Rihanna Says She’s Retired From “Dressing Up,” Not Music, Talks Plans To “Start Over” With ‘R9’

Rihanna sent The Navy into a frenzy after she was seen rocking a t-shirt that read, “I’m retired.” However, the mother of two is clarifying what all of that controversy actually means.

At the Fenty Hair launch on Monday night (June 10), Extra asked Rih about the shirt. First, the Anti singer joked, “Wait for the ‘I Quit’ T-shirt.”

“That was just me looking into the future. I’m not retired. I just like that dress. I got it as a gift and I loved it. They didn’t read the second line. I’m not retired, I’m just retired from dressing up — it’s a lot of effort.”

She was later asked about having a daughter and for Rihanna, she would love to have a “spicy, little girl” because it “would be so fun.”

The Bajan icon also spoke on her making history as the female artist with the most Diamond-certified records under the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Of the monumental feat, the “Kiss It Better” singer expressed, “It really was a testament to my fans and the quality of music, just a reminder of how I need to approach my next album. I want things to be timeless, just like ‘Diamonds’… The way my fans have continued to listen to my music without me putting music out. Hitting records when you are in a whole ’nother head space is nuts. It’s just a testament to them, they are loyal.”

Her diehard fanbase will also be relieved to know that Rihanna’s long-awaited ninth studio album is on the way. At the launch event, she told Entertainment Tonight, “Music for me is a new discovery. I’m rediscovering things. I have been working on the album for so long that I kind of just put all that stuff aside.”

Continuing, “Now I’m prepared to go back into the studio. Now I’m prepared. So I’m gonna start.” 

Rih did confirm that she’s “starting over” with R9, but “I don’t wanna neglect the songs that I have. So I wanna go back and listen to stuff with new ears with my new perspective and see what applies and what I still am in love with.” She made a joke during the event about the album, teasing, “[Fenty Hair] is probably the longest I’ve ever taken to create something. No, I lied — that’s R9.”