Jon Bellion, Producer for Rihanna, Discusses the Track “Friend of Mine” from the ‘Smurfs’ Soundtrack

The creation of the song took place during one of Bellion’s songwriting retreats at his vacation home in the Hamptons the previous summer. Here, he collaborated with producers Pete Nappi and Fallen, sharing co-writing credits with Elijah Noll, Elkan, Tenroc, and Rihanna. This collective, part of Bellion’s Beautiful Mind Projects, has seen success recently, with Bellion helping artists like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Maroon 5 achieve significant hits. He notes that the energy present in “Friend of Mine” captures the collaborative spirit of this group.

“It was a group of people having fun at a music camp, experimenting with DJ vibes, playing chords and just enjoying ourselves,” he recalls. “That probably explains why it sounds so fresh. It felt organic, surrounded by friends who love to create great things.”

“Collaborating with [Jon] is always thrilling because you know you’re going to end up with a genuine song,” the producer Fallen, who has also worked with artists like Doja Cat and Summer Walker, shares with Billboard. “He is steadfast, often spending a week on a single track if necessary. For ‘Friend of Mine,’ we dedicated about three days to refining it. Coming from a hip-hop background, where I’m used to creating multiple songs in a single session, this meticulous approach was a new experience for me. But it has been the most enlightening lesson I’ve learned while working with him.”

One of Bellion’s early successes as a co-writer was “The Monster,” the chart-topping collaboration from Eminem and Rihanna that dominated the Hot 100 for four weeks in 2013. Over the years, he has kept in contact with Rihanna’s team, having contributed “a couple songs” that remain unreleased.

Given Rihanna’s limited output since her 2016 album ANTI, Bellion was uncertain whether “Friend of Mine” would ever get released. However, the spontaneous nature of the song’s creation left a distinct impression on him. “The song is raw — she didn’t polish it much beyond the two-track we sent out,” he explains. “I held onto it for a few days and remember waking up every morning with it playing. I’d even listen to it in the shower, thinking, ‘This is kind of jamming!’”

Bellion couldn’t recall another Rihanna track that resembled “Friend of Mine” and noted that after the song was completed, it dawned on him that this unexplored direction was precisely what she sought. “She’s not aiming for ‘We Found Love 2.0’ or ‘Work 2.0’,” he affirms. “The structure and vibe feel entirely new—very avant-garde, paving the way for what’s coming next, as she consistently aims to do with her releases.”

“Friend of Mine” is set to debut just ahead of Bellion’s third studio album, Father Figure, which launches on June 6; this upcoming release signifies his first solo full-length in seven years and features collaborations with Luke Combs, Pharrell Williams, and Jon Batiste. While Father Figure holds deeply personal reflections on the challenges of fatherhood, Bellion is pleased that “Friend of Mine” arrives a few weeks earlier, offering a chance to accomplish something he has yet to achieve in his career.

“My entire career, I’ve dreamed of creating a song that plays at every event—baby showers, sweet sixteens, weddings, and Bar Mitzvahs,” Bellion chuckles. “I don’t think I’ve ever had one like that, so it feels amazing, and hopefully it resonates well.”