Rihanna Addresses Retirement Speculations

Barbadian singer Rihanna isn’t done with music just yet.

Ri gave her fans quite the scare with her recent “Im Retired” shirt that stirred retirement speculations.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the nine-time Grammy winner addressed the speculations and clarified that her recent “I’m Retired” shirt was just a fashion statement looking into the future and had nothing to do with the present day.

“People got triggered with that retired word,” she said. “They were like ‘We’re never getting an album now.’ No one read the other line, it was something about, ‘This is as dressed up as I get.'”

Rihanna also shared a new update on new music and noted that she is ready to return to the studio as she rediscovers music.

“I think that music, for me, is a new discovery,” she added. “I’m rediscovering things. I have been working on the album for so long that I kinda put all that stuff aside and now I’m prepared to go back in the studio. I’m gonna start — give me a second!”

Rihanna has been teasing a new album for years. In 2023, she talked about wanting to release it that same year and even said she had recorded new songs. 

Despite saying that with "R9", she was “starting over,” the singer said she didn’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.”

Rihanna’s last studio album was 2016’s "Anti". She has since released several singles, including “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.

In another interview, Rihanna reiterated that she’s “not retired,” telling Extra, “I’m not retired. I just liked that dress. I got it as a gift and I loved it….”