It would be an understatement to say that Rita Ora isn't the most popular person in Britain right now. The singer, 30, has just apologised for breaking lockdown again, this time for failing to quarantine following a private gig - reported to be a for a six-figure sum - on November 21. Following that performance, she then held her ill-fated and much ridiculed birthday party at a restaurant in Notting Hill, reported to be for 30 of her famous mates.
People were angry at her for breaking the law, accusing her of not caring about the virus solely because she's rich and famous. Rita was later visited by the police and voluntarily paid the £10,000 fine - but, honestly, what's that sum of money to her, a multi-millionaire? (There are reports today that she was told off by her parents for the party - her mum, Vera, works for the NHS.)
This led the Telegraph to ask a question which is often asked about Rita: 'how did a pop star with so little music become quite so famous?' It is, to be honest, a fair enough point. Despite her four UK number 1s, she has only released two albums since she emerged on the scene in 2012. Her last album, Phoenix, was released in 2018. She hasn't actually had a number 1 hit since 2014.
But we don't often ask this question of male musicians who continue to be stratospherically famous, many years after actually being successful. (I love One Direction, but Liam Payne - who funnily enough she did a duet with - would fit this category). Same for sport stars too: how is David Beckham still a household name in 2020? Fame is not about origins, it's about holding on, about longevity.
Undeniably, the reason Rita is so famous is because she works hard. Which is nothing to be ashamed of. You can explain how she became so famous without mocking her.
Rita is good at being on telly. She was a judge on The Voice, X Factor and is currently on the celebrity panel for The Masked Singer. Rita - who was also a judge on America's Next Top Model - with her wild and fun outfits, also has a clear interest in fashion, meaning she has been granted numerous deals with huge brands. You could argue that she's as much a model as she is a pop star.
And she always seems to be advertising something. Even though, yes, that recent EE advert where she appears as a huge CGI person of herself performing over London is embarrassing and terrifying - appearing in something like that is why she continues to be so ubiquitous.
But the piece itself is mean, with lines like 'It felt, for a time at least, that everything Ora touched turned to cringe.' It also, unbelievably, implies that slut-shaming is another reason why she is so well known after Rob Kardashian tweeted (after their short lived romance in 2012) that she cheated on him with '20 dudes'.
Rita might not be hot right now (see what I did there? Her first single was Hot Right Now with DJ Fresh) but there's no need to bring misogyny into it when discussing her career.
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READ MORE: Come On Rita Ora, Hosting A Dinner Party During Lockdown Is Wildly Irresponsible