It’s safe to say the Navy is pumped.
At midnight Friday, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack was updated with Rihanna’s new song “Born Again,” marking the Grammy winner’s second contribution to the album. The single was written by singer/producer The-Dream, who also penned RiRi’s massive 2007 hit “Umbrella” as well as “Birthday Cake,” “Phresh Out the Runway,” and more
“I’d give my heart to this place/I’d give my whole soul and whatever it takes, never run away,” she sings on the emotional ballad. “And I’d relive this just to see your face again/I know that you’d do the same, born again.”
Shortly after the world premiere of Wakanda Forever, critics confirmed they heard two Rihanna songs during the end credits. One was “Lift Me Up,” produced by Ludwig Göransson; however, when the Black Panther 2 soundtrack hit streaming services last week, fans were disappointed to see only one Rihanna offering.
Thankfully, the world didn’t have to wait too long before the second one was released. The song comes as fans hold their collective breath for the long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s Anti. The singer, who will perform at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, has remained tight-lipped about her next project, and refused to confirm if new music was on the horizon.
“Super Bowl is one thing, new music is another thing,” Rihanna said during a recent interview. “Do you hear that, fans? Because I knew, the second I announced this, they’re gonna think my album is coming. I need to get work. But I do have new music coming out. But we’ll see. Unrelated, but a special project.”
“Born Again” is the 20th song on the Wakanda Forever album, which also boasts appearances by Future, E-40, Stormzy, and Young Stunna. The sequel hit U.S. theaters this week, nearly five years after the first installment premiered. The film was directed by Ryan Coogler and stars Letitia Wright as Shuri, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Danai Gurira as Okoye, and Winston Duke as M’Baku.
You can stream “Born Again” below.
