Rihanna’s New Album Coming ‘Soon,’ ‘BBHMM’ Singer Dishes On ‘Anti’ Release During Diamond Ball

Rihanna may have played the part of hostess during last night’s 2^nd Annual Diamond Ball charity gala to benefit the Clara Lionel Foundation, but that didn’t stop some reporters from inquiring about the imminent release of Rihanna’s new album, Anti.

Rihanna arrived on the red carpet at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California on Thursday while donning a show-stopping, golden-metallic Dior gown with coordinating heels and a matching shawl.

During a brief interview with ET‘s Kevin Frazier on the red carpet prior to the event, Rihanna gushed over her family while also dropping some hints about when fans can expect to see Anti arrive in stores.

The Clara Lionel Foundation, which was founded by Rihanna in 2012 in honor of her grandparents Clara and Lionel Brathwaite, aims to improve the quality of life for underprivileged communities by supporting programs focusing on health, education, the arts, and culture.

Speaking about her grandmother as an inspiration for the charity gala, Rihanna admits, “She is definitely here in spirit and she feels delighted to be a part of such a great cause, raising money in her honor, to help, save and change many lives.”

In addition to her grandmother, Rihanna also opens up about her role as an aunt to 18-month-old Majesty, who is the daughter of Rihanna’s cousin, Noella Alstrom.

“Majesty is a feisty one, just like all the women in my family,” Rihanna explained after taking several red carpet photos with her niece. “She already has her personalities. It’s so cute.”

While Rihanna was open to gushing over her family, the “BBHMM” singer was not so eager to discuss the rumors surrounding the release of her eighth studio album.

When asked for a tentative release date for Anti, Rihanna simply replied, “The album is coming soon,” before smiling and walking away from the camera.

“When is that album coming?” #ANTI pic.twitter.com/5mMR1akGZw

— RihannaDaily.com (@RihannaDaily) December 11, 2015

The lack of new information regarding Anti‘s long-awaited arrival comes just weeks after Rihanna fans were met with disappointment following false rumors of a Black Friday release date for the album.

Not long after Rihanna unveiled the cover art for Anti in October, rumors began circulating suggesting that Anti would see a Black Friday release given Rihanna’s history of dropping previous albums in November. The rumors further suggested that Anti would premiere on Jay Z’s music streaming service, TIDAL, on November 27 before seeing a full retail release the following Friday, Fortune reported.

Despite the claims, both speculated dates came and went with no sign of even a new single release from Rihanna, albeit the singer did tease the album’s impending arrival on her ANTIdiaRy experience via her collaboration with Samsung.

According to fans who have been attempting to decipher Rihanna’s various clues from her ANTIdiaRy website dedicated to the new album, we may see Anti released on January 8, 2016.

One fan explains, “I think it makes sense that #ANTI by #Rihanna will be released around January 8^th, 2016 when the last #ANTIdiaRy is released (#R8),” referencing the fact that Rihanna “unlocks” one room in her ANTIdiaRy experience each week.

Currently, Rihanna has released four teaser trailers for the album that coincide with the “unlocking” of the eight rooms within the ANTIdiaRy, leading some fans to believe that Anti will drop on the same day that the eighth room opens.

Fans also argue that because Rihanna’s “Anti World Tour” kicks off at the end of February, it’s unlikely that Rihanna will wait until the end of January to release Anti, in order to give fans enough time to learn the new music before seeing Rihanna perform in concert.

Do you think fans will see Rihanna’s new album drop in January?

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]