Rihanna's performance at the 95th Academy Awards has been hailed as a "beautiful" and "heartbreaking" tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Taking to the global stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the singer delighted fans with an incredibly moving performance of 'Lift Me Up' from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, dedicated to the late Chadwick Boseman who passed away in August 2020 after battling colon cancer.
She took to the stage following an emotional introduction from Black Panther star Danai Gurira, who dubbed Rihanna "royalty in her own right."
The rendition was powerful in its nature, with the 35-year-old standing in a black ensemble dotted with silver gems, while an orchestra was positioned behind her. It was truly a sight to see.
Her single from the iconic movie was also nominated for Best Original Song, marking Rihanna’s first Oscar nomination. Sadly, she lost out to the amazing 'Naatu Naatu' by M.M. Keeravani (from RRR).
Check out her performance below:And of course, fans loved the performance.
"All the emotions watching Rihanna’s #Oscar performance. Her vocals are always enchanting. Seeing her pregnant is beautiful. The tribute to Chadwick is heartbreaking," one user wrote while another added: "Stunning performance from Rihanna and a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman."
A third tweeted: "Rihanna did so goood.. you can tell that she’s grown vocally. That was beautiful. RIP Chadwick Boseman."
Prior to her performance, Rihanna also made headlines when she arrived on the beige carpet by giving fans a little glimpse at her growing baby bump.
Sporting a stunning, sheer black Alaïa dress paired with a bold red lip, the 35-year-old musician-turned-beauty-mogul strutted her stuff on the beige carpet. She accessorized with two stand-out diamond rings with large, brown stones as well as diamond-and-emerald drop earrings.
Her hair was pulled up into a spiky bun with a few strands to frame her face, giving her that effortless glam look - which is only to be expected of RiRi.
The Only Girl in the World singer, who was a stand-out performer of the event, was snapped cradling her baby bump, giving her fans a better glimpse at baby number two.