THE GALLERY: Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18

Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

 

 

 

Words & pics by Eleanor Sutcliffe

You can tell a lot about a show by the queue outside the venue.

Tonight, it is an endless horde of teenage girls and their parents. Not my usual rock show, granted. However, I was their age when Rita Ora dropped her single ‘RIP’ back in 2012, so I can understand their excitement. And it’s rare for a pop star of Ora’s size to play such a small venue (if, of course, you can count the 3000 capacity O2 Academy main room as ‘small’).

Kara Marni – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeFirst on stage is Kara Marni, who delivers a no-frills five track performance including a mashup of ‘Wild Thoughts’ by Rihanna and ‘Shape of You’ by Ed Sheeran.

Marni’s standout song tonight, however, is ‘Love Just Ain’t Enough’ taken from her debut EP of the same name; her vocals dance effortlessly over subtle R & B beats, amalgamating into a set that is short but nevertheless incredibly impressive.

Next up we have Raye, who bounds onto the stage clad in a black hoodie and shorts. Her energy is seemingly endless as she bounces back and forth to tracks such as ‘Cigarette’ and ‘Decline’, which both send the crowd into what can only be described as group ecstasy.Raye – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Personally, even whilst watching most of it through a camera lens, I enjoy Raye‘s set much more than I anticipated – and even find myself dancing along to her track, ‘Confidence’. Once my professional duties are done, of course. But a great performer and one to watch/watch out for if you get the chance.

But now it’s the main event, the artist this sold out O2 Academy crowd have all come out to see. Admittedly, I am slightly dubious about the show that Rita Ora will deliver tonight – her absence from the UK touring circuit for several years, plus the ‘smaller’ venue choice, were all seemingly red flags to me. However, as the set kicks off with a flourish I couldn’t have been more mistaken.

Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeOpening to one of her latest tracks, ‘Your Song’, Rita Ora weaves her way across the stage along with four backing dancers – all in front of an LED screen showing lyrics to the crowd. Production wise, Ora spares nothing for her fans tonight, from a dancer being constrained in a Perspex box during ‘For You’ to a slightly amusing routine involving numerous industrial fans and chiffon scarves for ‘Body On Me’. The show pushes exactly what is possible for a performer (and production team) to achieve on the O2 Academy’s main stage.Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

It isn’t all theatrics, however; from dedicating her track ‘Lonely Together’ to the late Avicii, to debuting a new slower number titled ‘Soul Survivor’, Ora’s high octane performance is interspersed with slower material including a more laid back, heavier version of her hit single ‘RIP’. But the highlight of the night is when she pulls a group from the audience up on stage to celebrate one of their birthdays. Seeing a star being this genuine and dedicated to their fans is a breath of fresh air.

Finishing her set with ‘Anywhere’, another track from her eagerly awaited sophomore album, it’s clear that Rita Ora’s time out of the spotlight has been well spent. And with a whole host of new material ready for her fans to hear, I’ll be surprised if she graces the stage of a venue this ‘small’ again. Next stop, surely an arena tour.

 

 

 

Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeRita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeRita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeRita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor SutcliffeRita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on Rita Ora, visit www.ritaora.com

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Raye – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Raye – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Raye – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Raye – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on Raye, visit www.raye-music.com

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Kara Marni – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

Kara Marni – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kara Marni – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe Kara Marni – supporting Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18 / Eleanor Sutcliffe

For more on Kara Marni, visit www.karamarni.com

For from the O2 Academy Birmingham, including all further event listings, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

BPREVIEW: Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18

BPREVIEW: Rita Ora @ O2 Academy Birmingham 16.05.18

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

On the 16th of May, Rita Ora will be performing at O2 Academy Birmingham as part of The Girls Tour coming to venues across the UK.

Doors open at the O2 Academy Birmingham from 7pm, with tickets priced at £33.70 (plus delivery fees) – as presented by SJM Concerts, Live Nation and AEG. For direct gig information, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

**At the time of writing this gig was close to selling out, with only a few tickets left via Ticketmaster and other outlets. Please ensure you buy from a reputable agent**

Rita Ora rose to mainstream music fame back in 2012, after appearing as the guest vocalist on DJ Fresh’s No1 single ‘Hot Right Now’. In May that year, Ora – who had been working on material for her debut album – released her debut single, ‘RIP’, which also entered the charts at the top spot. Then in August, Ora completed the hat trick with ‘How Do We (Party)’ which again debuted at No1 – making her the only artist of the year to have three consecutive releases at the top of the UK Singles Charts. Rita Ora’s self titled debut album, Ora, came out in August 2012 again reaching the No1 spot on release.

Winning huge industry attention, Rita Ora, who signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label in December 2008, attracted support slots from many major artists such as Coldplay and Drake. Clear that Ora was a pop force to be reckoned with, since those somewhat meteoric beginnings she has toured from England to Australia, recorded with artists from Tinie Tempah to Iggy Azalea, and won pretty much every award you could think of including Best British Breakthrough Act at the 2013 BRIT awards.

Rita Ora has further enjoyed a solid career on screen, appearing as a judge on several high profile TV talent shows and staring as Mia Grey in the Fifty Shades… film trilogy

However, every silver lining has it’s cloud and Rita Ora’s music career took a hit in 2015 after she filed a lawsuit against Roc Nation seeking release from her contract. Settling this in early 2016, Ora signed to Atlantic Records in 2016 – releasing her first single on the imprint, ‘Your Song’, in May 2017.

Rita Ora’s latest solo single, ‘Anywhere’, was released in October 2017, following with a track with Liam Payne from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack, ‘For You’, in January 2018 ‘For You’. A further collaboration with Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, and Charli XCX, ‘Girls’, is set for release on 11th May – paving the way for Ora‘s long awaited sophomore studio album, which fans can hope to see released in autumn 2018.

‘Anywhere’ – Rita Ora

On the 16th of May, Rita Ora will be performing at O2 Academy – as presented by SJM Concerts, Live Nation and AEG. For direct gig information, including venue details and online tickets sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham/rita-ora-tickets 

For more on Rita Ora, visit www.ritaora.com

For from the O2 Academy Birmingham, including all further event listings, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham