See, there is something that has been bothering all of us past a decade now and we must discuss it. It would be like as you are browsing through your feed and someone like Rita Ora arrives in some arbitrary red carpet event out of the blue and you wonder, “What is happening again, why is she here?” That’s basically been the vibe since 2012, and honestly, it’s time we unpacked why Rita Ora seems to catch heat from literally everyone.
The Mystery of Being Famous for… What Exactly?
Here’s the thing that gets me about Rita Ora – she’s somehow managed to stay relevant without actually doing much music. Or to take another example, how long has it been that you heard a new Rita Ora song on the radio? The woman dropped ONE album way back in 2012, and proceeded in some way to convince the world that she is still a popstar. It gives lead character power when you are obviously a supporting character, right?
The figures do not lie as well. She sat on TV panels deciding the talent of other people and meanwhile her own music career has been more missing in action than a member of the witness protection program. Even Jay-Z label Roc Nation literally sued her because she did not produce much music. Picture being so useless to the point JAY-Z takes you to court over it.
The Relationship Drama That Never Ends
Let’s be real – half of Rita Ora’s reputation problems come from her dating history reading like a tabloid’s dream come true. The case of Rob Kardashian was totally maniacal. Dude went on Twitter and virtually accused her of cheating with almost 20 guys in less than a year. True or not, the media roasting was gruesome and it caught in the minds of people.
Then there is the entire Calvin Harris fiasco, the alleged affair with Chris Brown (which, ew), and to the Becky-with-the-good-hair conspiracy theories. Even then, when all were in a hurry to understand, who Jay-Z actually cheated on Beyonce with, Rita Ora chose to share a Snapchat with a lemon-bra and a J-necklace. Such as, cuzzie, look at the room!
The Cultural Appropriation Problem
This is where things get really uncomfortable. Rita Ora has been called out multiple times for what critics see as cultural appropriation. Whether in her styling or her tries at being urban, there has been this trend of her seemingly taking from other cultures that she is not and in fact being very much white and Albanian.
The entire simulating to be the parody of the British Rihanna has always been implausible and unreal. Rihanna is Rihanna since she is actually Barbadian and includes her culture to her presentation. The fact that Rita Ora does the same would seem more as a costume than as a culture, and people have not overlooked that.
The LGBTQ+ Controversy That Backfired Spectacularly
Remember when Rita Ora thought she was going to drop the bisexual anthem of the century with “Girls”? Rather, she succeeded in insulting almost all the LGBTQ+ community. Many people criticized that song as it carried the negative stereotype of women who would only sleep with other women when they are drunk or when they wanted to impress their male peers.
Even rather out-of-the-closet queer artists such as Hayley Kiyoko or Kehlani criticized her and stated that she is tone-deaf. The lyrics were bothering and the issue was escalated by the songwriting team which was predominantly male. Rita Ora was forced to render an apology and in the process had to come out and identify herself to be bisexual but it was too late.
The Pandemic Party Girl Energy
When it seems that 2020 has already done its best to create as much chaos as possible, Rita Ora decided that she needed to celebrate her birthday with 30 people during the strict lockdown in London. At the time her mom was working on the front line as an NHS worker, and Rita, Rita was breaking COVID regulations as though they were recommendations.
The outrage was swift and harsh. She was forced into paying a 10,000 fine and make a public apology but it did not look good. It was the best explanation as to why people perceived her to be so out of touch, and it is that ordinary people were sacrificing all sorts of things during the pandemic and she was hosting parties.
The Oversaturation Problem
Here’s what really gets under people’s skin about Rita Ora – she’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time. She is present at all the fashion weeks, all the award ceremonies, at all the fancy parties and yet her actual work as an artist hardly exists. She is playing celebrity but she is not exactly a celebrity.
The American market has come out to be brutally strict. She has has some success in the UK but never really got anywhere in the US in spite of several attempts. The critics have also noted that at the time she was making her mark, the market was already stocked with other artists such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Rihanna.
The Authenticity Question
At the end of the day, I think Rita Ora’s reputation problems boil down to one thing: authenticity. She seems somewhat artificial in an age when music lovers want to be able to connect with performers in an authentic way. She makes it sound like she is an actor as opposed to a person.
Is it her accents that appear to vary with the interview, her style which verges on being pirated, or her music that has been focus grouped into a nauseating death, but whatever it is, there is that nagging feeling that we are not looking at the true Rita. and in 2025, when Millennium authenticity is money, that is a big issue.
Looking Forward: Can Rita Reinvent Herself?
As we head deeper into 2025, the question becomes: can Rita Ora actually turn her reputation around? She is currently married to Taika Waititi and this is honestly the first things that ever felt real about her these years. Perhaps committing herself to a relationship will enable her to get that genuineness that eluded her.
The industry of entertainment adores a comeback story and Rita Ora has connections and platform to make it happen. However, this is not going to be enough to simply attend parties and to sit on talent shows. She should do some real work, something that was in her life and not what is popular to people.
Perhaps it is high-time that she withdraws her attempts to become a popstar and instead finds out what is it that she wants to give back to the world. Because right now, the consensus seems to be that Rita Ora is famous for being famous, and in 2025, that’s just not cutting it anymore.
It can be salvaged, but it will certainly demand some very deep soul searching and some genuine work as artists to switch the story. She will most likely continue to turn up at various parties at random times and the rest of us will all be asking the question why is she still alive.
