‘I Lost a Lot of Confidence’: Rita Ora on Emerging From a ‘Low’ Period With Renewed Strength, New Music — And a Husband

Powerhouse multi-hyphenate Rita Ora recently dropped into the Billboard News studio to discuss her career, her marriage and the intersection of the two.

During the chat, the singer/songwriter/actress and entrepreneur talks about losing confidence in her career and how the experience inspired both her romantic relationship and through that, her new music.  

“I spent such a long time fighting to be heard over the course of my experience being in the industry, that I guess I lost a lot of confidence and a lot of hope, fell really low,” Ora says. “And I guess when you’re at your lowest point, you can make a choice. You either kind of get back up and keep going, or you just let it consume you. And I did that. I got up. I flew to Australia to do The Voice over there, and I met somebody who changed me forever.”

That “somebody” is actor and filmmaker Taika Waititi, who Ora met in 2021 and married last year.

“Meeting Taika, who is my husband, I definitely never felt that before,” Ora says, “and so I just wrote it all down and I thought, ‘Okay, I think it’s time to make some music again.’ And here we are.”  

Out today (April 19) Ora’s latest single is “Praising You,” a collaboration with legendary producer Fatboy Slim and a take on his 1998 classic “Praise You.” The track is the second single from Ora’s forthcoming album You & I, set for release on July 14 via BMG.

Released this past January, the album’s lead single, “You Only Love Me” includes cameos from Ora’s IRL friends including Lindsay Lohan and Kristen Stewart, along with an appearance from Sharon Stone.

“That was a crazy one for me,” Ora says of having the legendary actress in the video. “I met her at an event, and we just clicked. And she was really wise, and she actually was so, so welcoming and warm. I don’t know – I guess I just asked her. I just thought ‘What’s she’s just going to do? She’s just going to say no; let’s go for it.’ And I said, ‘Do you want to play my sort of fairy godmother who saves the day and brings me the dress.’ And she was like, ‘Yes! 100 percent.’

Watch the complete interview above.