Rihanna’s Comeback Single ‘Friend of Mine’ Gets Mixed Reactions from Fans

• Music star Rihanna divided fans’ opinions after the release of her new song ‘Friend of Mine’, the soundtrack to the new movie 'Smurfs'
• The song ends a three-year hiatus, while the 37-year-old recently announced the arrival of her third child
• Fans worldwide reacted on social media to criticize the song, while others said they will keep the new track on repeat

Following her three-year hiatus, Rihanna released a new song, Friend of Mine, that has divided her fans worldwide.

The new song from the Caribbean songstress will feature as the soundtrack to the animated movie Smurfs, which will come out in cinemas on Friday, 18 July 2025.

Having made her mark on the music scene with hits such as Wild Thoughts and Umbrella, the 37-year-old star returns to the spotlight with her new song and her role as Smurfette in the movie.

Rihanna returns to the music and movie world with Smurfs project

Watch the clip of the new song in the video below:

The new song will feature on the official soundtrack album, which will reportedly feature South African artist Tyla.

Following the release of the song, fans noted Rihanna’s decision to work on the new animated movie, saying she has embraced motherhood.

Watch the 'Smurfs' trailer in the video below:

The 37-year-old is a proud mother of two and recently announced the expected arrival of her third child after fans noticed her baby bump.

Rihanna’s new hit divides fans

Music lovers worldwide reacted on social media to show they are divided about the new song, with some saying they will keep it on repeat, while others said they were not impressed.

Eminitybaba is on the fence:

“Not what we asked for, but we'll take it, dear.”

JackiePhamotse did not like the song:

“Damn the auto tune is horrible.”

kelow_C said the song is for children:

“We are all In our parent era. Stream the song for the kids I mean it is a kids bop.”

Ardavan_loved the song:

“Amazing.”

TylerWorrell17 is a friend of Rihanna:

“Girl, imma have this on loop until the next singles come out.”

HARRYSHOUSE3 was not impressed:

“Girl, this is horrible.”

Lucyyylua asked a question:

“Why Smurfs?”

Jekzcharlez shared their view:

“This release is part of a broader trend where artists like Rihanna leverage movie soundtracks to re-enter the music scene, potentially influencing future music industry strategies by integrating film and music promotions, as seen with her previous work on the Black Panther soundtrack with Lift Me Up in 2022.”

Visse_ss said Rihanna needs to consider a new line of work:

“She's finished this one.”

FERR0D said Rihanna is taking a risk:

“Lol, you are playing with your fans’ hearts.”

Rihanna defends her children’s names

As reported by Briefly News, global superstar Rihanna clapped back at fan criticism over her children’s names, RZA and Riot.

The 'Umbrella' hitmaker defended the decision to name her children whatever she wants, and recently announced the expected arrival of her third child.

Source: Briefly News