Barbadian singer Rihanna is set to perform at the 95th Academy Awards.
The Wild Thoughts hitmaker will perform her hit song from the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” sequel titled “Lift Me Up.”
This will also be the Grammy Award-winning pop star’s first time performing at the Oscars.
“Lift Me Up” was nominated for Best Original Song — marking it another first for the Barbadian singer. “Wakanda Forever” director Ryan Coogler, composer Ludwig Göransson and Nigerian singer Tems are credited in the single, which reached no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 last November.
The single is up against “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman,” “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR,” and “This Is A Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
It was also Rihanna’s first release after a near-six-year absence, and her Oscars performance will be the first time she’s performed during an awards show since the 2018 Grammys.
“‘Lift Me Up’ is a song that holds great meaning to us as it was written as a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of our friend, the late Chadwick Boseman, and his influence on this film,” Ludwig said in a statement. Chadwick, known for his role as King T’Challa in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” died in 2020 after a four-year battle with cancer.
“It was an honor to work with these incredible musicians in crafting a song for our film and for our friend,” Ryan said in a statement after the nomination. “It was meant to be a tribute to love and the specter of loss, and I couldn’t be happier that it is being recognised.”
The movie earned five nominations in total, including Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Angela Bassett, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects.
The news comes after Rihanna’s performance at the Super Bowl halftime Show which was the first time she performed on stage after nearly seven years. The performance left social media buzzing after she was seen with what appears to be a baby bump while performing on stage.
The pop star’s representative confirmed to CBS News that she was indeed pregnant with baby number two. Rihanna welcomed her first child with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, in May.
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