Rihanna Fuels New Album Rumors After Being Spotted In The Recording Studio ‘All Week’

It’s been well over a year since Rihanna released her eighth studio album, Anti, and while the songstress has stayed busy with her various fashion, television, and film projects, it looks as though Rihanna has finally made her return to the recording studio.

After previously teasing fans with the news that she had already begun work on her follow-up album to 2016’s Anti, it appears that Rihanna is now shifting her focus back to music after a whirlwind year of television and film projects, including a guest-starring role on Bates Motel, Ocean’s 8, and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

Earlier this week, DJ Khaled took to Instagram to announce that he and Rihanna have a new collaboration in the works for his upcoming album, Grateful, albeit neglecting to offer an official title or release date for the exciting project.

Khaled took to his social media account on Thursday to make the announcement, alongside several images of the “Needed Me” singer, before going on to gush over Rihanna in the caption of his posts.

“THEY SAID KHALED CANT GET @badgalriri Vocals! Tell THEY I SAID HI!!!!” DJ Khaled began in his post. “GOD IS THE GREATEST!!!!!!!!!!!!! #FANLUV!!! Release date for #GRATEFUL SOON COME!! REAL SOON!!! @wethebestmusic @rocnation @epicrecords!!!!!!!! #BREREADY!!”

The following day, DJ Khaled shared an update on the status of his impending record with Rihanna, taking once again to Instagram to tell followers that Rihanna had finished recording her vocals for their impending collaboration.

“Fan luv!!!!! @badgalriri vocals is in! And you sound so amazing!!” DJ Khaled explained. “Wow cant wait for you to hear what I’m hearing.. fan luv I promise you release date soon reach!!! @wethebestmusic @epicrecords @rocnation #GRATEFUL.”

While fans eagerly await confirmation of a release date from DJ Khaled regarding his new album, it looks as though Rihanna may be busy working on her own record as Twitter users report having seen the songstress in the recording studio frequently over the past week.

On Thursday, a Twitter user by the name @chadfrombrain took to the social media site to note that Rihanna had been in the recording studio above him and friend @smokepurpp “all week,” thereby fueling reports suggesting that Rihanna may have been working on more than just her collaboration with Khaled.

.@rihanna has been in the studio above me and @smokepurpp all week.we ate all her oreos in hopes that she’d come down and yell at us.????

— limited daps (@chadfrombrain) May 25, 2017

“.@rihanna has been in the studio above me and @smokepurpp all week,” the Twitter user explained. “We ate all her oreos in the hopes that she’d come down and yell at us.”

While the user didn’t report on whether or not he got the opportunity to meet Rihanna, the recent sighting did further fuel claims suggesting that Rihanna has already begun working on her ninth studio album, a rumor that Rihanna personally confirmed to fans late last year.

After observant fans discovered that Rihanna had already begun the process of registering new tracks on BPI in April 2016, including songs titled “Lock and Key,” “Body Language,” and “Joyride,” rumors of a possible second installment to Rihanna’s Anti began making the rounds on social media.

With speculation suggesting that an Anti Part 2 album would arrive following the conclusion of Rihanna’s “Anti World Tour” last year, one fan took to Instagram to inquire about the new album rumors via a direct message to Rihanna on Instagram.

New Rihanna songs have been registered. “Shotgun” (feat. J.Cole), “Joyride”, “Mayday” and “Body Language”. #R9 pic.twitter.com/qTyPUdq5l8

— RihannaViva (@RihannaViva) August 17, 2016

“Boo are the rumours about an anti part 2 true?” the fan asked Rihanna via the social media site, prompting Rihanna to reply, “No! Workin on R9 *winking emoji*.”

While it’s unclear when Rihanna’s new album may arrive, producer Cardo previously hinted to Complex UK that he and Rihanna have been in the studio working on a new song together, albeit neglecting to offer a title or release date for the track.

“There’s so many records we’ve been working on that’s about to come out,” Cardo told the site.

“I can’t say anything beyond that, but we got a record with Rihanna. That’s all I can say. I can’t say anything more, but there’s a Rihanna and Cardo record.”

When further pressed for details about the record, Cardo revealed that the song in question is actually Rihanna’s song and was originally intended to appear on Anti prior to its January 2016 release.

“It was for Anti, but there’s another Anti. I don’t know if it’s official, but I know we have a record. I’ve been working with J. Cole. We’ve got some s*** in the chamber. PARTYNEXTDOOR too,” Cardo concluded.

Although it’s unclear whether or not Rihanna and Cardo’s track will appear on her new album, observant fans also pointed out that shortly after Cardo’s interview with Complex was published, Rihanna registered two additional tracks on BPI including one titled “Shotgun,” which lists J. Cole as a feature on the project.

What do you think of the rumors suggesting Rihanna’s working on a new album?

[Featured Image by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images]