Image via Jack Gruber, USA Today
This year, Hollywood’s biggest night added a new star to its program with a performance by Rihanna, who was just a few weeks ago the star of the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Live show.
As previously reported, Rihanna appeared to perform the Best Original Song nomination “Lift Me Up” during the 2023 Academy Awards broadcast. The song is from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever album and was composed by Ludwig Göransson, Tems, Rihanna, and director Ryan Coogler. Tems and Coogler are given credit for the song’s lyrics.
The songs “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, “Naatu Naatu” from RRR, and “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once round out this year’s candidates for Best Original Song.
Raise Me Up was not included in Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime show, which may have been expected coming into the highly anticipated performance. But, she made a great opening statement by delivering a Super Bowl-themed rendition of her 2015 track “Bitch Better Have My Money.” In addition to “Umbrella,” other songs from the live album included “Run This Town,” “Wild Thoughts,” and others.