The Mystery of Rita Ora: Famous for Her Image, Rich off Endorsements
Who is Rita Ora? It's not the easiest question to answer. The 23-year-old's official website touts her new single, "I Will Never Let You Down," but most people wouldn't know it by name and her first U.S. album won't be released till later this summer. Odds are you've heard her name, and you may even recognize Ora thanks to her strong red carpet presence, her high-profile dating history (exes include Rob Kardashian, Bruno Mars, while her current flame is DJ/producer Calvin Harris), or the Brit's latest endorsement triumph. But is that enough to make her one of the biggest celebs of 2014? Possibly. Media outlets including AOL have recently reported that Ora is worth a whopping $145 million, though that figure is up for debate.
More on Yahoo Shine: Rita Ora is from Kosovo? Who Knew! the Famous Singer Opens Up
Her career began in 2009, when Ora was a budding young star with just a few song cameos under her belt (Craig David featured her in his songs "Awkward" and "Where's Your Love). Roc Nation got wind of her talents and flew her to New York for a meeting with Jay-Z, where she was signed to his label within 48 hours. She soon sparked public interest after the media mogul put her in his "Young Forever" video and music fans wondered if Jay-Z's latest protégé would be the new Rihanna, but, music-wise, it's been a very slow rise towards the top. The following year she appeared in Drake's video for "Over," but her debut album wasn't released in the U.K. until 2012 with the help of will.i.am, Drake, and The-Dream, among others (and was never released in the States). To date, her four singles —"R.I.P.," "How We Do (Party)," "Shine Ya Light," and "Radioactive"— made small ripples more than waves.
More on Yahoo: Watch Rita Ora's "I Will Never Let You Down"
But Ora has managed to stumble into huge success though another career path: endorsements. Her platinum blond hair, signature red lips, and cool-girl style are reminiscent of a younger Gwen Stefani — and that's bankable. In 2010, Ora appeared in commercials for Skullcandy headphones and Calvin Klein's ubiquitous fragrance, CK One. Last year, becoming the face Madonna's Material Girl Clothing line earned her a supposed $845,000 and her deal with Superga sneakers was worth $250,000. (Though, according to recent reports, Ora just resolved a case out of court after her final compensation payments were withheld.) She closed DKNY's spring 2014 fashion show and is the new face of the brand's resort collection. She also launched a collection of cosmetics with Rimmel, will soon launch a collaboration with Adidas,a deal allegedly worth $4.2 million. This week she was named the new face of Roberto Cavalli.
A slew of campaigns under her belt combined with some magazine cover appearances and a steady presence at all the coolest clubs and events seem to have solidified her "it" girl trajectory. Her alleged $145 million may be a skewed figure, but Ora herself doesn't deny it. When she asked about her wealth in a recent radio interview with Power 105.1's "The Breakfast Club" in New York, she owned up to substantial property holdings and investments (including a pro soccer team in Kosovo, where she was born), and a company called Ora Multi Services. "I guess I always wanted to [invest] since I was young," she said on air. "I have really influential [people], my dad’s friends are really kind of smart, so I’ve always been around strategizing. I've had this plan for a while."
With a gorgeous face, a fantastic figure, and an incredibly enviable closet, Ora's the kind of star that women want to look like and guys want to be with. Perhaps it doesn't matter what substance is there. Where Kim Kardashian became famous from a sex tape and a reality show, Ora's star power comes from her cool image and always-ahead-of-the-curve style. Thankfully, her persona has not yet been tainted in the public eye, but perhaps it's only a matter of time before people realize she lacks credibility for any actual body of work other than her campaigns. Her next moves, it seems, must be incredibly well orchestrated.
Thankfully, Ora does have some serious work in her future, including her first major big-screen role. She's set to play Mia Grey, the beautiful younger sister of protagonist Christian Grey, in the highly-anticipated "50 Shades of Grey" film, out in theaters in 2015. And this summer she'll be dropping her first U.S. album, which thus far remains untitled. Because after all, making music is clearly secondary to her success.
For more on Rita Ora, check out the video below:
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