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Rihanna attends the "Smurfs" Global Premiere at Mont des Arts on June 28

Is Rihanna Releasing a New Song this Summer?

Even though she hasn’t released a full album in nearly 9 years, the Barbados-born singer has been quietly putting out songs through her film projects, like 'Smurfs'

Archivado en: Films  •   Rihanna  •  

Rihanna has found a fresh way to drop new music: through movie soundtracks. Even though she hasn’t released a full album in nearly 9 years, the Barbados-born singer has been quietly putting out songs through her film projects. This year, we got to hear her latest collaboration with the new Smurfs movie, where she also voices Smurfette in the original version. Her track “Friend of Mine” marked her musical comeback after contributing to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack in 2022.

But there’s more. “Friend of Mine” isn’t the only Rihanna song in Smurfs. The singer also recorded a heartfelt ballad exclusively for this movie, which hits theaters this Friday, July 18.

The song plays during a touching scene where Smurfette shows another Smurf the wonders of their world — strolling among stars and even slipping into a kangaroo’s pouch.

This new song highlights Rihanna’s powerful vocal ability, something that wasn’t as evident in “Friend of Mine,” and fans have been loving it. It’s genuinely exciting to hear Rihanna return to her ballad roots — the track fits her perfectly and showcases her emotional range.

About the New Smurfs Movie

Smurfs, is a full reboot of the beloved animated franchise. Directed by Chris Miller, the film blends cutting-edge animation with live-action and tells an original story that sends the iconic blue characters into alternate universes. The plot kicks off when Papa Smurf is kidnapped by the villains Gargamel and Razzle, prompting Smurfette to lead an epic rescue mission across diverse locations like the Smurf village forest, the Australian outback, and Paris.

Rihanna, who voices Smurfette and also serves as a producer, contributes the original song “Friend of Mine” to the soundtrack.

In addition to her starring role, Rihanna has been praised for bringing a feminist perspective to Smurfette’s character, breaking away from the traditional “Smurfette Principle” — the idea of having a single female character in an otherwise male group.

The star-studded cast includes James Corden, Octavia Spencer, and Sandra Oh, promising a fun family movie experience this summer.