Rihanna “R8″ | New sound, it’s gonna be “Timeless”

Barbadian pop princess Rihanna has achieved the unthinkable. 2013 was the first year in her musical trajectory that she hasn’t released an album or at least a re-issue. After the promotion of her seventh LP “Unapologetic“, released in November 2012, it was expected that the artist released her eighth LP in 2014, but she decided to extend the Unapologetic promotion releasing “What Now” as her latest single from this era.

That year, she also achieved another number 1 hit with her latest collaboration “The Monster”, included in the eighth album of American rapper Eminem entitled “The Marshall Mathers LP 2“.

Incredible but true, Rihanna takes three years without having released a new album, but you can rest assured that this is about to change. The pop star has worked very hard on her next LP, even without date or title confirmed, it will be released for sure in 2015 via her new label imprint Westbury Road Records.

In early January 2014, one of the producers of the new album, American DJ Mustard confirmed that the singer prepared a new single and that’s a ‘big urban club hit’. The producer is known for producing songs like “Rack City” or more recently, will.i.am’s latest single “Feelin’ Myself“ with the collaboration of Miley Cyrus, French Montana and Wiz Khalifa.

Rihanna has also worked with Kuk Harell and Chase & Status in this upcoming album. They worked with the Barbadian beauty on her album “Rated R“. Hitmaker Kiesza, Calvin Harris and Tinashe also confirmed that they have written songs for the artist, but they don’t know if the tracks eventually become part of the project. American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo also said that this new album is great, but could not give further details.

In the fourth quarter of 2014, Rihanna returned to social media life. Her Instagram account was reactivated, she featured in several magazines cover and especially sang three of her latest hits on stage during this year’s “The Concert For Valor – Saluting American’s Veterans”. Some indicators that encourage the idea that something was about to happen, but finally nothing happened.

According American deejay, television host, producer, and entrepreneur DJ Skee:

That project is a lot closer than anyone realized, including her own record label. Last weekend in New York City, Rihanna took a couple Def Jam executives to a top secret location and played ten new records. So, that means she’s trying to put out a project to capitalize off the fourth quarter craziness. She recorded a song called “(I’ve Been Searching for Something to) Ignite Me“, which might be one of the entertainer’s new singles.

A new track called “Não tenho culpa” was registered in early-December. Apparently, the song is not for R8, it’s just a legal stuff. The single is from a Brazilian group called Calcinha Preta, who sampled Rihanna, so that’s why it is registered. Buf for now, nothing is confirmed about this new registration.

Rihanna did an unexpected fan encounter in Paris on December 18th. The “special event” called “The R8 Experience” was filmed by Jeff Nicholas and for now, is not confirmed the reason for this recording. She said on Instagram:

ran off set of an editorial shoot, straight into the arms of my fans… thank you french navy #r8

The lead single from the album is the song “FourFiveSeconds“, an acoustic-folk track with the collaboration of Paul McCartney and Kanye West, released by surprise on digital retailers on 24 January 2015.

During GRAMMYs red carpet, Kanye West confirmed that he is the executive producer of the album and he also claimed to have no idea when the record will drop.

During MTV interview, American hip-hop recording artist and OVO Sound-signed rising star ILOVEMAKONNEN confirmed that he has been working with Rihanna. He said,

I’m collaborating with a lot of different artists: Diplo; Skrillex; Snoop Dogg; Drake, of course; Rihanna. I love Rihanna.

Rihanna created more hype after sharing some new material on Instagram early March 2015, including new tracks called “Higher” and “American Oxygen“, which is featured on NCAA March Madness commerical.

During a recent interview with MTV to promote the movie “HOME”, Rihanna has finally opens about her new album. She said:

I wanted songs that I could perform in 15 years; I wanted an album that I could perform in 15 years. Not any songs that were burnt out. I find that when I get on stage now, I don’t want to perform a lot of my songs. They don’t feel like me. So I want to make songs that are timeless

American Oxygen (Snippet)

Higher (Snippet #1)

Higher (Snippet #2)

Confirmed/Registrered tracks: (source | source)

FourFiveSeconds (feat. Kanye West & Paul McCartney) | Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Kirby Lauryen, Mike Dean, Tyrone Griffin, Dave Longstreth, Dallas Austin, Elon Rutberg, Noah Goldstein
Never Ending | Dido Armstrong, Paul Herman, Robyn Fenty, Chad Sabo
Kiss It Better | Natalia Cappucini, John Glass, Robyn Fenty, Jeff Bhasker
Love On the Brain | Alexander Angel, Fred Ball, Robyn Fenty
A Night | Robyn Fenty Christian Keyon Jr. Boggs, Florence Welch, Paul Epworth (sampling “Only If For A Night” by Florence + The Machine)
Drop That | Robyn Fenty, Jacob Plant
Intoxicated | Daniel Andrew Luttrell
Overload | Daniel Andrew Luttrell
Transducer | Daniel Andrew Luttrell
I Saw a Girl | Tha Drummahz, Noel Fisher
Ehh | Eleiseo Deleon Perfecto
Burritos | Giorgio Tuinfort
World Peace | Kevin Erondu LEAKED
Drive Alone | Alexander Joseph Delicata, Priscilla Hamilton, Andrew Ascap Harr, Jermaine Jackson
Não tenho culpa (Not My Fault) | Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Robyn Fenty, Gilton Andrade, James Edward Fauntleroy II
Higher
American Oxygen | Robyn Fenty, Candice Pillay, Sam Harris, Alex Da Kid
All Night
Ignite Me
Where I Belong