Can We Please Talk About Rihanna’s New Music & Not Her Body?

Rihanna's performance with Pharrell at the 5th annual Diamond Ball to benefit the Clara Lionel Foundation in NYC on Thursday night was overshadowed by pregnancy rumours after she gave an interview to Essence. A comment the singer made about giving birth to a black woman set Twitter ablaze, with fans scrutinising her physical appearance in search of any signs of pregnancy.

“I am a black woman," Rihanna told Essence on the red carpet. "I come from a black woman, who came from a black woman, who came from a black woman and I’m gonna give birth to a black woman."

It was the fact that she appeared to know the sex of her future child that had people buzzing, and some even claimed her stomach appeared pregnant in photos. However, reps for the singer did not immediately return Refinery29's request for comment, and a video of the singer appearing to sip Champagne has also made the rounds, which would seemingly refute the rumours.

It's frustrating that a night about Rihanna's music was overtaken with comments about her body, especially when she's already been open about the fact that she has gained weight.

"I actually have had the pleasure of a fluctuating body type, where one day I can literally fit into something that is bodycon, and then the next day — the next week — I need something oversized," she told The Cut over the summer.

Plus, what we should really be concerned about is the fact that, according to an interview with Entertainment Tonight earlier this week, there is a new album on the way.

“I still got an album to finish,” she told the outlet when they inquired about her decision to turn down the Super Bowl in 2018. “You gonna ask me about Super Bowl? My fans about to have my neck.”

Rihanna previously said we could expect new music in 2019. There's not much time left, so let's not distract her with baby rumours before the year comes to a close.