The 95th Academy Awards will feature some major international star power. Barbadian singer Rihanna will perform “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at this year’s Oscar ceremony.
“Lift Me Up” scored a 2023 Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Rihanna, Tems, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Göransson are nominated in the category as the record’s songwriters.
Upon its release in October 2022, “Lift Me Up” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The Ludwig Göransson-produced track became Rihanna’s 32nd Top 10 entry.
Additionally, “Lift Me Up” made it to No. 3 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and the Billboard Global Excluding US chart. The song’s official music video has collected more than 89 million views on YouTube.
“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 are also competing for the next Best Original Song Oscar.
According to GoldDerby, “Naatu Naatu” is currently the favorite to win the Academy Award with “Lift Me Up” projected for a runners-up placement. The NAACP Image Awards did reward Rihanna with the Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album honor earlier this week.
With her upcoming performance at the Academy Awards on March 12, Rihanna will take part in a second high-profile television showcase in 2023. The 35-year-old billionaire headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show on February 12.
Rihanna’s streaming numbers skyrocketed following her Super Bowl LVII set. The two-day totals rose 140% after she hit the stage at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. In addition, Riri’s Anti album jumped back into the Billboard 200 chart’s Top 10 for the first time since its release in 2016.