Ten years ago, a young woman with blonde hair and red lipstick started her journey full of ups and downs, career triumphs, life lessons, life-changing moments and a decade filled with music that impacted a whole generation. Little did she know what the industry had in store for her, but, if it wasn’t for her hard work and dedication, Rita Ora would not be the icon she is today. And yes, she is an icon. Even when some might have forgotten that.
ORA was a stellar debut which quickly cemented Rita as a pop princess. Capturing the ears of fans worldwide with catchy hits, beautiful melodies and collaborations with US superstars J.Cole and will.i.am, the album soon reaped rewards, debuting at number 1 on the UK album charts and – shortly after – certified platinum. And that was just the beginning.
Throughout the last ten years, she went from performing at the Oscars to numerous festival appearances, featuring on chart-topping dance tracks to touring worldwide. In 2018, Rita broke the UK Official Charts record with the most Top 10 hits for a British female artist and broke another one, achieving the highest ratings in five years as a judge on The Voice Australia. She has done it all and her overall success was not just limited to music and entertainment. Her face was on magazine covers and major ad campaigns worldwide and her music was blasting loudly through radios everywhere. And let’s not forget several prime-time TV shows and cinema movie appearances. So if you claim you don’t know who Rita Ora is, I’m pretty sure you’re wrong. Most of you have seen the Fifty Shades Of Grey movies, Detective Pikachu or the newest Kung Fu Panda Netflix series she lent her voice to. If not, then where have you been?
On top of it all, she launched her award-winning Prospero tequila back in 2019. As you can see, she’s doing it all. And that’s just a very small portion of the incredible work she’s done. Yet, a lot of people still sleep on her and continuously wonder what she’s even doing today. In the meantime, Rita is building her empire, paving the way for our generation and those to come. You don’t believe that? Then keep reading.
Even though all the aforementioned success is a huge part of her story, her background and who she surrounded herself with, played an important role in shaping the strong woman she is today. For those who have never looked into Rita’s story, let me give you a quick insight. She was born in Pristina, Kosovo, moved to the UK when she was 1 and was raised in London by her incredibly hard working parents. Always by her side since birth – and to this day her business partner in crime – her sister Elena. Throughout her career, Rita always incorporated her roots, represented its culture and has been an ambassador of her beloved home country Kosovo since 2015. To receive that is not only an honor, but a true statement of gratitude. Wouldn’t you agree?
Try making it in an industry that is not very welcoming, when you’re a young woman who knows what she wants and is eager to achieve it. How often have you been the only woman in the room, trying to prove that you’re just as smart, professional and qualified as the male artists and entrepreneurs around you; if not even more? Even though that was and sadly still is a difficult barricade to tear down, Rita has proven everyone wrong who didn’t believe in her abilities, her power and overall success.
Despite the constant tabloid media judgment and ungrateful trolls on the internet, Rita never stopped working her absolute hardest to check off these milestones on her list of achievements. Having her own plaque at her old primary school is definitely on top of it and it’s something her mum is extremely proud of. Personally, I would say that it’s an honorable sign of respect that no video or music award can top. If you ever make it to London, put it on your list of places to visit. I went there myself on Rita’s birthday last year, celebrating her while holding up my own magazine that I started, to become a part of the change I wanted to see for women like her.
For me personally, Rita is and always will be an inspiration. She is the one who gave me the courage to pursue my own career and showed me that anything is possible when you set your mind to it and never stop chasing for the seemingly impossible. Her impact is undeniable and while she might be just a pretty face or brand for some people, for fans like me she has been way more than that. I fell in love with her music, because I loved the artist behind it. Rita is talented in many ways, but when you get to know the woman behind it all, you will be captured by the true value her name holds. Her success, awards and chart records don’t define who she is, it’s the love and kindness she carries deep down in her heart. Not everyone will agree with that, but what matters is that those who do, would not be who or even where they are today if it wasn’t for Rita. And that includes me.
Watching her shows and interviews has been my place of comfort on those mentally cloudy days. And whenever I got the chance to see her perform live, it recharged my batteries and filled my whole body with so much happiness and light. Her song ‘Anywhere’ holds a special place in my heart, so much that it’s inked on my body as a constant reminder of how much greatness entered my life since she walked into it. It’s not just about the amazing concerts I’ve been to, but the incredible friendships I value the most to this day. I found some of my closest friends thanks to Rita and I will never stop being grateful for that. I cannot wait to go back to create more of these memories and thank her in person, for saving my heart when it couldn’t heal on its own.
Ten years is a long time and even though it was not easy at times, she made it. Some fans were there when her first album dropped and have celebrated every milestone, music release and project launch with her. Her Ritabots grew up with her and while men in the industry didn’t believe she would make it far or achieve anything at all, her fans believed she could and she did. If it wasn’t for their continuous support, dedication and genuine love, Rita Ora would not be the artist and overall entrepreneur she is today.
“Looking back, I’m so proud of all that Rita has achieved, her career has been full of ups and downs, but she’s remained resilient, rising above all the challenges to carve herself a lasting legacy. From the young girl with curly blonde hair, a beanie, red lipstick and Jordan’s to a female superstar whose confidence and work ethic shine through. She inspires many young women to believe that if you really want something and you work hard enough you can achieve anything you want” – Francesca
To have such a strong support system that has your back, even and especially when the whole world seems to be against you, is an absolute blessing. Just like Rita once told me, we got the power, we always had it. So here is to a decade that shaped our generation as a whole and to many more years filled with great success, unforgettable concert experiences and moments of sincere gratitude.
ROARA Magazine 