Rihanna is making a soundtrack album. In addition to a much-anticipated eighth studio LP, the pop star has collaborated with David Guetta on what’s thought to be a new Dreamworks cartoon.
Guetta, who has produced two of Rihanna’s previous top 40 singles, revealed to The Daily Star that he had recently “done a couple of tracks” for the singer. But the work was neither for Guetta’s new album nor Rihanna’s follow-up to Unapologetic. “She’s doing a film and the music is for the soundtrack to that film,” he said. “It’s quite different.”
Although most outlets have greeted this news with confusion, there is actually a likely explanation. Nine months ago, Dreamworks Animation boss Jeffrey Katzenberg told Variety that Rihanna had agreed to “create a concept album” for their upcoming movie, Home. The 26-year-old was already set to lend her voice to the picture alongside Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez; she would also allegedly write, record and perform new songs.
At the time, Home was due to be released on November 26. Directed by Antz helmer Tim Johnson and based on Adam Rex’s children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday, Home has now been pushed back to March 2015. According to Dreamworks, it tells the story of the “resourceful” Tip, reportedly played by Rihanna, as she tries to save humanity from an alien species called the Boov.
It has taken an uncharacteristically long time for Rihanna’s latest album to see the light of day. Apart from 2008, the Barbadian singer released a new full-length every year from 2005 and 2012. The new one is out “very soon”, Rihanna told ET in mid-November. “I’m really excited about the music that we’ve been working on, so I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
She has reportedly been working with producers and songwriters including Kiesza, DJ Mustard and Stargate. 2012’s Unapologetic debuted at No 1 in the UK, spawning two top five singles: Stay and Diamonds.
