What Could Rihanna Be Doing in the Studio?

Rihanna has done it again. Without announcing dates, titles or cover art, the artist managed to set the internet alight with something as simple as a peek into her nighttime routine. In a video shared yesterday on her Instagram account, she showed what “a night in her life” looks like and, between Savage x Fenty meetings, late-night coffee and finishing her son’s costume, she dropped the detail that set alarm bells ringing: several hours spent in the recording studio.

In the clip, Rihanna is seen heading out at around 9 p.m. for a meeting related to her brand, mentioning that she would be stopping by the studio afterwards before returning home to complete a Mardi Gras costume. By around 2 a.m., she appears working in the studio, where she stayed for three to four hours. Amid laughter and conversations with her team — including an enigmatic “Yesterday’s price is not today’s price” — the singer made it clear that, despite her packed schedule, music still holds an important place in her life.

Unsurprisingly, fans were quick to lose their composure. The mere mention of the word “studio” was enough to flood social media with capital letters, question marks and desperate pleas. “STUDIO??????” appeared repeatedly in the comments as though it were a divine signal. Even the official Grammys account joined in, joking that the word had activated everyone “like a sleeper cell”. The collective reaction made one thing clear: anticipation for her ninth album — popularly dubbed “R9” — is very much alive.

It has been nearly a decade since Anti was released, and Rihanna has hardly been idle in that time. Between expanding Savage x Fenty, delivering her historic Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance and building a life with A$AP Rocky and their three children, music seemed to be moving at its own pace. While there are still no confirmed dates or official announcements, ‘R9’ may well be closer than you think.

Rihanna: how to remain the ultimate pop star without releasing an album in 10 years.