Rihanna has achieved another milestone with her first Academy Awards nomination for her recent single “Lift Me Up.”
The moving tribute track, dedicated to the late Chadwick Boseman, was featured in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and will be competing in the Best Original Song category. Alongside Rihanna, co-writers Ryan Coogler, who directed the film, Tems, and producer Ludwig Goransson will also be credited.
Rihanna faces fierce competition from pop icon Lady Gaga for her contribution to Top Gun: Maverick with “Hold My Hand” and Diane Warren’s “Applause” from Tell It Like A Woman. Warren’s 14th nomination in the category makes her a formidable opponent.
Taylor Swift was unfortunately overlooked for her first Academy Awards nomination for Where the Crawdads Sing’s “Carolina”, which didn’t make the final cut, despite being included on the original shortlist.
The Oscars will take place on March 12th, but before then, Rihanna is set to return to the stage for the Super Bowl LVII halftime show at State Farm Stadium on February 12th. This will mark her first appearance at the Super Bowl and first major performance since the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, where she performed a medley of her biggest hits and received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
