Rihanna may be closer than ever to ending a wait that has stretched almost ten years, according to her partner A$AP Rocky.

Speaking on The Jason Lee Show this week, the rapper let slip that the singer is back at work on new music. He seemed to know the comment would spread fast, joking that he would likely face some backlash at home for saying it out loud.

A long awaited album

Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Fenty, has not released a full length project since 2016’s Anti. In the years since, she has released occasional singles tied to film releases, including Lift Me Up from Black Panther Wakanda Forever, but nothing resembling a complete album.

When the host pressed Rocky on whether family life and the couple’s busy travel schedule were behind the delay, he pushed back gently, framing the wait as more about timing than distraction. He also shut down the idea of the two recording together, insisting their styles are too different for a joint project to work. Rocky described his own sound as niche and experimental, arguing that pairing it with Rihanna’s mainstream appeal would do a disservice to both.

Rihanna hints at what comes next

The singer herself has hinted before that new material was coming. In an interview last year, she said she finally felt she had found the right direction for the project after years of trial and error. She has also said she refuses to release anything that feels average, explaining that after such a long gap, waiting a little longer matters more than rushing something out.

Since stepping back from full length releases, Rihanna has built out a business empire that now includes her cosmetics line Fenty Beauty and a lingerie brand, pushing her estimated net worth past a billion dollars according to Forbes. She and Rocky share three children, and the couple has largely kept details of their relationship, including whether they have married, out of the public eye.

A relationship built on support

Beyond the music talk, Rocky has recently opened up about how central Rihanna has been to him during difficult periods in his life. He has described her as the first person to show up when his father died in 2012, recalling how she arrived at his hotel room in Paris without him even remembering how she got a key.

He has also spoken about losing his older brother Ricky when he was a teenager, saying the loss shaped his decision to leave street life behind and focus on music instead. Those experiences, he has said, taught him not to take the people closest to him for granted.

Fans wait for confirmation

No release date, title or further details about the new project have been shared. Still, Rocky’s comments mark the clearest sign yet that Rihanna’s long musical silence may not last much longer, giving fans reason to expect an announcement in the coming months rather than another prolonged wait.