Phoenix (Rita Ora album)

In December 2015, Ora started legal proceedings against Roc Nation, seeking release from the record label and citing that the contract she signed in 2008 was "unenforceable", due to California's "seven-year rule". The complaint stated that she had "only been permitted to release one album despite creating multiple additional records for release" and that her relationship with Roc Nation was "irrevocably damaged".[4][5] In January 2016, Roc Nation filed a counter-lawsuit against Ora for breaking her recording contract. They reached a settlement in May 2016.[6]

In June 2016, it was confirmed that Ora had signed a global record deal with Atlantic Records UK.[7] Soon after, she began to work on her second studio album. In an interview with Billboard Radio China, Ora said of the process:

I had a bit of an issue, publicly, with putting out music which got me really, really, kind of devastated, and I was really down, and then I was really angry, and then I was really frustrated, and then I was really happy that it was happening.[8]

Archived 20 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine

Elaborating on what fans could expect from the album, Ora said:

It was all these emotions, so my album is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. [...] I'm still crazy – like, I still love to go out and party. Everyone who knows me knows that I love to have a good time, but I wanted this album to also be [something] you could put on and vibe with your friends. There's a lot of ups and downs, but I'm very, very proud of it.[8]

"Anywhere" was produced by Swedish DJ Alesso (left) and would go on to reach number two on the UK Singles Chart, while Ora featured on Avicii's single "Lonely Together", the DJ's last release before his death in 2018.

Phoenix is a uptempo dance-pop[2] and pop record that was recorded between 2016 and 2018.[1][9] It incorporates a mixture of genres including R&B-inspired vocals,[1] EDM-lite beats[2] as well as electronic anthems like "Lonely Together", Ora's joint collaboration with Avicii, "Anywhere" and the Rudimental collaboration, "Summer Love".[1] The latter also contains elements of drum and bass music.[10] Ora's vocals were described by The Guardian's Tara Joshi as both "wispy" and "powerful",[2] and by NME' Hannah Mylrea as "distinctive".[10] "Anywhere" was produced by Alesso and Sir Nolan, described by The Independent as a "hazy EDM banger"[11] and by Mylrea (of NME) as a "chunk of electropop".[10] Critics noted that it has several bridges and a gritty drop.[11] Meanwhile, on the mid-tempo track "Let You Love Me", Ora explores emotional barriers with lyrics that include "I wish that I could let you love me/ Say what's the matter with me?".[11]

"Your Song" has a minimalist production largely consisting of drum pads.[11] The song "New Look" takes a different direction; it is a Scandi-pop and tropical song produced by Swedish outfit Jack & Coke.[12][10] Its production sounds like "it's being played on a radio with intermittent signal".[11] There are several collaborations on the album including "Keep Talking" which features Julia Michaels and was described by Joshi as both "intriguing" and "euphoric".[2] Another collaboration, "Girls", features American rapper Cardi B, American singer Bebe Rexha and British singer Charli XCX. It was described as AllMusic's Neil Yeung as a "bold statement" and a "saucy, sex-positive anthem for the 21st century".[1] Critics such as Joshi (The Guardian) noted that it was an ode to bisexuality.[2]

Themes on the album include love and in particular "struggling or heat-of-the-moment relationships" as seen on the songs "Falling to Pieces", "First Time High" and "Only Want You",[12][13] with the latter also being released as a single and spawning a remix featuring vocals by American singer 6lack. "Falling to Pieces" features a trumpet interlude after each chorus and closes out the track with a trumpet outro.[13] Meanwhile, Padin Malvika from Clash noted that "First Time High" has a breezy sound that "leaves you feeling happier and lighter",[9] whilst "Only Want You" was noted for its electro production.[10]

Towards the end of the album, "Velvet Rope" and "Cashmere" are ballads that combine influences from jazz and R&B.[9] "Velvet Rope" is a "smooth, slowed-down R&B jam about a scorned ex-lover left wondering how her relationship collapsed." The song features a stripped back piano melody with a chorus of backing singers.[14] In a slight contrast, Billboard's Sophie Ding said the song "features soaring, multilayered melodies over deep reverbs as Ora sings about exploring a new relationship".[15]

The album also includes Ora's joint single with Liam Payne, "For You", which was released in promotion of Fifty Shades Freed (2018), the third and final film in the erotic romantic drama film series Fifty Shades.

Ora said that the album would be released sometime after March 2018.[8][16] Then during an interview with Glamour (Germany), she announced that it was now coming out in autumn 2018.[17][18] On 18 September 2018, Ora revealed the title of her second studio album and its release date, 23 November. The same day, the album was made available for pre-order.

In the eight days leading up to the album's release a number of songs were released as promotional countdown singles including: "Velvet Rope" on 15 November 2018,[14] "Cashmere" on 19 November 2018[15] and "Falling to Pieces" on 21 November 2018.[13]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	76/100[27]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
auspOp	[12]
Clash	[9]
The Guardian	[2]
The Independent	[11]
NME	[10]
The Times	[28]

Phoenix received positive reviews from music critics. According to review aggregator, Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a weighted score of 76, based on seven reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[27]

Phoenix was included on AllMusic's "favourite pop albums of 2018" year-end list.[29]

Adapted from album booklet and liner notes.[30]

Notes

• ^{^[a]} also vocal producer
• ^{^[b]} denotes additional production by

Credits and personnel adapted from Phoenix album notes.[30]