Rihanna has officially announced “Lift Me Up,” her first new single as a lead artist since 2016. It’ll appear on the soundtrack to the new Marvel movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Rihanna co-wrote “Lift Me Up” with Tems, producer Ludwig Göransson, and director Ryan Coogler. According to a press release, the artists wrote the single “as a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman,” the star of the first Black Panther film who died in 2020 at the age of 43.
In a press statement, Tems said, “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them.” She continued, “Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”
The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack will get released on November 4. The next week, on November 11, Ludwig Göransson’s original score for the film will be issued by Hollywood Records.
“Lift Me Up” is Rihanna’s first new solo song since the 2016 Star Trek Beyond track “Sledgehammer.” More recently, she’s collaborated on music with Future (“Selfish”), N.E.R.D. (“Lemon”), DJ Khaled (“Wild Thoughts”), Kendrick Lamar (“Loyalty.”), and PartyNextDoor (“Believe It”). She also co-starred in the music video for “D.M.B.” with A$AP Rocky, the father of her child.