Rihanna says new album won't be commercial, reveals eight-year studio journey

Rihanna has provided an update on her forthcoming album, her first since 'Anti' was released in 2016.

In a new interview with Harper's BAZAAR, the artist discussed her creative process over the past eight years. "I've been in the studio the whole eight years. But it didn't hit me. I was searching for it. I went through phases of what I wanted to do. 'This kind of album, not that album'," she said.

The singer elaborated on the direction of the new material, stating: "I know it's not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it's not going to be commercial or radio, digestible. It's going to be where my artistry deserves to be right now. I feel like I've finally cracked it, girl!"

Addressing previous speculation about the album's sound, Rihanna dismissed earlier reports of reggae influences. "Way off! There's no genre now. That's why I waited," she explained. "Every time, I was just like, 'No, it's not me. It's not right. It's not matching my growth. It's not matching my evolution. I can't do this. I can't stand by this. I can't perform this for a year on tour.'"

She continued: "After a while, I looked at it, and I was like, this much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears. It has to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre. After waiting eight years, you might as well just wait some more."