Rita Ora‘s third album, You & I, is out on July 14. Rita, who met Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi in 2021 and married him in 2022, has described the album as being “like my diary of the last few years.” As a result, she tells ABC Audio, it’s a lot more personal than her previous music.
“This album was about really getting to know me and … like, where I’m at,” the singer says. “And if people just kind of know of me but don’t really know anything about me, then you should listen to this album, because it’s definitely got a story to tell.”
“I went really deep. And I spoke about the truth, my story, and I’ve never really done that before,” she continues. “This was just a real artistic development process for me, and I just found it really, really enlightening. I’m already ready to work on my fourth album.”
Rita has also described the You & I album as “my sound,” but what does that mean?
“It’s giving bold, anthemic, pop, LGBTQIA icon,” she says. “Real bold, massive sounds and big hooks — y’know, like, just simple, down-the-middle pop classics.”
You & I arrives over 10 years after Rita’s debut album, and she wants people to know how much she appreciates their support after all this time.
“It’s a real honor to be able to still be doing what I love,” she says. “I think that time and longevity is really the goal here. And so I think, y’know, just thanking my fans for really kind of, like, riding out with me through all these years and, and holding on — because there’s lots more to come.”
Rita will next be seen in Descendants: The Rise of Red.
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