History of Rita Ora in Timeline
Rita Ora is a British singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress born in Pristina, Kosovo. She gained initial recognition for her feature on DJ Fresh's "Hot Right Now" in 2012. She signed with Roc Nation in 2008 and released her debut album, *Ora* (2012), which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album included UK number-one singles "R.I.P." and "How We Do (Party)", making her the artist with the most number-one singles in the UK that year.
November 1990: Birth of Rita Ora
In November 1990, Rita Sahatçiu Ora was born in Pristina, SFR Yugoslavia (modern-day Kosovo), marking the beginning of her life and eventual career.
1991: Relocation to London
In 1991, Rita Ora's family relocated from Kosovo to London due to political reasons. This move shaped her upbringing and career opportunities.
2004: Appearance in Spivs film
In 2004, Rita Ora appeared in the British film Spivs, marking one of her early roles in the film industry at a young age.
December 2008: Signing Recording and Publishing Deal with Roc Nation
In December 2008, Rita Ora signed a recording and publishing deal with Roc Nation, marking a significant turning point in her music career.
2008: Audition for Eurovision: Your Country Needs You
In 2008, Rita Ora auditioned for Eurovision: Your Country Needs You to represent the UK, showing her early aspirations in music, though she later withdrew.
2008: Signing with Roc Nation
In 2008, Rita Ora signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, marking a significant milestone in her early career and setting the stage for her debut album.
2009: Cameo in "Young Forever" Video
In 2009, Rita Ora made a cameo appearance in Jay Z's video for "Young Forever", showcasing her early involvement with Roc Nation.
2009: Withdrawal from Eurovision Competition
In 2009, Rita Ora withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest competition, recognizing it was not the right challenge for her at that time, which was a pivotal decision in shaping her solo career.
2010: Skullcandy Commercial
In 2010, Rita Ora featured in a commercial for Skullcandy headphones.
2011: Calvin Klein Campaign
In 2011, Rita Ora appeared in Calvin Klein's CK One campaign.
2011: YouTube Covers and Debut Album Promotion
Throughout 2011, Rita Ora released covers and videos on YouTube, showcasing her work on her debut album, which attracted the attention of DJ Fresh.
February 2012: Release of "Hot Right Now" and Opening for Drake
In February 2012, Rita Ora featured on DJ Fresh's "Hot Right Now", which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. During February 2012, she was also the opening act for Drake's UK concerts.
May 2012: Release of "R.I.P."
In May 2012, Rita Ora released "R.I.P.", her first UK single from her debut album, which topped the UK Singles Chart, marking her first solo UK number one.
August 2012: Release of Debut Album Ora
In August 2012, Rita Ora's debut album, Ora, was released in Europe and Oceania, topping the UK Albums Chart and establishing her presence in the music industry.
September 2012: Opening Act for Usher's Tour Announcement
In September 2012, it was announced that Rita Ora would be the opening act for Usher's Euphoria Tour in the UK, though the tour was later postponed.
November 2012: Release of "Shine Ya Light" and Performance in Tirana
In November 2012, Rita Ora released "Shine Ya Light", and she performed as a special guest at the concert in Tirana, Albania, for the 100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania, blending her musical career with her heritage.
2012: Feature on "Hot Right Now" and Album Release
In 2012, Rita Ora featured on DJ Fresh's single "Hot Right Now", which reached the top of the UK charts. In 2012 she also released her debut album, Ora, which featured hit singles like "R.I.P" and "How We Do (Party)", making her a prominent artist in the UK.
January 2013: Radioactive Tour and Brit Awards Nomination
In January 2013, Rita Ora embarked on her first UK tour, Radioactive Tour, to support her debut album and was nominated for three awards at the 2013 Brit Awards.
January 2013: Postponement of Usher's Euphoria Tour
In January 2013, Usher's Euphoria Tour, for which Rita Ora was scheduled to be the opening act, was postponed due to Usher's professional and personal commitments.
February 2013: Discussion of Second Album Direction
In February 2013, Rita Ora revealed that her second album would showcase a different side of her artistry, moving away from just being a "party girl."
March 2013: Bal de la Rose Performance
On 23 March 2013, Rita Ora performed at Bal de la Rose du Rocher in Monte Carlo to support the Princess Grace Foundation.
May 2013: Headline Act at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend
In May 2013, Rita Ora was the headline act on the In New Music We Trust stage at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, solidifying her presence in the music festival scene.
June 2013: Performance at Glastonbury
In June 2013, Rita Ora performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, marking a significant performance in her career at a renowned music festival.
