S Poddar
Speculation is rife around pop sensation Rihanna, with rumors milling around of a 2024 tour and new album. It wasn’t until October 2023 that the buzz really came to life, as several media outlets, such as Entertainment Tonight and The Mirror, hinted at a deal the singer had reportedly signed with Live Nation for £32 million, which would see Rihanna return to the scene of music and satisfy her global fan base.
Rihanna, who last hit the road in 2016 in support of her album “Anti,” has been somewhat quiet in terms of music for the past couple of years. Now, the mere mention of her return is leaving fans salivating at the potential of what may very well be one of music’s biggest comebacks. Insiders quoted by The Mirror say the superstar has secretly been working out plans for the tour as she adjusts to her new role as a mom. Sources close to the situation explained that a team in Los Angeles is working painstakingly on a show that will be somewhere close to her vision when she is ready to return to the public eye.
The insider close to the singer shared that she has source material that could make up to two new albums, implying a truly impressive catalog of unreleased music. A source close to the singer said, “She’s got a lot of music ready to go,” fueling speculation about what her return might entail.
But, not all reports have been in agreement with those rumors. In the same month, the excitement was put on ice by Billboard, which claimed that no official tour had been locked into place for Rihanna. The high-level source insisted to the publication that although the singer was definitely working on new projects, no touring commitments had been nailed down for 2024.
Although there were rumors to the contrary, Rihanna herself clarified the swirling rumors during an interview with Entertainment Tonight in December 2023. The singer confessed that a tour was always in her head but emphasized her desire to come back on stage with new music. “I wanna do a tour when there’s new music, right? My last tour was a long time ago. I feel it’s only fair that my fans get what they’ve been waiting on, which is new music. And then after that we just, like, blow everything up!” she said, hinting at the explosive comeback fans hoped for.
The world has been waiting for it for years—Rihanna’s ninth studio album. She has been alluding to new music for a while now and had the latest joke at a Fenty Hair launch party in Los Angeles in June 2024. She let the curtain peep into her creative process at the event and said it felt like redrawing herself. “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,” she told the publication, her words hinting at her gearing up to head back into the recording studio. Smiling, she said, “I’m gonna start—give me a second!”.
She also said she’s going back to the songs she’d done so far and trying to approach those differently. “Yeah, I’m starting over, but I don’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,” she said.
As the dawn of 2024 rises, champing-at-the-bit fans are left hoping that the speculations of a new album and accompanying tour are presently underway. If her highly anticipated comeback ever happens, one thing would already be certain: The world is waiting with bated breath for the return of one of music’s most gigantic icons—Rihanna. She has never failed to enchant the audience with her unique talent, charm, and style, so should all the rumors come to life, this coming year might as well be one of those landmark years for Rihanna and her fans.
