Early life

Ora was born in Pristina, SFR Yugoslavia (present-day Kosovo) to Albanian parents. Her mother, Vera Sahatçiu (née Bajraktari), is a psychiatrist, and her father, Besnik Sahatçiu, is an economist and a pub owner. Her mother is Catholic and her father is Muslim. Ora has an older sister, Elena, and a younger brother, Don. She was named after the favourite film star of her film director grandfather Besim Sahatçiu, Rita Hayworth. She was born as Rita Sahatçiu (surname derived from the Turkish word saatçi which means "watchmaker"), but her father later added Ora (means "time" in Albanian) to the family surname so it could be easily pronounced.

Her family left Kosovo for political reasons, because of the persecution of ethnic Albanians initiated with the disintegration of Yugoslavia. They relocated to England in 1991, when she was a year old, settling in London. She grew up near Portobello Road in West London, and attended St Cuthbert with St Matthias CE Primary School in Earls Court, following which she graduated from a performing arts school, Sylvia Young Theatre School, and then St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College. She began singing from an early age.

Music career

2007-2010: Career beginnings

Ora began performing at open mic sessions around London and, occasionally, in her father's pub. In 2007, Ora had her first music release when she appeared on Craig David's track titled "Awkward", and then again in 2008 on "Where's Your Love", featuring Tinchy Stryder, for which she also appeared in the music video. On both tracks she was not officially credited. She featured on two songs of James Morrison's album, Songs for You, Truths for Me, as backing vocalist.

In 2008, she auditioned for Eurovision: Your Country Needs You on BBC One to be the British contestant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 and qualified, but later withdrew from the competition after a few episodes as she "did not feel ready" and thought "that challenge wasn't for her." Her manager, Sarah Stennett (who also worked with Ellie Goulding, Jessie J and Conor Maynard), later told HitQuarters that Ora had entered the competition because at the time she felt it was her only chance at finding success. Stennett reassured her that performing in Eurovision would hinder rather than help her chances to make it as a solo artist.

Shortly after, Stennett got in touch with the American label, Roc Nation, and told them about Ora. She signed a recording deal and a publishing deal with Roc Nation in December 2008, and was one of their first signees. She made cameo appearances in Jay Z's video for "Young Forever" (2009) and Drake's video, "Over" (2010). After being signed, Ora recorded an album and wanted to release it, but her label advised against it and she started to work on other material for her debut album.

2011-2013: Breakthrough and Ora

Throughout 2011, Ora released covers and videos about working on her debut album on YouTube. The videos caught the attention of DJ Fresh, who at that time was looking for a female vocalist for his song, "Hot Right Now". Ora featured on the single that was released on 12 February 2012, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart. During February 2012, Ora was also the opening act on the UK concerts from Drake's Club Paradise Tour.

The first UK single from her debut album, "R.I.P." (featuring Tinie Tempah), was released on 6 May 2012. Produced by Chase & Status, the song debuted at the top of the UK Singles Chart, becoming her first solo UK number one. On 12 August 2012, "How We Do (Party)" was released and reached number one in the UK and Ireland. It was Ora's second UK number one as a solo artist, and third overall in 2012.

Whilst supporting Coldplay on their Mylo Xyloto Tour, she later announced that her debut album would be titled Ora. It was released on 27 August 2012 and debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart. Ora was nominated for Best UK/Ireland Act, Best New Artist, and Push Artist at the 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards. In September 2012, it was announced that Ora will be the opening act on the UK concerts from Usher's Euphoria Tour set to start in January 2013. Eventually, the tour was postponed due to Usher's "professional and personal commitments". From 23 October through to 30 October 2012, Ora embarked on her first headlining tour, Ora Tour, a five-date US tour supported by MTV.

"Shine Ya Light", released on 4 November 2012, became Ora's fourth consecutive top ten single in the UK, peaking at number ten. On 28 November 2012, Ora performed as a special guest at the concert held in Tirana, Albania for the 100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania. Ora embarked on her twelve-date UK "Radioactive Tour", from 28 January through to 13 February 2013, to support her debut album. She was nominated for three awards at the 2013 Brit Awards, including the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act.

2013-present: Upcoming second studio album

In January 2013, Ora revealed that her second album would be clearer and have more direction than the first one. On 26 February 2013, she revealed to Digital Spy that she had been working with Dev Hynes for the second album and that the record shows a different angle to a "party girl".

On 24 May 2013, Ora was the headline act on 1Xtra Arena/In New Music We Trust stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend. On 28 June 2013, Ora performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.

On 30 January 2014, she announced that her new single would be called "I Will Never Let You Down", produced by Calvin Harris. On 18 May 2014, the song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, making it Ora's fourth overall single to reach the apex of the chart, and third as a solo artist.

