Rihanna fans, rejoice! The wait for new music is finally over (kind of). The music icon and Fenty mogul is lending her voice and vocals to the upcoming Smurfs animated film, and with it comes a brand-new track. Read more and catch the latest trailer inside.
As revealed in the newly released trailer, Rihanna stars as Smurfette in the upcoming Smurfs movie, leading an all-star cast that includes John Goodman, James Corden, Sandra Oh, Nick Offerman, and more. The film follows the Smurf Village gang as they travel to the human world to rescue Papa Smurf from the clutches of the villainous Gargamel, voiced by J.P. Karliak.
In a delightfully meta teaser, Rihanna is seen donning a blue jacket and blue beads as she records Smurfette’s dialogue. She effortlessly blends into the Smurf universe while giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at her dual role as both voice actor and executive producer. Her new song titled “Friend of Mine” featured in the trailer, is a dreamy, Afrobeats-inspired dance anthem that includes the infectious hook, “You’re looking like a friend of mine.”
“Friend of Mine” is Rihanna’s first official release since her 2022 Oscar-nominated ballad “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Though it’s not a full album or even her original song, the track gives fans a little something to hold them over. She hasn’t released music since her LP, Anti, dropped nearly a decade ago in 2016.
The Smurfs soundtrack promises even more musical firepower. In addition to Rihanna, South African breakout star Tyla and a collaborative track called “Higher Love” by DJ Khaled, Cardi B, and DESI TRILL was released earlier this year and are part of the album.
Rihanna first announced her involvement in the project at the 2023 CinemaCon, joking about recording in her third trimester. Now pregnant with her third child, she recently confirmed on the Met Gala red carpet that her pregnancy won’t stop her from creating music, or perhaps, even shooting music videos.
With The Smurfs set to hit theaters July 18, fans can expect a colorful adventure and a much-needed dose of Rihanna’s magic, blue-hued and all. The track “Friend of Mine” drops Friday, May 16. Be sure to pre-save the song with the link here.
