Rihanna sparks ‘R9’ buzz with studio footage in new social media post
She posted a video on Instagram, sharing footage of herself in the recording studio during the early hours
Rihanna has reignited anticipation for her long-awaited ninth studio album after sharing footage of a late-night studio session with fans.
The singer posted a video on Instagram on Thursday, February 26, documenting moments from a night in her life. Among the clips was footage of Rihanna in the recording studio during the early hours, a detail that quickly prompted renewed speculation that R9 could finally be on the horizon.
Her previous album, Anti, was released ten years ago. In the years since, Rihanna and ASAP Rocky have welcomed three children. Alongside raising her family, she has supported Rocky during his gun assault trial, expanded Savage x Fenty into a business valued at $1 billion, and delivered a headline performance at the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show.
In a 2025 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Rihanna reflected on the lengthy creative process behind her next project, revealing she had been in the studio for “the whole eight years” since Anti. However, she admitted uncertainty about the direction of the record.
“I was searching for it,” she said. “I went through phases of what I wanted to do. ‘This kind of album, not that album.’ 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. I feel like I’ve finally cracked it, girl!”
She added, “I think music is my freedom. 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.”
The interview followed her earlier announcement that she was “starting over” on R9, a comment that had already intensified public interest in the project.
