
ANTi is Rihannaâs eighth studio album released on January 28, 2016.
The album spawned the number one Drake assisted hit âWork,â which as of April 18th 2016, has spent nine consecutive weeks atop of Billboard Hot 100.
The album spawned the number one Drake assisted hit âWork,â which as of April 18th 2016, has spent nine consecutive weeks atop of Billboard Hot 100.
CONSIDERATION FT. SZA â Rihanna considers the scope of her career. She wants to be considered a serious artist, not just an entertainer, which Rih means writing and producing her own work. Itâs about her maturing as an artist.
JAMES JOINT (Interlude) â The name âJames Jointâ is due to the fact that it was co-written by James Fauntleroy. He confirmed on Twitter that the track was named for him. It can be a love song or just about weed...maybe both.
KISS IT BETTER - Rihanna wants her ex to âkiss it betterââwith the âitâ not being the lipsâbecause she wants to rekindle their relationship, although not necessarily romantically. They wonât look into each eyes yet.
WORK FT. DRAKE - Rihanna seeks a deep meaningful connection, however the male character she sings to (Played by Drake) is only interested in something superficial. This narrative is similar to their previous collaborations 2010's âWhatâs My Nameâ and âTake Careâ.
DESPERADO - She sings about a âDesperadoâ (someone in the run), either literally or metaphorically. She struggles in their relationship and wonders whether she can run away with him or if she will get left behind. She is forceful and vulnerable.
WOO â begins with Rihanna singing jealously to an ex about his new girl, telling him to âSend for me.â But by the end sheâs asserted her independence once again: âI donât even care about you no more,â she sings.
NEEDED ME â Rihanna doesnât need a prince charming. Her suitors are acting a fool if they think they can âwooâ her. You just donât try to tame a bad bitchâyouâll end up as hurt as the guys that came before you.
YEAH, I SAID IT - finds Rihanna in full blown sex mode, detailing her desire for an aggressive romp in the bedroom but without asking for any sort of relationship status (âwe donât need a titleâ).
SAME OL MISTAKES â Same Olâ Mistakes,â is a cover of Tame Impalaâs 2015 Currents closer âNew Person, Same Old Mistakes.â . The impulse to change and the fear of changing too much are at odds until the bridge, which suggests some synthesis.
NEVER ENDING â this track deals with the conflicting feelings that come with falling in love again after a torturous break-up. The refrain, too, wants to keep things simple: âIt doesnât have to feel so strange to be in love again.â
LOVE ON THE BRAIN â it is about a love sick addiction to those chemically derived emotions our brains use to convince us we are codependent upon and thus bound by an unrelenting need for a manâs âconditional love.â
HIGHER â Rihanna compared the song to âa drunk voicemailâ in Vogueâs April 2016 cover story:
You know heâs wrong, and then you get drunk and youâre like, âI could forgive him. I could call him. I could make up with him.â Just, desperate.
You know heâs wrong, and then you get drunk and youâre like, âI could forgive him. I could call him. I could make up with him.â Just, desperate.
CLOSE TO YOU â Lyrically, the song deals with the singerâs struggle to move on from a past love. Even that her partner is unaffected by their breakup, she feels the need to shower him with love and attention.
GOODNIGHT GOTHAM â In 2015, it served as the music for Christian Diorâs ad âSecret Garden 4,â also starring Rihanna. The song does not feature any vocals from the singer herself, but contains a sample of Florence and the Machineâs âOnly If For a Night.â