Rita Ora releases love album You and I

Rita Ora has shared the “chapters of her love journey” on her new album, ‘You and I’.

The ‘Anywhere’ singer – who is married to Hollywood director Taika Waititi – has dropped the follow-up to 2018’s ‘Phoenix’, which not only documents her love story with her other half, but her love for her family and herself.

Rita Ora wrote her new track the day after her wedding while she was suffering from an epic hangover. The ‘Praising You’ singer, 32, wed ‘Thor’ filmmaker Taika Waititi, 47, last year, but only told fans this January, and said she loved how she had “no filter” when recording her latest release as she was running on a few hours sleep after a heavy night of drinking.

Rita said: “The ‘You’ in ‘You and I’ represents more than just the man I love. “It’s my mum, my friends, my fans, and in some ways, it represents the relationship I have with myself. This album has been like my diary for the past two years, and I’m so thrilled you finally get to hear it.”

‘You and I’ tune was written the day following her nuptials: “Yes, I was very hungover… the producer that I wanted to work with was only available the day after I got married.

“And I was thinking, ‘Ahh, I can’t cancel it.’ And so I walked in. I said, ‘Listen, I just got married and I’m really hungover. I don’t know how this is gonna go down. But I don’t want to miss this session. So let’s do it.’

“And he was like, ‘Okay, well, let’s just sing about you getting married.’

“I said, ‘Alright, cool, let’s write an ultimate wedding song. And actually, that’s my favourite song on the album.”

Rita also said her record is about “finding yourself, self-discovery and self-love” and is “reintroducing myself to the music business”.

There is also a song on the record dedicated to her mum Vera, who was treated for cancer – a disease also survived by her husband’s mother.

Rita said about paying tribute to her mum in music: “I think she would have been really mad at me if I didn’t do that. And it’s just about appreciation really, and just kind of reintroducing myself to the music business.”

Rita’s new album is also called ‘You and I’, and she said when asked what Taika thought about her getting to work 24 hors after they tied the knot: “I snuck out. I think I only got like two, three hours of sleep. And then I went in and I actually referenced all my favourite love songs within this love song.

“So it was trying to make the ultimate love song. So actually, it worked wonders because there was no filter. When you’re hungover you just sort of like say what you want.”

The diaristic tunes see the pop star deep in reflection and are made for the dancefloor.

‘Girl in the Mirror’ sees Rita pay homage to her younger self, ‘Notting Hill’ is about her teen years, and ‘Shape of Me’ is a touching tribute to her mother Vera.

Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy makes an unexpected appearance on ‘That Girl’ with an interpolation of ‘Party All The Time’ – the lead single from the ‘Haunted Mansion’ star’s hit 1985 debut musical album ‘How Could It Be’ – used.

The 32-year-old singer sings about “never feeling more alive” when her filmmaker husband “saw her naked” for the first time on the previously released single ‘Don’t Think Twice’.

She sings: “And, baby, when you saw me naked. I’ve never felt more alive.”

Rita said of the song: “‘Don’t Think Twice’ is about not thinking twice and just jumping in, romantically. You only live once, so it’s really about seizing the moment, and not being held back by thoughts of what might or might not happen.”

The collection also includes the singles ‘Praising You (feat. Fatboy Slim)’ and ‘You Only Love Me’.

The singer recently explained that co-writing ‘You and I’ from her diary entries made her realise just how much has changed in her life.

Rita was quoted by The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column as saying: “Over the past few years, I’ve just grown up. My life evolved. I started journaling and those journals turned into songs. If you’re being vulnerable with your songs, you have to be honest.

“That is the magic. Diving into songwriting with this album has been an eye-opener.”

Rita Ora review, You & I: Safe, polished, nothing special