Hollywood’s biggest night added another boast to its lineup this year by featuring a performance from Rihanna, who mere weeks ago was headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.
As announced ahead of the 2023 Academy Awards broadcast, Rihanna was on hand to perform the Best Original Song nominee “Lift Me Up.” The track is taken from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack and features music credited to Tems, Rihanna, director Ryan Coogler, and composer Ludwig Göransson. Lyrics, meanwhile, are credited to Tems and Coogler.
Rihanna’s track was joined in this year’s class of Best Original Song nominees by “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, “Naatu Naatu” from RRR, and “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once.
During her Super Bowl Halftime set, Rihanna did not perform “Lift Me Up,” which was perhaps an expected exclusion going into the much-anticipated performance. She did, however, open strong by giving viewers a Super Bowl-ified version of her 2015 single “Bitch Better Have My Money.” Other tracks given time during the live compilation included “Run This Town,” “Wild Thoughts,” and, of course, “Umbrella.”
While fans still don't have any firm details regarding when to expect the follow-up to Anti, 2023 has already proven to be a particularly busy period for the singer. At the top of this month, for example, it was confirmed that Fenty Puma would be returning.
