Rihanna, 'Lift Me Up'

https://www.npr.org/sections/now-playing/2022/10/28/ [login to see] /rihanna-lift-me-up
This is not a drill. After years of speculation and frustration from fans, Rihanna has finally returned to music. Her signature vocals float effortlessly atop "Lift Me Up," a beautiful ballad and the lead single from Marvel's upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. It's been nearly seven years since Bad Gyal Riri's record-smashing album ANTI dropped in 2016, and well over two years since we've even gotten as much as a hook out of the pop princess turned mogul with her feature on PartyNextDoor's 2020 single "Believe It."

Co-written by Tems, Ludwig Göransson and director Ryan Coogler, "Lift Me Up" is a tribute to the life and legacy of actor Chadwick Boseman who died in 2020, as his role playing King T'Challa/Black Panther affixed him as an iconic figure to the Black community. "Lift Me Up" is tender at its core, Rihanna's vocals paired with sentimental lyrics taking center stage among a swirling interplay of strings. "Burning in a hopeless dream / Hold me when you go to sleep," she sings. "Keep me in the warmth of your love / When you depart, keep me safe / Safe and sound."