Rihanna’s new record, called Anti, is allegedly coming this Friday. Initially, it’ll be released exclusively on Jay Z’s streaming service, Tidal, before a wide release the following week (December 4) according to Teen Vogue. As previously announced via the New York Post, tech giant Samsung reached a $25 million deal with the 27-year-old Barbados-born singer/songwriter to sponsor the album. Samsung also signed a similar $20 million deal with Jay Z, who runs Roc Nation (which Rihanna is signed to), back in 2013. Notably, though, Rolling Stone notes that while the new album is “impending,” Rihanna hasn’t formally announced the release date.
Associated with the album’s release, Rihanna and Samsung have debuted a mobile-only website called ANTIdiaRy which allows listeners to hear short clips of the album’s tracks by “turn[ing] up the volume to hear the whispers.” The portal was initially announced during a commercial, depicting Rihanna finding a left-behind key in an old house, on the American Music Awards last night.
The ads are the only official word from the Rihanna camp about her first record in nearly three years — although Rihanna has hinted this fall that it is indeed coming soon. “It’s going to be great, that’s all I’m going to tell you and I’m excited about it,” she said earlier this month at a meet-and-greet in Virginia (via CBS). “I try to battle myself and outdo everything I’ve done and that’s been the hardest thing to do,” she continued. “You start overthinking things at times.”
The record’s track list also hasn’t been released, but her recent singles Bitch Better Have My Money, FourFiveSeconds (featuring Kanye West and Paul McCartney), and American Oxygen are likely to be on it. The singer also announced an extensive spring/summer 2016 tour across the U.S. and Europe today.
We’ll keep you updated, but don’t be too surprised if she pulls a Beyonce and “surprise” drops the record this week.
