A$AP Rocky says Rihanna is working in the studio, raising hopes of her first album since 2016

Rihanna could finally be moving closer to ending one of music’s longest waits after A$AP Rocky said she is back in the studio.

The rapper made the comment during an appearance on The Jason Lee podcast, where he was asked about the long delay since Rihanna’s last full album. His answer was simple, but it was enough to restart excitement among fans.

“She in the studio right now,” he said.

For fans waiting on a real Rihanna album update, that short line was enough to raise hopes that her first full record since Anti in 2016 may finally be moving closer.

Since Anti, the Barbadian singer, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, has released individual songs and film tracks, but not a complete studio album. That long gap has made every hint about new music feel significant.

A$AP Rocky did not reveal a title, release date or sound for the possible project. He also rejected the idea that he and Rihanna were working on a joint double album.

But when asked again about the possibility of new music, he added that she was “cooking”.

The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, appeared to realise he may have said more than planned. “Yeah I said it, sorry babe,” he joked, adding that he would “get in trouble for this”.

Rihanna’s absence from full-length albums has become one of the biggest talking points in pop music. Anti remains one of her most admired records, and many fans have spent years wondering what direction she would take next.

That album marked a more mature and experimental phase in her career. It moved her beyond radio hits and chart-dominating singles, showing a different side of her sound and image.

The new comments also follow Rihanna’s own remarks from last year, when she said she felt “really optimistic” about another album. At the time, she suggested she had finally worked out the direction of the project.

She also made clear that she would not release music simply to satisfy demand. After years of waiting, Rihanna said there was no point putting out anything “mediocre”.

That may help explain the long delay. Since Anti, Rihanna has built a huge business empire and a family life with A$AP Rocky. The couple share three children, and her work outside music has become a major part of her public identity.

Her Fenty Beauty brand helped turn her into one of the most successful celebrity business figures in the world. She has also expanded into lingerie and other ventures, with her net worth estimated at more than a billion dollars.

Still, music has never completely disappeared from her career. Rihanna released Lift Me Up in 2022 for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, reminding fans of her voice and renewing interest in a full return.

A$AP Rocky’s comments do not confirm that a new Rihanna album is finished. They also do not confirm when anything might be released. But the fact that he placed her in the studio gives the rumours more weight than usual.

During the same interview, he was asked whether he was the reason fans still did not have new music from Rihanna, with the host pointing to the couple’s children and travel. Rocky rejected that idea and said she was actively working.

He also refused to say whether he and Rihanna had married, keeping another part of their private life unanswered.

For now, fans only have a hint. But after nearly a decade without a full album, even a hint from the person closest to Rihanna is enough to restart the countdown.