After a six year musical hiatus, Rihanna released a new song, Lift Me Up, for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Director Ryan Coogler explains how they convinced her to sign on.
(photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
Rihanna has been on a hiatus from her music career for years now. Her last album, Anti, was released in 2016. With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever right around the corner, Rihanna has released a new song, Lift Me Up, which can be heard during the credits of the film.
During the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever press conference, Director Ryan Coogler was asked how he was able to convince Rihanna to come back, at least briefly, and lend her beautiful voice to this film. Coogler claims that he cannot take sole credit for it, stating that Wakanda Forever composer Ludwig Göransson has a lot to do with it, but he also gives Chadwick Boseman some of the credit as well.
“Ludwig was a major factor. Big thanks to Jay Brown at Rock Nation and Jay-Z, who is a friend who helped make the connection.” After giving credit where credit is due though, Coogler goes on to praise Rihanna and her incredible career. “Look, Rihanna has given us a whole career. A whole catalog of music and now she’s given us makeup and clothing. I think the world would understand if she hung up her mic and I completely understand because I love her music so much. I feel like she’s given all that you could ask for.”
Coogler explains that they were looking for a great artist who could help to tell the story of the film while embracing the themes of the film, and present it to the audience in a different package. They wanted someone who could do what Kendrick Lamar did so beautifully with the first film. “This film is different in a sense that it would be a woman. It made sense that it would be someone who could speak to, not necessarily the words, but the feeling of motherhood, because that’s a major, major theme in this film.”
Coogler believes that after Rihanna saw the first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, she was open to discussing lending her voice to Wakanda Forever. “I think that what she saw — the performances that everybody was putting down in the trailer, — kind of put her over the edge.”
Ryan Coogler then confesses something that can bring anyone to tears, she did it for Chadwick Boseman. “The truth is, once she played us the record, she says straight up, I did this for Chad. It was him. Sitting here, thinking about it, is hitting me right now. These four actors that are next to me. I watched you guys work since way before I knew you. Chad brought us all together. He just keeps on giving. So I’m just really thankful that Rihanna was the latest gift to join the family.”
Coogler finishes by saying he can’t wait for everyone to hear how the song is used in the film. Be sure you head to theaters on November 11th so that you can.
NEXT: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever First Reactions Are In!
About Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
In the film, Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. When Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, alerts them to a global threat and his disturbing plan to thwart it, the Wakandans band together with the help of War Dog Nakia and Everett Ross and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters everywhere on November 11, 2022.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.