Someone tell Rihanna the wait is over. Earlier this summer, rapper GloRilla shared a carousel of photos on Instagram, one of which was a screenshot of Rihanna asking when the Memphis native would be dropping her debut album. On Thursday, GloRilla announced plans to release the full-length titled Glorious on Oct. 11.
“GLORIOUS da album dropping 10/11 So grateful to be sharing this with y’all,” the rapper wrote on Instagram. The caption appeared beneath the reveal of the official album artwork. In the photo, GloRilla is pictured gazing into the camera in a warm-toned makeup look and glimmering hoop earrings. The post also revealed the next single from the album. “As a little treat I’m blessing y’all with HOLLON tonight at midnight,” she wrote. “AYEEEEE.”
GloRilla started her year off with the standout singles “Yeah Glo!” and “Wanna Be” with Megan Thee Stallion — later remixed with Cardi B — which both appeared on her EP Ehhthang Ehhthang. That release was followed up with “TGIF,” the summer scorcher she shared in June while on tour with Megan Thee Stallion. “Hollon” will be the latest addition to GloRilla’s persistent run of singles.
Glorious has been a long time coming. GloRilla’s Grammy Award-nominated breakthrough single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” arrived in 2022, which set the stage for her home-run collaboration with Cardi B on “Tomorrow 2.” In the two years since, the rapper has been keeping her eye on the prize and expanding her range.
“I don’t want to be labeled as just a ratchet rapper, you know what I’m saying?” GloRilla told Rolling Stone in 2023, envisioning what her first album might encapsulate. “I’m going for different vibes — stuff that everybody can relate to. Of course, I’m going to put my ratchet, fun shit out because that’s what I blew up with. [But] I want to actually talk to people, let them know … I can talk some real shit. I can go gospel. I can do a little R&B.”
She added: “I ain’t going to lie, I’m super nervous. I know people expect so much out of me. When they look at me, when they mention my name, they put me up there with the big dogs like Cardi, Nicki, Megan. I’m like, ‘Damn, I got to deliver like them.’ This got to be a Grammy-nominated album. And it’s going to be.”
