Words by Megan Ambers
Singer and occasional fill-in Rita Ora is opening up about the “meltdown” she suffered following her legal battle with Jay-Z and Roc Nation in 2015. Ora sued the label after claims that they failed to support her music career.
Roc Nation signed the singer in 2008, and released her debut album Ora in 2012. Three years later, Ora sued Roc Nation, because she not only felt neglected by the label, but felt they no longer supported her. Legal documents of the lawsuit cite, “Rita’s relationship with Roc Nation is irrevocably damaged. Fortunately for Rita, the California legislature had the foresight to protect its artists from the sorts of vicissitudes she experiences with Roc Nation.”
However, Roc Nation filed a counterclaim against Rita for $2.3 Million in an attempt to ‘release’ her from her contract. The parties eventually came to an agreement and reached a settlement out of court.
Rita sat down with The Guardian to talk about the stressful time that led up to the meltdown. “I lost a lot of confidence in myself. I thought ‘What am I going to do?’ It felt like the worst thing, but it was the only decision I could make. My appreciation and respect for them hasn’t changed at all,” she said of her former label. “It could have been bad, but it was very respectful. It was one of the easiest separations ever. It didn’t go to court. I can’t go into crazy political details obviously, for… reasons. But it was easy. Amazing.”
Rita is scheduled to host and perform at the MTV EMAs in London on Nov. 12.
