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Rihanna on her album delay: 'I like to antagonise my fans'

Rihanna has spoken out about fan pressure to release her ninth studio album

Annie Lord
Tuesday 11 February 2020 11:59 GMT
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Related video: Rihanna says tell your friends of other races to 'pull up' at NACC awards
Related video: Rihanna says tell your friends of other races to 'pull up' at NACC awards (AFP via Getty Images)

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Rihanna has responded to the mounting pressure from her fans to release her ninth studio album.

The pop star and businesswoman told Entertainment Tonight that she likes to “antagonise” her fans when it comes to album delays.

When asked about the follow up to her 2016 release ANTI, Rihanna said: To be continued”.

She later added: “I like to antagonise my fans a little bit…Well, they antagonise me, too! So they get it right back.”

In 2018, Rihanna revealed that her next album will feature reggae and dancehall music. The singer also said it would be influenced by Bob Marley and feature the work of producer Supa Dups; best-known for his work with Sean Paul and Beenie Man.

Rihanna had promised that her next album would arrive in 2019. Responding to a photo promoting a new shade of lipstick, released as part of her Fenty beauty line, one fan asked: “But when is the new album dropping? Can we have a release date for that?”

Rihanna responded: “2019.”

She further fuelled anticipation by posting footage of a dog dancing to music with the caption: “Update: me listening to R9 by myself and refusing to release it.”

In the final days of 2019, fans took to Twitter to tell Rihanna to voice their frustrations:

One said: “I need Rihanna’s reggae album like I need air”.

Another added: “1 day left of being a Rihanna stan.”

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