Rihanna “R8″ | “A Night” (Preview)

Bajan 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.

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, which Kanye West is executive producer, even without date or title confirmed, it will be released for sure in 2015 via her new label imprint Westbury Road Records. The long-long-long awaited “R8” is coming for REAL.

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. 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.

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 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

On 23 March, Rihanna shared a new photo on Instagram with American rapper Travi$ Scott with the tag #R8.

The second official single is the track “Bitch Better Have My Money“, released on digital retailers on 26 March 2015.

During iHeart Radio Awards, American producer Rey Reel confirmed she has working with Rihanna in a new “crazy” song co-written with Candace Wakefield.

A snippet of new track “A Night“, sampling “Only If For A Night” by Florence + The Machine was exclusively premiered on Dior FW 2015 behind the scenes video starring Rihanna.

American Oxygen (Extended Snippet)

A Night (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
American Oxygen | Robyn Fenty, Candice Pillay, Sam Harris, Alex Da Kid
Bitch Better Have My Money | Robyn Fenty, Jamille Pierre, Badrilla Bourelly, Travis Scott
Higher | Robyn Fenty, Bibi Bourelly
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
All Night
Ignite Me
Where I Belong