June 2013: Chime for Change Concert
On 1 June 2013, Rita Ora performed at the "Chime for Change" charity concert at Twickenham Stadium in London, which raised funds and awareness for girls' and women's issues around the world.
September 2013: Rimmel Collaboration
In September 2013, cosmetics brand Rimmel announced their collaboration with Rita Ora for makeup collections.
2013: Hosting BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards
From 2013 to 2017, Rita Ora co-hosted the BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards with Nick Grimshaw, building her presence as a media personality.
2013: Relationship with Calvin Harris
In 2013, Rita Ora started dating Scottish DJ Calvin Harris.
January 2014: Adidas Collaboration
In January 2014, Adidas announced a multi-year designer collaboration with Rita Ora for their Adidas Originals brand, where she designed her own apparel, footwear, and accessories collections.
March 2014: Marks & Spencer Campaign
In March 2014, Rita Ora was one of the cast members of Marks & Spencer's "Leading Ladies" campaign.
April 2014: Appearance on Funny or Die with Hyuna
In April 2014, Rita Ora appeared alongside Korean popstar, Hyuna, in an episode of Funny or Die called "Girl, You Better Walk."
June 2014: End of Calvin Harris Relationship
In June 2014, Rita Ora's relationship with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris ended.
December 2014: Performance at Christmas in Washington
On December 14, 2014, Rita Ora performed at the 2014 telecast of Christmas in Washington, filmed at the National Building Museum, bringing her talent to a holiday event.
2014: Feature on "Black Widow"
In 2014, Rita Ora featured on Iggy Azalea's single "Black Widow", which reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. This collaboration marked her entry into the US music scene.
2014: Performance of "Grateful"
In 2014, the song "Grateful" appeared in Gina Prince-Bythewood's film, Beyond the Lights.
February 2015: Feature on Charli XCX's Song "Doing It"
In February 2015, Rita Ora featured on Charli XCX's song "Doing It", which debuted at number eight in the UK, adding to her collaborations.
February 2015: Performance at the Academy Awards
On February 22, 2015, at the 87th Academy Awards, Rita Ora performed the song "Grateful", from the film, Beyond the Lights, marking her presence at a prestigious event.
July 2015: Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo
On 10 July 2015, Rita Ora was named an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo by then-president, Atifete Jahjaga, at the Embassy of Kosovo in London.
December 2015: Lawsuit Against Roc Nation
In December 2015, Rita Ora filed a lawsuit against Roc Nation, seeking release from her contract, citing California's "seven-year rule", indicating a significant legal battle.
2015: Judging on The X Factor UK and The Voice UK
In 2015, Rita Ora served as a judge on The X Factor UK and a coach on The Voice UK, expanding her career into television talent shows.
January 2016: Roc Nation Counter-Lawsuit
In January 2016, Roc Nation filed a counter-lawsuit against Rita Ora for breaking her recording contract, escalating the legal battle.
March 2016: We Day UK Speech
On 9 March 2016, Rita Ora gave a speech on immigration and the Syrian refugee crisis at the We Day UK event in London.
May 2016: Settlement with Roc Nation
In May 2016, Rita Ora and Roc Nation reached a settlement, resolving their legal dispute and paving the way for her to move forward in her career.
June 2016: Signing with Atlantic Records
In June 2016, Rita Ora signed a new record deal with Atlantic Records, marking a fresh start in her music career after resolving her issues with Roc Nation.
July 2016: Hosting America's Next Top Model
In July 2016, Rita Ora was announced as the host of the revamped America's Next Top Model, replacing Tyra Banks, which expanded her role in television.
September 2016: Performance at Mother Teresa's Canonisation Vigil
In September 2016, Rita Ora performed at the vigil for Mother Teresa's canonisation in Rome, alongside other Albanian artists, accompanied by the Kosovo Philharmonic Orchestra.
2016: Tezenis Collaboration
In 2016, Rita Ora collaborated with Italian fashion brand Tezenis on a capsule lingerie collection.
2016: Relationship with Andrew Watt
In 2016, Rita Ora started dating American musician Andrew Watt.
May 2017: Release of "Your Song"
In May 2017, Rita Ora released "Your Song", her first solo single in almost two years, which marked the beginning of her second studio album after previous attempts were lost in her lawsuit against Roc Nation.
2017: Hosting BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards
From 2013 to 2017, Rita Ora co-hosted the BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards with Nick Grimshaw, building her presence as a media personality.
2017: Acting in Fifty Shades Film Series
In 2017, Rita Ora played Mia Grey in the Fifty Shades film series, adding acting to her diverse career portfolio.