Ora featured on Iggy Azalea's single titled "Black Widow", from her album The New Classic. "Black Widow" peaked at number four in the UK, and became Ora's first top ten song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number three. On 14 December, Ora performed at the 2014 telecast of Christmas in Washington, filmed at the National Building Museum. On 22 February 2015, at the 87th Academy Awards, she performed the Academy Award-nominated song "Grateful", which appears in the film Beyond the Lights.

She released the song "Poison" on 28 June 2015 as the first single from her second studio album. The song debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her sixth top five single in the country.

In December 2015, Ora filed a lawsuit against Roc Nation, seeking release from the label and citing that the contract she signed in 2008 is "unenforceable", due to California's "seven-year rule." The complaint stated that she's "only been permitted to release one album despite creating multiple additional records for release" and that her relationship with Roc Nation is "irrevocably damaged."

Other ventures

Acting

An appearance in an episode of the British drama series, The Brief, was her first television role, at the age of 13. Shortly after, she appeared in the British film Spivs (2004). On 14 December 2012, Electronic Arts released a press statement announcing that Ora will be a character in The Sims 3: Seasons video game. In 2013, Ora appeared as a guest star in 90210, as well as appearing as a race caller in the film Fast & Furious 6. Ora was featured on Jay Z's Made in America, a Ron Howard-directed documentary about the Budweiser Made in America Festival, which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. In April 2014, Ora appeared alongside Korean pop star, Hyuna, in an episode of Funny or Die called "Girl, You Better Walk."

She portrayed Christian Grey's sister, Mia, in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey. Ora originally approached the production hoping to contribute to the film's soundtrack, and instead was asked to audition for the role of Mia Grey by the director of the film, Sam Taylor-Johnson.

Endorsements

In 2010, Ora featured in a commercial for Skullcandy headphones. She appeared in two Calvin Klein campaigns, in 2010 and 2011. In 2013, she was the face of Italian sneaker brand, Superga, and the new face of "Material Girl", a clothing line designed by Madonna. She was the face of two Donna Karan 2014 collections, Resort collection and Autumn/Winter collection. She's also the face of the label's fragrance, DKNY My NY, inspired by New York City. In September 2013, Rimmel announced their collaboration with Ora for makeup collections. In 2014, Ora was one of the cast members of Marks & Spencer's "Leading Ladies" campaign, and appeared as the face of Roberto Cavalli Autumn/Winter campaign. In January 2014, Adidas announced a designer collaboration with Ora for their line of casual sports clothing, Adidas Originals. Ora designed her own apparel collections for the brand, including footwear and accessories. In 2015, she was the face of Coca-Cola and Samsung Galaxy S6 advertising campaigns.

Television

Following the departure of judge Kelly Rowland, Ora was asked to be a guest judge on the ninth series of The X Factor in the UK. She was a judge during the auditions that were filmed at the O2 Arena in London.

On 3 November 2013, Ora hosted the BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards alongside Nick Grimshaw. On 19 October 2014, Ora and Grimshaw hosted the award show for the second year in a row.

In 2015, she was a coach on the fourth series of The Voice UK on BBC One. The same year, it was confirmed that Ora and BBC Radio 1 presenter, Nick Grimshaw, signed as judges for the twelfth series of The X Factor on the rival TV network ITV, after a bidding war between The X Factor and The Voice UK. She mentored the "Girls" category and chose Louisa Johnson, Lauren Murray, Kiera Weathers and Monica Michael for the live shows. Johnson became Ora's final act in the competition after the semi-final and subsequently won the series.

Artistry

Ora possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Ora credited Gwen Stefani and Beyoncé as her idols and biggest influences. Ora called Beyoncé her mentor, expressing admiration and gratitude at being able to have Beyoncé give her feedback on her debut album. Her other musical influences include Freddie Mercury, Christina Aguilera, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Sade. Ora also stated that she was inspired by her parents' record collection which included artists such as Prince, Earth, Wind & Fire, Eric Clapton and B.B. King. Ora has mentioned her admiration for Rita Hayworth as an early inspiration for wanting to pursue an acting career.

Personal life

"My parents brought us to this country with the hope and the dream that we could get a decent education, which is so important for our aspirations and for what we want to achieve in our lives. I grew up in Britain, a country that has given me so much for which I am grateful, but I will always have a special place in my heart for my home town and Kosovo."

—Ora speaking in 2015 on her move from Pristina, Kosovo to London.

Ora is of Albanian ethnicity and speaks Albanian. Asked about her religion, Ora stated: "I believe in God and I’m of Muslim culture, but my parents never forced me. Above all, they raised me with the idea that I could make my own choices and have my own beliefs." She considers herself a feminist.

Her maternal grandfather, Osman Bajraktari, was a diplomat. He was the Albanian consul to Russia (then part of the Soviet Union) in the 1980s.

On 10 July 2015, Ora was named an honorary ambassador for the Republic of Kosovo by the country's president, Atifete Jahjaga, at the Embassy of Kosovo in London. Ora, who was joined at the ceremony by her parents, Vera and Besnik Sahatçiu, and former British Prime Minister and his wife, Tony and Cherie Blair, stated she was "overwhelmed" by the honour and pledged to help the youth of Kosovo.

