Rihanna to Perform Oscar-Nominated Song “Lift Me Up” at 95th Academy Awards

Pop superstar Rihanna is set to perform the Oscar-nominated song “Lift Me Up” from Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner announced on Thursday, February 23.^[0] Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 12, 2023.^[0]

In a 2022 press statement, Tems, co-songwriter of Rihanna's “Lift Me Up” said, “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”^[1]

The ballad, co-written by Rihanna, Tems, Ludwig Göransson and the film’s director Ryan Coogler, is nominated for best original song at this year’s Oscars, marking Rihanna’s first-ever Academy Award nomination.^[2] It is also the first Oscar nomination for the other nominees in the category, which include Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Naatu Naatu” from RRR by M.M. Keeravani and Chandrabose, as well as Diane Warren for “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman” and Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski for “This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”^[3]

Rihanna has won nine Grammy Awards. She has achieved eight multi-platinum albums and had fourteen singles that topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With her performance at the Oscars, Rihanna joins the likes of Beyonce and Lady Gaga, who both dazzled as musical guests on the Academy Award stage in recent years.^[4]

0. “Rihanna to Perform at Oscars” Variety, 23 Feb. 2023, https://variety.com/2023/music/news/rihanna-oscars-perform-lift-me-up-wakanda-forever-1235533508

1. “Rihanna Will Perform at the Academy Awards” IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.indiewire.com/2023/02/rihanna-perform-lift-me-up-2023-oscars-1234812696/

2. “Rihanna to perform ‘Lift Me Up' at 2023 Oscars” GMA, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/rihanna-perform-lift-2023-oscars-97418130

3. “Rihanna to Perform ‘Black Panther 2' Hit ‘Lift Me Up' at 2023 Oscars” PEOPLE, 23 Feb. 2023, https://people.com/music/rihanna-to-perform-nominated-hit-lift-me-up-at-2023-oscars/

4. “Rihanna to perform Lift Me Up at the Oscars” BBC, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64727715