A$AP Rocky confirmed during an appearance on “The Jason Lee Show” that Rihanna is actively recording, offering the most direct update yet on a follow-up to her 2016 album “ANTI.”

“Nah,” he said in response to speculation that family life had put her music on pause. “She in the studio right now. Yeah, I said it. Sorry, babe.” He added, “Bro, she working. She cooking, no funny. Damn, I’mma get in trouble for this.”

Photo: Gabriel Hutchinson / WikiPortraits

It was a brief comment, but it carried significant weight. Rihanna has not released a full album since “ANTI” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced “Work,” “Needed Me,” and “Love on the Brain.” In the years since, she has built her influence beyond music through Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty, while also embracing motherhood with Rocky, the couple now share three children, RZA, Riot, and Rocki, the couple now have three children, RZA, Riot, and Rocki.

She headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show in 2023, where she revealed her pregnancy with their second child. She later earned an Academy Award nomination for “Lift Me Up,” her contribution to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack in 2022, before lending her vocals to “Friend of Mine” for The Smurfs soundtrack in 2025.

She also made a surprise appearance alongside Jay-Z at his “Extra Innings” concert at Yankee Stadium, where the pair performed “Run This Town” and “Bitch Better Have My Money.”

Those appearances kept fans engaged, but they did not mark the release of a new album. Rocky’s remark suggests that has changed. He framed it as work already in progress, not a plan or a tease.

Photo: Getty images

Rihanna herself has hinted at the same. Earlier this year she posted behind-the-scenes video of a recording session sandwiched between other parts of her day, including preparing a Mardi Gras costume for her son. The footage was casual, but it placed her in the studio in a way fans hadn’t seen in some time.

There is still no title, no release date, and no detail on collaborators or sound. What there is now is confirmation from inside her circle, as A$AP Rocky has revealed that the process is already underway.

For an artist who redefined pop in the 2010s and then stepped back to build businesses and a family, returning to music carries different stakes. The audience is larger, the expectations are higher, and the gap, nearly a decade since “ANTI” – has only amplified both.

Rocky may have spoken out of turn. But if he’s right, and Rihanna is “cooking” in the studio right now, then the conversation shifts from if to when. For a fanbase that has waited since 2016, that is a shift worth noting.

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Ariana Grande shared a teaser for an upcoming music video from the album Petal, in which she appears as a character named Pepper.

In the short black-and-white clip released on Tuesday, July 28, Grande plays an aspiring entertainer arriving for an audition. The scene opens with her walking into a reception area, where she introduces herself to a receptionist who barely acknowledges her. “Hello, I’m Pepper, I’m here for the audition today,” she says, before being told to take a number and wait alongside others. The teaser stops short of revealing what the audition is for.

Photo: Instagram

The visual was shot using VistaVision, a widescreen film format commonly associated with 1950s Hollywood productions. Which contributes to the old-Hollywood atmosphere hinted at in the clip.

In a press release, Grande described Petal as “something that is full of life and growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging.”

The upcoming album Petal is scheduled for release on July 31. The project follows her 2024 album Eternal Sunshine and will feature 12 tracks.

It also includes “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which has already debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is part of her current tour setlist.

Grande first previewed the visual earlier this month during her New York City stop on the Eternal Sunshine tour, where she played a teaser during her performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Photo: Instagram

She later shared the clip on Instagram, tagging director Christian Breslauer, choreographer Will Loftis and longtime collaborator Ilya Salmanzadeh.

The singer is currently on her 41-date tour, which began on June 6 and is set to wrap on September 1, 2026.

Rihanna made a surprise return to the stage during Jay-Z’s “Extra Innings” concert at Yankee Stadium in New York. She delivered her first major live performance in years. The appearance excited fans as they watched two top artists perform together.

This was Rihanna’s first major public live appearance since her Super Bowl halftime show in 2023. She kept a low profile, focusing on her businesses and family life.

Photo: Roc Nation

Rihanna joined Jay-Z during the final night of his three-show Yankee Stadium concert series on July 12. The event celebrated Jay-Z’s career and featured several guests.

The singer walked onto the stage to perform “Run This Town,” the 2009 collaboration between Rihanna, Jay-Z and Kanye West. The performance brought back memories.

After performing alongside Jay-Z, Rihanna continued with her hit song “Bitch Better Have My Money.” The performance allowed fans to see the superstar return to a live stage.

Photo: Roc Nation

Rihanna spoke to the audience about being away from performing for a long time.

Y’all know I’m rusty, right? It’s been a while. Y’all with me right now?” she said.

Before leaving, she told the audience,

“I missed this shit, y’all! New York, I love you guys!”

The concert faced some challenges before the performances began. The show started several hours late after a security issue. Reports said fans were kept waiting outside while officials handled the situation before the concert could begin.

Photo: Roc Nation

Jay-Z apologized when he climbed the stage.

“They closed the door for you guys’ safety and everyone’s safety outside. I don’t want to start the music and people get trampled.

“I’m really sorry for the inconvenience, but I had to make sure everyone was OK,” Jay-Z continued. “I appreciate your patience.”

Beyoncé, Usher, Pharrell Williams and Teyana Taylor also performed at the concert.. However, Rihanna’s surprise performance remained the biggest moment due to her time off music.

Rihanna and Jay-Z have come a long way. Rihanna was signed to Jay-Z’s label. Their latest reunion showed that their connection remains strong.

Rihanna appearance at Yankee Stadium shows she still has it in her. It was a rare return from one of the world’s biggest music stars and a reminder of the excitement that surrounds any future project from the singer.