Rita Ora announces release date for new album 'Phoenix'

Pop singer will release the record six years after her debut album 'Ora'

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Wednesday 19 September 2018 08:07 BST
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Rita Ora and crowd pause for moments silence in tribute to Avicii at concert in the Netherlands

Rita Ora has announced that her long-awaited second album Phoenix will be released this year on 23 November.

The album is already available to pre-order and the singer is preparing to release a new single, "Let You Love Me", on 21 September.

Phoenix comes six years after Ora's 2012 debut album Ora. Over the past few years she has released a number of successful singles that will appear on the new record, including "Your Song", "Anywhere", and "Girls", which featured Cardi B, Charli XCX and Bebe Rexha.

"Girls" was met with criticism by several prominent LGBTQ+ artists who said the song was a problematic portrayal of bisexual stereotypes. Ora apologised for how the song was interpreted and consequently came out as bisexual herself, saying it was written "to represent my truth and is an accurate account of a very real and honest experience in my life".

She added: "I would never intentionally cause harm to other LGBTQ+ people or anyone. Looking forward, I hope that continuing to express myself through my art will empower my fans to feel as proud of themselves as I'm learning to feel about who I am."

The album's listing on Amazon shows that the tracklist will likely also include "Lonely Together" – Rita Ora's single with the late Swedish DJ and producer Avicii,"For You" – a track recorded with Liam Payne for the Fifty Shades Freed film soundtrack, and her Rudimental collaboration "Summer Love".

"One of the most liberating feelings for me is performing and creating music," Ora said in a statement. "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 to 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."

Rita Ora's new album Phoenix is released on 23 November 2018

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