At this point, it’s been something of a meme for five-plus years to ask Rihanna when she is releasing new music. Her last album was 2016’s Anti, and since then she’s only released a couple of guest appearances (“Loyalty,” from three Kendrick Lamar albums ago, “Believe It” with PARTYNEXTDOOR) and soundtrack contributions (the Oscar-nominated ballad “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). This morning sees a somewhat bizarre new addition into this collection.
When Rihanna was announced as part of the cast of Smurfs, it was immediately hoped that she would also be releasing new music for its soundtrack. It would probably be something light and poppy, like Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” from Trolls or Britney Spears’ “Ooh La La” from a different Smurfs movie (2013’s The Smurfs 2). Rihanna has instead opted for “Friend Of Mine,” a fairly deep house cut that features a pretty limited vocal line. It’s a pretty neat track, even if it’s one that, at first glance, might feel more at home in a nightclub than Smurfs.
But Smurfs-heads who recall the movie’s first teaser from February would know that the plot of Smurfs is apparently kicked off when a bespoke party with a DJ, underscoring the flawless fun life in the Smurf village, is interrupted. It does resemble the party that kicked off Barbie, which featured Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night.” Barbieland was all about disco, but apparently those Euro Smurfs have moved onto house.
