Rihanna Returns With ‘Smurfs' Song ‘Friend Of Mine'
Rihanna
Getty Images
Grammy-winning superstar and billionaire beauty mogul Rihanna has been teasing her long-awaited ninth studio album for nearly a decade. In the years since the release of her 2016 album Anti, the Barbadian hitmaker has split her time between her business ventures and occasional music releases like the PartyNextDoor collab 'Believe It' and the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack entry 'Lift Me Up."
Now, three years later after 'Lift Me Up,' Rihanna is back with another film soundtrack release: 'Friend of Mine' from the forthcoming animated movie Smurfs. On the new song, Rihanna, who voices protagonist Smurfette in the new flick, trades the traditional pop and R&B sounds fans have come to expect for an up-tempo club track.
'Just met you tonight, but you feel like a friend of mine / Feel like a friend of mine, feel like a friend of mine / Feel like a friend of mine, feel like a friend of mine / How can so familiar be so brand new?' she sings.
As for what's next for her musically, Rihanna told Harper's Bazaar in February that she's reached a breakthrough for the long-awaited R9.
'I think music is my freedom,' she said. "I just came to that realization. I just cracked the code on what I really want to do for my next body of work. I am actually feeling really good about this. I know I kept saying this over the years.'
'[I'm] feeling really optimistic. This feels right. It feels like it digs right into where I need to be, and I want this. This body needs to come out, and I'm ready to go there," she added. 'This is becoming my new freedom, because when I'm in the studio, I know that my time away from my kids is to blossom something that hasn't been watered in eight years."
She admitted she waffled on what sounds to go with for her next LP, resolving that it won't resemble the radio-ready music of her dominating run in the 2000s and 2010s. 'I know it's not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it's not going to be commercial or radio digestible. It's going to be where my artistry deserves to be right now,' she said. "I feel like I've finally cracked it.'
Smurfs is in theaters July 18.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Popular Caribbean restaurant in Johnstown is moving to the Galleria Mall
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — A popular Caribbean-inspired restaurant is expanding into 'bigger and better' things and will be moving to the Galleria Mall. Island Cuisine announced the move, saying they're 'beyond excited' to open at the mall on 500 Galleria Drive from their location on Broad Street. With them will be their elevated and authentic Caribbean fine dining, an experience they say is like no other. 'This is more than just food. It's a celebration of culture, flavor and community,' they said in a statement. 'From vibrant spices to rich island traditions, we are ready to serve our customers once again, this time with even more heart, more soul and a brand new vision.' Zoning board denies storage facility from opening in Johnstown Galleria The move comes after months of legal battles, fighting for the property they were in on Broad Street, according to the restaurant's Facebook page. 'We're proud to say we're moving on to bigger and better. This next chapter is filled with purpose and passion,' the owner added. 'Proof that when God opens a new door, we walk through it with grace, gratitude and determination.'Despite troubles with the Broad Street location, the owner said that Island Cuisine is still here, still growing, and remains rooted in everything that makes the Caribbean unforgettable. 'Stay tuned. Your island escape is just around the corner,' they added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
17 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Disney laying off several hundred employees worldwide
The Walt Disney Co. is laying off several hundred employees worldwide as the entertainment giant looks to trim some costs and adapt to evolving industry conditions. A Disney spokesperson confirmed the action on Tuesday. The exact number of jobs being cut is unknown, but layoffs will occur across several divisions, including television and film marketing, TV publicity, casting and development, and corporate financial operations.
Associated Press
43 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Lionize AI Passes 30M Vetted Creators for Influencer Campaign Matching
Lilly is the first AI Influencer Marketing Manager trained to identify, evaluate, and contract creators on behalf of brands. 'After working with 500+ brands, we've seen how Lilly saves time—cutting 20+ hours a week for those managing 20 influencers monthly. It's all about scaling without the extra effort.'— Austin, COO, Lionize NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, June 3, 2025 / / -- Lionize, the AI-driven influencer marketing platform, has quietly been training its AI system for the last two years and is setting a new standard for influencer sourcing and campaign management. With a focus on performance and efficiency, Lionize's advanced AI Agent, Lilly, is reshaping how brands connect with influencers. Lionize's AI-powered platform now allows brands to effortlessly source, recruit, and manage influencers with unprecedented speed and precision. Lionize's tech ensures creators are not only found but also activated and delivering results faster than traditional methods. Unlike other systems, Lionize is designed to learn each brand's unique tone and messaging. During the campaign setup, the system undergoes a 'training period' to ensure brand safety and alignment. This process helps maintain authentic, on-message communication between brands and creators, ensuring efficient and relevant influencer partnerships. Here are three interesting stats: 1) AI Agent Lilly has analyzed over 30 million creator profiles across Instagram and TikTok, curating a selection of creators that match brand target demographics and campaign objectives. 2) Vetting process looks at 20+ different attributes across creator details, audience demographics, and content style and format before recommending to the brand. 3) Accelerates the selection and contracting process, resulting in 100,000 creator partnerships 'We tested influencer marketing with another agency after we appeared on Shark Tank, but the process was cumbersome, and the results didn't justify the cost. We moved back to Lionize because everything was easier,' said Robert Peck, CEO of AquaVault. 'Using AI to source, recruit, and manage influencers was not only faster and more efficient, but it also allowed us to build a community of influencers—at a fraction of the cost and time. We got real results, fast.' Traditional influencer marketing platforms focus on dashboards and vanity metrics. Lionize, however, has built an engine that actually delivers. 99,725 vetted influencers, and an unparalleled ability to scale influencer partnerships, Lionize eliminates guesswork and chaos from the process. The time spent sourcing and managing influencers manually would total $20,776,042 alone. Key Benefits of AI-Powered Influencer Platform, Lionize: 1) Efficient Influencer Sourcing: Quickly identify and activate influencers at scale. 2) Reduced Costs: Achieve results at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional agencies. 3) Real Results: Proven ROI with measurable influencer-driven outcomes. Lionize is not just smarter technology—it's a game-changing platform that's setting a new standard in influencer marketing. About Lionize: Lionize is a leading AI-powered influencer marketing platform, revolutionizing how brands source, recruit, and manage influencers. With advanced algorithms and a vast network of vetted creators, Lionize delivers high-performance campaigns that scale effortlessly, saving brands time and money while driving impactful results. Austin Rosenthal Lionize, Inc. email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
