Rihanna Says R9 Is Still on the Way After Baby No. 3 Reveal: “I Can Still Sing” [Video]

Rihanna knows how to make a moment. Just hours before stepping onto the Met Gala carpet in custom Marc Jacobs, she revealed what fans had been speculating about for weeks. She is pregnant with her third child with partner A$AP Rocky.

But with that news came a wave of questions about music and whether motherhood would push back the long-anticipated arrival of her ninth studio album. Rihanna wasted no time clearing it up.

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“No” she told Entertainment Tonight when asked if the pregnancy meant another delay for R9. “Maybe a couple videos. I can still sing” she added with a grin.

That one comment was enough to set the internet on fire. Rihanna’s confidence was front and center as she glided through the Met Gala in heels and a powerful presence. She said she was feeling good despite the circumstances. “I’m shockingly feeling OK and not too overwhelmed” she shared. “At first it was kinda like ‘Ahhhhhhhh’ and ‘I’m tired’” she admitted. “But then I’m excited.”

A$AP Rocky was just as thrilled to share the news. “We were tired of holding that and it was time to show the people what we was cooking up” he said proudly. “I’m glad everybody’s happy for us because we’re definitely happy.”

Rihanna’s journey as a mother is unfolding right in front of us but the music has never been far from her mind. In her recent Harper’s Bazaar cover story she addressed the pressure of returning with something impactful. “There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited. After a while I looked at it and I was like this much time away from music needs to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre.”

She is not chasing the charts. She is crafting something meaningful. Something that reflects her growth and her legacy.

Congrats, mama!