She dated Calvin Harris from May 2013 to June 2014. She broke up with Richard Hilfiger in July 2015 after a one-year relationship.

Philanthropy

On 23 March 2013, Ora performed as a special guest at Le Bal de la Rose du Rocher, an event organised by Karl Lagerfeld in Monte Carlo in aid of the Princess Grace Foundation. On 1 June 2013, Ora performed at the "Chime for Change" charity concert at Twickenham Stadium, London, which raised funds and awareness for girls' and women's issues around the world. In December 2013, along with other British artists, she filmed "No Place Like Home" campaign with UNICEF UK, in support of their appeal for the children affected by the Syrian conflict. On 7 May 2014, Ora headlined the third annual “Gabrielle’s Gala” fundraiser at Old Billingsgate Market, London, with proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.

On 15 November 2014, Ora joined the charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording the latest version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, to raise money for the 2014 Ebola crisis in West Africa. On 14 November 2015, Ora performed during half-time at David Beckham's UNICEF charity "Match for Children" held at Old Trafford, Manchester.

On 9 March 2016, she gave a speech on immigration and Syrian refugee crisis at the We Day U.K. event in London, organized by Free the Children.

Discography

Main article: Rita Ora discography

• Ora (2012)

Tours

Headlining

• Ora Tour (2012)
• Radioactive Tour (2013)
• Body on Me Tour (2015)

Supporting

• DJ Fresh - DJ Fresh Tour (2012)
• Drake - Club Paradise Tour (2012)
• Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto Tour (2012)

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	Spivs	Rosanna
2013	Fast & Furious 6	Racer
2015	Fifty Shades of Grey	Mia Grey
	Southpaw	María Escobar
2017	Fifty Shades Darker	Mia Grey	Filming

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	The Brief	Jaclyn Livermore	Episode: "Children" Credited as Rita Sahatçiu Ora
2012	The X Factor	Guest Judge	Series 9 (London auditions)
2013	90210	Herself	Episode: "Misery Loves Company"
2014	Christmas in Washington	Herself
2015	The Voice UK	Coach	Series 4
	Empire	Herself	Episode: "Who I Am"
	The X Factor	Judge	Series 12

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Rita Ora

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref.
2012	MOBO Awards	Best Newcomer	Herself	Won
		Best Female Act		Nominated
		Best Album	Ora	Nominated
		Best Video	"R.I.P."	Nominated
	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best New Act	Herself	Nominated
		Best Push Act		Nominated
		Best UK & Ireland Act		Nominated
	UK Music Video Awards	Best UK Urban Video	"R.I.P."	Nominated
	Urban Music Awards	Best Newcomer	Herself	Nominated
		Best Female Act		Nominated
		Artist of the Year		Won
		Best International Artist		Nominated
		Best Single	"R.I.P."	Nominated
		Best Album	Ora	Nominated
		Best Music Video	"Hot Right Now"	Nominated
	MP3 Music Awards	Best Newcomer	"Hot Right Now"	Won
2013	Brit Awards	British Breakthrough Act	Herself	Nominated
		British Single of the Year	"R.I.P."	Nominated
			"Hot Right Now"	Nominated
	UK Kids' Choice Awards	Favourite UK Female Artist	Herself	Nominated
	Glamour Awards	UK Solo Artist	Herself	Won
		Pandora Breakthrough		Nominated
	BET Awards	Best International Act: UK	Herself	Nominated
	MOBO Awards	Best Female Act	Herself	Nominated
	Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year Awards	Musician of the Year	Herself	Won
	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best Look	Herself	Nominated
		Best World Stage		Nominated
2014	BET Awards	Best International Act: UK	Herself	Nominated
	Young Hollywood Awards	Breakout Music Artist	Herself	Nominated
	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Music: Breakout Artist	Herself	Nominated
	BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards	Best British Solo Artist	Herself	Nominated
	MOBO Awards	Best Female Act	Herself	Nominated
	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best Look	Herself	Nominated
		Best Video	"Black Widow"	Nominated
2015	Black Reel Awards	Best Original Song	"Grateful"	Nominated
	Brit Awards	British Video	"I Will Never Let You Down"	Nominated
	Billboard Music Awards	Top Rap Song	"Black Widow"	Nominated
	Silver Clef Awards	Best Female Artist	Herself	Won
	Glamour Awards	TV Personality		Won
	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best Look		Nominated
	Bambi Awards	Music - International	Herself	Won
2016	Glamour Awards	British Solo Artist	Herself	Pending
		TV Personality	Herself	Pending

Honours

• 2015 - Kosovo’s Ambassador of Honour Medal

Charities

Rita Ora supports the following charitable cause: ALS (amyrotrophic lateral sclerosis).

[ Source: Wikipedia ]