UK pop star Rita Ora has opened up about how music “saved her life” during a time where she was struggling to love who she was.
Taking to the stage at Nova’s Red Room in Sydney on March 18, Ora revealed that writing her hit Let You Love Me was one of the “ultimate moments in my life”.
“It was a time where people were okay with understanding ‘okay so if I can’t love myself, how am I going to let anyone else love me?’,” she said.
“It takes time for people to get to that place in life. Some people get it earlier than others, some people get it later. Mine was a little late, better late than never! It was good for me, and that’s why music saved my life in a lot of ways, in so many different ways.”
During her Red Room performance, Ora performed a collection of hit singles including Anywhere, Your Song, Let You Love Me and an acoustic version of her hit Bang Bang (twice!), giving the audience an inside into her very creative mind. “I know the first time could have been better!”
Currently, in Australia filming The Voice, Ora has adjusted to life down under and doesn’t “want to leave”.
“It’s so beautiful here for so many reasons, every time I come here it’s been so quick, so it’s nice to actually be able to sit here and enjoy the culture and the people and everyone is so nice and friendly,” she told the intimate crowd.
Ora is joining Keith Urban, Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy on the hit series, which has a new home at Channel 7 in 2021, and as you would expect, Ora and Mauboy have become fast friends.
“She’s like my sister, she’s the best!” Ora said. “She’s so nice and you know I was a little nervous when I started the new gig and you walk in and you’re like “oooh, what’s it going to be like?’ Jess just welcomed me with open arms and there’s nothing better than good sister bonding on shows like that.”
Ora is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, with four #1 UK singles and holds the record for the most Top 10 singles for a British female artist in the UK (13). She also headlined this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on March 7.
