The teaser opens with Rihanna grooving in the studio during the recording session. Friend of Mine is her first release since Lift Me Up in 2022, which was part of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. Her last studio album, Anti, was released in 2016.
In February, Rihanna shared her excitement about her upcoming ninth studio album, promising fans a fresh sound and insisting she wouldn’t release anything “mediocre.”
Alongside the new single, Rihanna also stars as Smurfette in the live-action animated musical Smurfs, based on the Belgian comic series. The film, directed by Chris Miller (Puss in Boots, Shrek the Third), features a star-studded cast including John Goodman, Nick Offerman, Nick Kroll, Xolo Maridueña, Sandra Oh, and James Corden. The storyline follows Smurfette leading a mission into the real world to rescue Papa Smurf from evil wizards Razamel and Gargamel.
Beyond her voice acting role, Rihanna also serves as one of the film’s executive producers.
Earlier this month, the singer made headlines by revealing her third pregnancy ahead of the 2025 Met Gala. She debuted her baby bump while leaving The Carlyle Hotel in New York City, dressed in a chic grey ensemble. Rihanna and partner A$AP Rocky are already parents to two sons: RZA, born in May 2022, and Riot Rose, born in August 2023. She famously announced her second pregnancy during her 2023 Super Bowl Halftime performance.
Written By Rodney Mbua
