Rita Ora covers the new issue of FLARE, available on NextIssue on July 3 and newsstands July 14.
It’s a gorgeous photo. And here’s what caught my eye: the creative director of the shoot is Nicola Formichetti whose vision was instrumental in imagining Lady Gaga. Formichetti and Gaga stopped working together a year ago…which is around the time she started to slide. Gaga is a mess right now. Coincidence or conspiracy?
Here’s the thing about Rita Ora – the name recognition is there, sure, but I couldn’t tell you what her music sounds like, I don’t know any of her songs, I’ve never ever heard her speak. So while she and her management have done a good job raising her profile, it’s not going to go anywhere unless she backs it up with some work. Right now, the best way to describe her is “the girl who wants to be Rihanna” who actually looks like a cross between Rihanna and Zoe Kravitz. Maybe she should start dating Drake. What she wants though, apparently, is to be a “boss bitch”.
When asked by FLARE whether or not she identifies as a “boss bitch”, Ora replies:
"What does a boss bitch feel like? I can't say it, I can't. Because a boss-ass bitch doesn't say she's a boss. Everyone knows."
Fine. But she does want you to know that Prince believes in her:
“My songwriting notebook's been with me for a few years; it’s kind of falling apart. I had to, like, staple it together. We went through it for inspiration. People like Prince don’t have to care about anything, but they care because they want music for the future to be great. It makes me feel like, Jesus f–king Christ! They think I can do it! It makes me proud to have a voice!”
OK but, again, I’ve never heard her voice. It’s because I don’t live in the UK. That’s the goal right now for Ora then: North American penetration. And I’m open to this because over here, Ariana Grande has made the radio unbearable.
PS. FLARE, H&M, and Rimmel London are sponsoring the SMUT STYLE Award tonight – it’s your chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree and more. See you there!
