Rihanna Sparkles — and Gets a Sweet Support Toast from A$AP Rocky — During Oscars Performance

Rihanna just reminded fans, once again, that she absolutely commands the stage. The 35-year-old singer performed her Oscar-nominated single "Lift Me Up" from the "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" soundtrack during the 12 March ceremony. Sparkling in a black and crystal top with trousers and long latex gloves, the performer slowly rose up — as the song suggests — on a platform in the center of the Dolby Theatre stage, backed by gospel singers and a live orchestra.

As the pregnant singer concluded the song, the cameras cut to her partner, A$AP Rocky, in the audience, who raised his champagne glass in a toast.

Rihanna was up for best original song against Sofia Carson ("Applause" from "Tell It Like a Woman"), Lady Gaga ("Hold My Hand" from "Top Gun: Maverick"), Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava ("Naatu Naatu" from "RRR"), and Ryan Lott, David Byrne, and Mitski ("This Is a Life" from "Everything Everywhere All at Once"). The nod marks Rihanna's first-ever Oscar nomination. "Naatu Naatu" ultimately took the honor.

2023 is shaping up to be a big year for Rihanna. In addition to her debut performance at the Oscars, she recently headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, where she revealed she's expecting her second child with Rocky.

On top of that, Rihanna is also back in the studio working on new music. "Im feeling open to exploring, discovering, creating things that are new, things that are different, things that are off, weird, might not ever make sense to my fans and the people that know the music I put out," the superstar said during her press conference with Apple Music on 9 Feb. "I just want to play. I want to have fun with music."