Rita Ora reveals music legend Prince inspired her to take control of her back catalogue after her legal battle with Jay Z’s record label Roc Nation which stopped her making music for years
Rita Ora has revealed that music legend Prince inspired her to take control of her back catalogue as she legally battled with Jay Z’s record label Roc Nation.
The British pop sensation, 32, signed a new deal with BMG Media, marking a poignant ‘new chapter’ with the agency whose clients include Kylie Minogue, 5SOS, KSI and Run The Jewels.
Rita, whose last studio album Phoenix was released in 2018, has now divulged that it was the illustrious Prince who gave her the advice needed to take the reigns of her music career.
She flew over to the Purple Rain hitmaker’s mansion across the pond in 2013 to work on music together.
Speaking to Wonderland Magazine, Rita detailed that Prince told her: ‘If you don’t own your masters, your master owns you.’
Rita continued: ‘He said it to me when I was with him but I never thought that was a possibility for me. I was like, “There’s no way. I’m not going to get on anyone’s bad side”. I’m now in a position where I own my own masters – I can control where we’re going, what we’re publishing.’
The star has previously confessed that she ‘feared for her career’ during her legal battle with her former record label, Roc Nation, which is owned by Jay Z.
Speaking about the court battle which prohibited her from making music for five years Rita admitted that the stress of the situation definitely left her ‘scared.’
‘I definitely had a bit of worry and yeah, I was fearful of my life because, this is my life. My music is all I know so for me I was definitely scared,’ she expressed in 2019.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Rita continued: ‘I don’t know if depressed is the right word but I was definitely scared.’
Rita went on to add: ‘I was going through s***.’
Talking with Wonderland Magazine this month, Rita revealed that she was ‘taught’ not to rock the boat with her record label.
She continued: ‘I was a huge, huge pleaser back then. I was taught to do what everyone else wanted.’
The songstress posted a trio of black and white shots after signing with BMG last February, with one showing her posing by a grand piano while in another Rita displayed an ecstatic expression.
Rita wrote: ‘I’m THRILLED to announce that I am partnering with BMG!!! I couldn’t be happier that they will be my label family moving forward.
‘Their approach to artist ownership and control is very much aligned with mine, and it’s so empowering to know that I will own all my master recordings that I make from now on. I also feel so motivated to be working with such a dynamic, creative, forward-thinking global company.
‘I want to say a big THANK-YOU to the wonderful team at Atlantic Records, as I’m so proud of our incredible journey together and will never forget the day when we set the UK chart record for the most Top 10 singles by a British female artist.
‘I am extremely grateful to get to do what I love, for all the special people I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and for my fans who are EVERYTHING to me – I do this all for you!
‘I am beyond excited about the new music I’ve been working on and can’t wait to share it with you all. Here’s to a new chapter! See you all very soon!’
