Sophia Michaels
When the end credits roll on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Rihanna’s voice will flow through the theater. The singer has shared her second single from the highly-anticipated Marvel film’s soundtrack, following up “Lift Me Up” with another range-showcasing ballad, “Born Again.”
Co-written by Rihanna and The-Dream alongside James Fauntleroy and producer Ludwig Göransson, “Born Again” is an ode to resilience and sacrifice in the name of love, whether for a person or a place considered home.
“I’d give my heart to this place/I’d give my soul or whatever it takes, never run away/I’ve got enough angels to storm the gates, I’m not afraid,” Rihanna sings over an intense orchestral arrangement. “And behold the brave, not have it no other away/I miss the emergence and these moments of you/The mere reflection of me, that mirror can’t change its view.”
Like “Lift Me Up,” which was penned with Tems, “Born Again” feels inexplicably connected to the absence of Chadwick Boseman, the original Black Panther, who died in 2020 after a private battle with cancer. His role was not recast, with the cast paying homage to the late actor throughout the promotional cycle for the film.
Rihanna emerged from her unofficial musical hiatus to record the two soundtrack cuts – and to announce that she will headline the Super Bowl 57 halftime show next year. But that doesn’t mean a new album of her own is on the way.
“The second that I announced this, I said, ‘Oh my god, they’re going to think my album is coming. I need to get to work,” Rihanna told The Associated Press in a new interview. “Super Bowl is one thing. New music is another thing. Do you hear that fans?”
Loud and clear.
