Lift Me Up (Rihanna song)

"Lift Me Up" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna, released on October 28, 2022, through Westbury Road, Roc Nation, and Def Jam. It serves as the lead single from the soundtrack for the 2022 superhero film *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*. The track represents Rihanna’s first solo release in six years, following her 2016 album *Anti*. An R&B ballad, it was co-written by Rihanna, Nigerian singer Tems, and director Ryan Coogler, with production by Ludwig Göransson.

Critical reception was mixed. Some reviewers praised Rihanna’s vocals, while others criticized the lyrics as saccharine and the production as generic. The song earned several film award nominations, including Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards and the 80th Golden Globe Awards. It also won Best Original Song in a Feature Film at the 13th Hollywood Music in Media Awards and Best Song at the 2023 African-American Film Critics Association.

Commercially, "Lift Me Up" reached number one in Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, and South Africa. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, and landed in the top five in Australia, the United Kingdom, and France, as well as the top ten in various other countries. The single received a diamond certification from SNEP, platinum certifications from Music Canada and the RIAA, and a gold certification from the BPI. The music video, directed by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, shows Rihanna on an empty beach interspersed with brief scenes from the film. Rihanna first performed the song live at the 95th Academy Awards.

**Background** After releasing *Anti* in 2016, Rihanna took an extended break from music, though she appeared on collaborations such as “Wild Thoughts,” “Lemon,” “Loyalty,” and “Believe It.” Following the birth of her first child on May 13, 2022, she stated she was working on new music. In October 2022, reports emerged that she had recorded two songs for the *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* soundtrack. On October 26, Rihanna announced the single—her first solo release since “Love on the Brain” in 2016. She also recorded another track for the film, “Born Again.”

**Composition** Described by *Clash* as an “emotive” R&B ballad, “Lift Me Up” serves as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, the star of the original *Black Panther* who died in 2020.