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Getty Images via ABCRihanna spent most of 2018 focused on her side hustles: acting, fashion and beauty. But she’s getting back to her day job next year.
After she posted on Instagram that she’d be releasing a new Fenty Beauty lip shade December 26, a fan asked, “But when is the new album dropping Robyn? Can we have a release date for that?”
Rihanna responded, simply, “2019.”
Separately, earlier this month, Rihanna’s producer, Kuk Harrell, was asked during an Instagram Live session how “R9” — Rihanna’s ninth album — was coming along. “R9 is incredible,” he responded. “It’s incredible and that’s all I’m gonna say.”
When the new album does arrive, it’ll be Rihanna’s first since 2016’s ANTI. Her most recent singles were 2017’s “Wild Thoughts,” with DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller, and “Loyalty,” with Kendrick Lamar.
While the June issue of Vogue claimed that Rihanna’s next project would be a reggae album, Rolling Stone then claimed she was working on two different projects. Perhaps the reggae release is tied to the soundtrack of Guava Island, the movie she reportedly shot this year with Donald Glover.
In 2018, Rihanna launched her Savage X Fenty lingerie line, enjoyed continued success with her Fenty Beauty line, owned the red carpet at the Met Gala, and co-starred with an all-star cast in the hit movie Ocean’s 8.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, RiRi was spotted at dinner in Malibu with her billionaire Saudi boyfriend, Hassan Jameel, whom she’s reportedly been dating since 2016.
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