Rita Ora releases love album You and I

Rita Ora has shared the “chapters of her love journey” on her new album, ‘You and I’.

The ‘Anywhere’ singer – who is married to Hollywood director Taika Waititi – has dropped the follow-up to 2018’s ‘Phoenix’, which not only documents her love story with her other half, but her love for her family and herself.

In a press release, Rita said: “The ‘You’ in ‘You and I’ represents more than just the man I love.

“It’s my mum, my friends, my fans, and in some ways, it represents the relationship I have with myself. This album has been like my diary for the past two years, and I’m so thrilled you finally get to hear it.”

The diaristic tunes see the pop star deep in reflection and are made for the dancefloor.

‘Girl in the Mirror’ sees Rita pay homage to her younger self, ‘Notting Hill’ is about her teen years, and ‘Shape of Me’ is a touching tribute to her mother Vera.

Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy makes an unexpected appearance on ‘That Girl’ with an interpolation of ‘Party All The Time’ – the lead single from the ‘Haunted Mansion’ star’s hit 1985 debut musical album ‘How Could It Be’ – used.

The 32-year-old singer sings about “never feeling more alive” when her filmmaker husband “saw her naked” for the first time on the previously released single ‘Don’t Think Twice’.

She sings: “And, baby, when you saw me naked. I’ve never felt more alive.”

Rita said of the song: “‘Don’t Think Twice’ is about not thinking twice and just jumping in, romantically. You only live once, so it’s really about seizing the moment, and not being held back by thoughts of what might or might not happen.”

The collection also includes the singles ‘Praising You (feat. Fatboy Slim)’ and ‘You Only Love Me’.

The singer recently explained that co-writing ‘You and I’ from her diary entries made her realise just how much has changed in her life.

Rita was quoted by The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column as saying: “Over the past few years, I’ve just grown up. My life evolved. I started journaling and those journals turned into songs. If you’re being vulnerable with your songs, you have to be honest.

“That is the magic. Diving into songwriting with this album has been an eye-opener.”