Rita Ora announced that her new album, titled ‘Phoenix’, will be released on the 23rd of November and will be available for download and purchase on the same date. The star announced the long-awaited release of her second studio album via social media, this comes six-years after the 2012 release of her first studio album, self-titled ‘Ora’.
Speaking about her latest music, The Girls singer, said: “One of the most liberating feelings for me is performing and creating music. This album is a true labour of love, and it was important for me to do it my way. I’m so appreciative of the love and support from those who worked with me on the record and allowed me create something I’m really proud of.
“They gave me the space and freedom to create something from my heart. Both challenging and euphoric at times. I am really proud of and grateful for the journey that the making of Phoenix has taken me on. To my fans, thank you for your patience and thank you always for listening.”
The album is set to feature hit ‘Your Song’ – written by Ed Sheeran, a collaboration with Avicii on ‘Lonely Together’, and single ‘Anywhere’ – which has already landed the number two spot on the UK charts. Ahead of the release of ‘Phoenix’, Ora announced that her brand new single ‘Let You Love Me’, which she co-wrote, will come out on the 21st of September 2018. She teased the track as a “mid-tempo pop anthem” that reveals her insecurities about a new relationship, delving between soft vocals and a dance-based track.
The album comes after a pivotal year in the stars career. After selling out a European tour and racking up millions of streams for her recent singles, Ora released the song ‘Girls’ with Cardi B, Bebe Rexha and Charli XCX at the start of the summer. The song was met with criticism from the LGBTQ community, including queer pop stars Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani, for its problematic portrayal of girl-on-girl attraction.
While Cardi and Rexha defended the song, Ora swiftly apologized for the track and subsequently came out. “I have had romantic relationships with women and men throughout my life and this is my personal journey,” she wrote on Twitter. “I am sorry how I expressed myself in my song has hurt anyone. I would never intentionally cause harm to other LGBTQ+ people or anyone.”
pic.twitter.com/p53aQxfQg2 — Rita Ora (@RitaOra) 14 May 2018
