Fresh off her headlining performance at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, Rihanna returned to the stage at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony tonight (March 12) to perform the final best original song nominee of the night, “Lift Me Up.”
The track is featured in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and is one of two songs the singer contributed to the film. “Lift Me Up” was co-written by Rihanna alongside Nigerian singer/songwriter Tems, the film’s director Ryan Coogler, and Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson.
Introduced as “royalty in her own right,” the diamond-clad Rihanna delivered an emotional performance backed by a full band and string orchestra of the song, written as a tribute to late Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman. Afterwards, Rihanna received a standing ovation and a champagne flute cheers from partner A$AP Rocky in the crowd.
Watch @Rihanna’s full performance of “Lift Me Up” at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/dl9jRmtreG
— RihannaDaily.com (@RihannaDaily) March 13, 2023
Rihanna’s show-stopping appearance during the Super Bowl Halftime Show last month was her first time taking the stage in seven years. During it, she shocked audiences by coyly announcing she was pregnant with her second child during the set.
