Rihanna Is Going On An 'Anti' World Tour

After a string of mysterious announcements surrounding her new album over the past few months, Rihanna has still not released ANTI, the pop star's highly anticipated eighth album. The fact that there has not been an album released did not stop Rihanna from announcing a world tour on Monday, and I couldn't be more excited. The tour will kick off in February 2016 in San Diego and head to a slew of major U.S. cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Miami. Riri will also play more than 20 shows throughout Europe next summer, including performances in Amsterdam, Paris, Milan and London. Tickets for the long awaited tour will go on sale Dec. 3 on Live Nation. Openers for the tour have also been announced, and include The Weeknd and Big Sean for the European leg of the tour, and Travis Scott for the North American dates.

If it seems like forever since there was a new Rihanna album, that's because it kind of was. Unapologetic came out in 2011, the same year that Adele's 21 debuted. It's been nearly a full year since the singer released her first single from the album, "FourFiveSeconds," a collaboration with Paul McCartney and Kanye West. She's only released two other tracks from ANTI — the mega-popular "B*tch Better Have My Money," which came out in March, and "American Oxygen," which came out in April. This fueled speculation that the album would come out last summer, but, sadly, it did not. So, we've all been left, bereft and alone and confused and longing for more Riri music — and she heard our pleas, dropping this world tour news in lieu of an album release date.

The new album is rumored to drop within the next few weeks, maybe as soon as Nov. 27 on Tidal (which would be super cool if anyone used Tidal). She launched a website ANTIDiaRy.com this week, but, so far, it's been devoid of any clues about the album's release. Kanye West and Jay-Z have both been reassuring fans for about a year now that the album is coming and that it's going to be amazing. Having poured so much time and energy into the forthcoming album — Miranda July wrote in an October interview with the pop star that she works on the album every night — it's sure to be one of the artist's very best works. Here's hoping that Rihanna makes Christmas come early, and release ANTI before the year is out.

Check out the tour dates below.

For North American Fans

Friday, February 26, 2016: San Diego, CA, Viejas ArenaSunday, February 28, 2016: San Jose, CA, SAP CenterTuesday, March 01, 2016: Phoenix, AZ, Talking Stick Resort ArenaFriday, March 04, 2016: Austin, TX, Frank Erwin CenterSaturday, March 05, 2016: Houston, TX, Toyota CenterSunday, March 06, 2016: Dallas, TX, American Airlines CenterTuesday, March 08, 2016: New Orleans, LA, Smoothie King CenterWednesday, March 09, 2016: Atlanta, GA, Philips ArenaSaturday, March 12, 2016: Jacksonville, Jacksonville ArenaSunday, March 13, 2016: Tampa, FL, Amalie ArenaTuesday, March 15, 2016: Miami, FL, American Airlines ArenaFriday, March 18, 2016: Nashville, TN, Bridgestone ArenaSaturday, March 19, 2016: Cincinnati, OH, U.S. Bank ArenaSunday, March 20, 2016: Charlotte, NC, The Time Warner Cable ArenaTuesday, March 22, 2016: Washington, DC, Verizon CenterWednesday, March 23, 2016: Buffalo, NY, First Niagara CenterThursday, March 24, 2016: Auburn Hills, MI, Palace of Auburn HillsSaturday, March 26, 2016: Hartford, CT, XL CenterSunday, March 27, 2016: Brooklyn, NY, Barclays CenterSaturday, April 02, 2016: Newark, NJ, Prudential CenterSunday, April 03, 2016: Philadelphia, PA, Wells FargoTuesday, April 05, 2016: Quebec City, QC, Centre VideotronWednesday, April 06, 2016: Montreal, QC, Bell CentreSaturday, April 09, 2016: Baltimore, MD, Royal Farms ArenaSunday, April 10, 2016: Boston, MA, TD GardenWednesday, April 13, 2016: Toronto, ON, Air Canada CenterFriday, April 15, 2016: Chicago, IL, United CenterMonday, April 18, 2016: Winnipeg, MS,MTS CentreWednesday, April 20, 2016: Edmonton, AB, Rexall PlaceThursday, April 21, 2016: Calgary, AB, Scotiabank SaddledomeSaturday, April 23, 2016: Vancouver, BC,Rogers ArenaSunday, April 24, 2016: Seattle, WA, KeyArenaWednesday, April 27, 2016: Salt Lake City, UT, Vivint Smart Home ArenaFriday, April 29, 2016: Las Vegas, NV, Mandalay BayTuesday, May 03, 2016: Los Angeles, CA,ForumSaturday, May 07, 2016: Oakland, CA, Oracle Arena

For European Fans

Saturday, June 11, 2016: Amsterdam, Holland, Amsterdam ArenaTuesday, June 14, 2016: Coventry, United Kingdom, Ricoh ArenaThursday, June 16, 2016: Cardiff, United Kingdom, Cardiff StadiumSaturday, June 18, 2016: Sunderland, United Kingdom, Stadium Of LightTuesday, June 21, 2016: Dublin, Ireland, Aviva StadiumFriday, June 24, 2016: London, United Kingdom, Wembley StadiumMonday, June 27, 2016: Glasgow, United Kingdom, Hampden ParkWednesday, June 29, 2016: Manchester, United Kingdom, Emirates Old ParkMonday, July 4, 2016: Stockholm, Sweden, Tele2 ArenaThursday, July 7, 2016: Copenhagen, Denmark, Refshale IslandSaturday, July 9, 2016: Hamburg, Germany, Volkspark StadionWednesday, July 13, 2016: Milan, Italy, San SiroFriday, July 15, 2016: Nice, France, Allianz StadiumSunday, July 17, 2016: Frankfurt, Germany, Commerzbank ArenaTuesday, July 19, 2016: Lyon, France, Grande StadeSaturday, July 23, 2016: Lille, France, Stade LilleTuesday, July 26, 2016: Prague, Czech Republic, Synotip ArenaThursday, July 28, 2016: Cologne, Germany, Rhein Energie StadionSaturday, July 30, 2016: Paris, France, Stade de FranceTuesday, August 2, 2016: Berlin, Germany, OlympiastadionFriday, August 5, 2016: Warsaw, Poland, PGE NarodowySunday, August 7, 2016: Munich, Germany, OlympiastadionWednesday, August 10, 2016: Vienna, Austria, Ernst Happel StadiumFriday, August 12, 2016: Zurich, Switzerland, Letzigrund Stadion

Image: Giphy