Rita Ora became famous after providing the vocals for DJ Fresh’s ‘Hot Right Now’. Now, the 21-year-old rising star tops the charts with her debut single ‘R.I.P’ featuring Tinie Tempah. Talking to Glamour UK about what is hot right now in her the world, the singer says that, “All these fun clothes I get to wear! It’s like dress-up every day! And I’m going to have so much fun on the DJ Fresh and Coldplay tours, playing my music in all these different cities. That’s hot! And we get a tour bus.”
Revealing her earliest memory of music, Ora confesses that, “My dad playing songs by Sade and my mum playing all the hits from her time while we danced along in the living room. The first album I bought was the Spice Girls, ha ha.”
But how did she get spotted by Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s record label? “I was playing gigs when an A&R in London saw me. He called up one of the Roc Nation guys in front of me and told them they had someone perfect for them and put me on the phone! He asked me to send over a demo and come to NYC to meet him and Jay-Z. At the time, I worked in a trainer store so I told them I’d only have enough money to come over for two weeks. They laughed and told me they’d get the ticket. So I went over, met the team and they signed me! And gave me a suitcase full of trainers, ha ha ha…,” Ora recalls.
On having Jay-Z as a mentor, Rita told Glamour UK that, “I was a fan before I was signed to Roc Nation, so from that perspective he was a big influence on me first and foremost. Now, the influence is from a different angle. I respect him a lot – who better to take advice from than someone who’s had 11 No.1 albums?” What about the best piece of advice Beyoncé has given to Rita? “To be yourself and listen to yourself, and coming from Beyoncé, you have to listen to her! Ha ha. She’s amazing – definitely an idol of mine and such an amazing role model,” Ora says.
On what inspired her single RIP, Rita explains that, “I was working with Drake, Stargate and Chase & Status on that record, and had been waiting so long to release a track. With this, finally I felt like I had evolved into this new woman. It is more like a statement that ‘I’m ready! Let’s go! Let’s do it!’ I think a lot of women can relate to that moment of courage, whether with a man or career or in life.”
Describing her trademark sound, Rita told the magazine that, “It just makes you move your body with the beat, and hopefully sing when I sing! It’s catchy, sometimes bouncy, sometimes you can jam to it and chill, and sometimes just have a party. It’s fun. We could all do it together – have an alien and human sing-and-dance-off.”
When it comes to her favorite fashion labels, Rita says that, “I wear a lot of things! Some young labels to bring out my tomboy side like Trapstar and Billionaire Boys Club. Then the more sophisticated side, like Helmut Lang and Chanel and Calvin Klein. I love masculine cuts with suits and chunky jewellery. My hair is so glam it balances it out, and it’s comfy! I’m in love with my Christian Louboutin lace-up flats at the moment, too.” On creating her own line, Ora admits that, “I would love to! That would be so much fun, I think any girl would love their own label! We all look in our wardrobe and think ‘I wish I had this to wear right now, that would be perfect!’”
Read Rita Ora’s full interview in Glamour UK.
Photos courtesy of GLAMOUR UK