Born in Pristina, Kosovo, Rita Ora moved to London as a baby when her family fled political persecution. She grew up in West London, attended the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School, and began performing at open mic nights in her teens. After signing with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2008, she rose to fame in 2012 with her feature on DJ Fresh’s “Hot Right Now,” which reached number one in the UK. Her debut album also premiered at number one, making her the artist with the most UK number-one singles that year.

Beyond music, Ora built a formidable television career. She served as a coach on The Voice UK and The Voice Australia, a judge on The X Factor UK, and a host on America’s Next Top Model. She was also a long-standing panelist on The Masked Singer UK before crossing over to join the US version. In addition, she has hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2017, 2022, and 2024 

Rita Ora is also an actress who played Mia Grey across the Fifty Shades film trilogy. On the personal front, Ora is openly bisexual and is married to New Zealand filmmaker and Oscar-winner Taika Waititi.