2017: Disney+ Beauty and the Beast Prequel
In February 2022, she was announced to act in the Disney+ prequel–an eight-episode limited series–to the 2017 film, Beauty and The Beast.
January 2018: Release of "For You" with Liam Payne
In January 2018, Rita Ora released the song "For You" with Liam Payne for the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack.
September 2018: Breakup with Andrew Watt
In September 2018, Rita Ora and American musician Andrew Watt broke up after dating for two years.
September 2018: Announcement and Release of Phoenix
In September 2018, Rita Ora revealed the title and release date of her second studio album, Phoenix, and released its fourth single, "Let You Love Me."
2018: Giuseppe Zanotti Collaboration
In 2018, Rita Ora co-designed a shoe collection with the Italian footwear designer, Giuseppe Zanotti.
2018: Acting in Fifty Shades Film Series
In 2018, Rita Ora played Mia Grey in the Fifty Shades film series, adding acting to her diverse career portfolio.
2018: Release of Phoenix Album
In 2018, Rita Ora released her second studio album, Phoenix, after signing with Atlantic Records. The album produced hit singles and further solidified her position in the music industry.
January 2019: Rekindling Relationship with Andrew Watt
In January 2019, Rita Ora and American musician Andrew Watt got back together.
April 2019: UNICEF UK Ambassador
In April 2019, Rita Ora became one of UNICEF UK's ambassadors.
April 2019: Release of "Carry On" for Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
In April 2019, Rita Ora released the song "Carry On" with Kygo for the Pokémon: Detective Pikachu film, where she also made a brief appearance.
September 2019: Confirmation of Third Studio Album
In September 2019, Rita Ora confirmed she had begun working on her third studio album, expressing intentions to create something she had never done before.
October 2019: Final Breakup with Andrew Watt
In October 2019, Rita Ora and American musician Andrew Watt broke up again.
2019: Face of German Brands
In 2019, Rita Ora was the face of several German brands including Escada, Thomas Sabo, and Deichmann.
2019: Escada Collaboration
In 2019, after being the face of Escada, Rita Ora co-designed a capsule collection with the brand.
January 2020: Judging The Masked Singer UK
From January 2020, Rita Ora judged the UK version of The Masked Singer, increasing her presence in television entertainment.
November 2020: COVID-19 Restrictions Breach
In November 2020, Rita Ora broke COVID-19 restrictions by having her birthday party at a West London restaurant, after returning from Egypt and failing to isolate for 14 days, resulting in a fine.
2020: Judging on The Masked Singer UK
From 2020 to 2024, Rita Ora has judged on the UK version of The Masked Singer, solidifying her presence in the television industry.
January 2021: Role in Twist
In January 2021, Rita Ora played the Artful Dodger in the film Twist, a modern adaptation of Oliver Twist.
February 2021: Release of Bang EP with Imanbek
On February 12, 2021, Rita Ora released the collaborative extended play, Bang, with Kazakh producer Imanbek.
2021: Coaching on The Voice Australia
From 2021 to 2023, Rita Ora served as a coach on The Voice Australia, further broadening her television career internationally.
2021: Relationship with Taika Waititi
Since 2021, Rita Ora has been in a relationship with New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi.
February 2022: Signing with BMG
In February 2022, Rita Ora signed a record deal with Berlin-based music label, BMG, marking another transition in her music career.
February 2022: Announcement of Disney+ Beauty and The Beast Prequel Role
In February 2022, Rita Ora was announced to act in a Disney+ prequel to Beauty and The Beast, though the project has been put on hold indefinitely.
August 2022: Marriage to Taika Waititi
In August 2022, Rita Ora married New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi and they live in Los Angeles.
January 2023: Release of "You Only Love Me"
In January 2023, Rita Ora released the song "You Only Love Me" as the lead single from her third studio album, You & I.
September 2023: Joining The Masked Singer as a Judge
In September 2023, Fox announced that Rita Ora would join the American version of The Masked Singer as a judge, expanding her television career.
September 2023: Primark Collaboration
In September 2023, Primark announced a multi-season fashion collaboration with Rita Ora, co-designing a 169-piece collection across various apparel categories, shoes, and accessories.
2023: Coaching on The Voice Australia
From 2021 to 2023, Rita Ora was a coach on The Voice Australia.
2023: Pepe Jeans Campaign
In 2023, Rita Ora appeared in the "London After Hours" campaign for Pepe Jeans.
2023: Release of You & I Album
In 2023, Rita Ora released her third studio album, You & I, which debuted at number six in the UK, adding another milestone to her discography.
2024: Judging on The Masked Singer US
In 2024, Rita Ora started judging on the US version of The Masked Singer, expanding her career into the American television industry.
