By 2016, Rihanna had nothing left to prove commercially. With eight consecutive #1 singles and a decade of relentless chart dominance, she could have easily released Unapologetic Part II . Instead, she made us wait. Three years after her last album, through false starts, scrapped sessions (including a rumored dance-pop opus), and a very public war with Kanye West over a sample, she delivered ANTI —a deliberately weird, unpredictable, and deeply personal left turn.
The story behind is primarily one of radical artistic rebellion and a high-stakes release strategy that nearly backfired. After years of releasing a new album almost every November, Rihanna went silent for nearly four years to meticulously craft what she called her "masterpiece". The Braille Cover Art
– The best 80s power-ballad Prince never wrote. A razor-sharp guitar riff, a vulnerable but defiant vocal, and lyrics about sex as emotional suturing. “What are you willing to do?” she purrs. It’s erotic and wounded.
– A 78-second weed-and-R&B interlude. Dreamy, wasted, and gorgeous. It sets the album’s hazy mood perfectly.
– Slow, psychedelic, and explicitly sexual. A cousin to The Weeknd’s Trilogy . She’s in total control, whispering threats and promises.
9.2/10 (Essential listening for any modern music fan) Streaming Tip: Make sure your service lists 16 tracks; if you see only 13, you are listening to the standard edition. You need the Deluxe to truly understand the masterpiece.
This is less a song and more an art piece. It samples Florence + The Machine’s "Only If For A Night." Stripped of the original’s indie rock production, it’s looped with a muted, pounding piano and Rihanna’s ethereal hum. It serves as a perfect bridge between the chaos of "Higher" and the tenderness of "Close to You." For collectors of Rihanna - ANTI -Deluxe- -2016-Album- , this track is the secret handshake.
By 2016, Rihanna had nothing left to prove commercially. With eight consecutive #1 singles and a decade of relentless chart dominance, she could have easily released Unapologetic Part II . Instead, she made us wait. Three years after her last album, through false starts, scrapped sessions (including a rumored dance-pop opus), and a very public war with Kanye West over a sample, she delivered ANTI —a deliberately weird, unpredictable, and deeply personal left turn.
The story behind is primarily one of radical artistic rebellion and a high-stakes release strategy that nearly backfired. After years of releasing a new album almost every November, Rihanna went silent for nearly four years to meticulously craft what she called her "masterpiece". The Braille Cover Art
– The best 80s power-ballad Prince never wrote. A razor-sharp guitar riff, a vulnerable but defiant vocal, and lyrics about sex as emotional suturing. “What are you willing to do?” she purrs. It’s erotic and wounded.
– A 78-second weed-and-R&B interlude. Dreamy, wasted, and gorgeous. It sets the album’s hazy mood perfectly.
– Slow, psychedelic, and explicitly sexual. A cousin to The Weeknd’s Trilogy . She’s in total control, whispering threats and promises.
9.2/10 (Essential listening for any modern music fan) Streaming Tip: Make sure your service lists 16 tracks; if you see only 13, you are listening to the standard edition. You need the Deluxe to truly understand the masterpiece.
This is less a song and more an art piece. It samples Florence + The Machine’s "Only If For A Night." Stripped of the original’s indie rock production, it’s looped with a muted, pounding piano and Rihanna’s ethereal hum. It serves as a perfect bridge between the chaos of "Higher" and the tenderness of "Close to You." For collectors of Rihanna - ANTI -Deluxe- -2016-Album- , this track is the secret handshake.