Not Skinny But Not Fat - RITA F**KING ORA IS HERE

Episode Date: December 12, 2023

The Albanian-born, London-raised pop icon who created tons of hits and headlines talks all about her career, how she got started, married life with Taika Waititi, her Love Island cameo, her obsession with Shrek, her most exciting TikTok follower and more!!Produced by Dear MediaThis episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The following podcast is a Dear Media production. Hi, I'm Pia Barangini, the creative director of LPA, an entrepreneur, a wife, and a dog mom based in Los Angeles. This is my new podcast, Everything is the Best, where we basically ask interesting people, how did you go from zero to yacht? I'm always curious how to help people became successful, and I figured you would be too. Get on the internet with me. Let's laugh, let's cry, let's overshare, and let's get inspired to live our best lives. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. It's all for you, baby. Thanks for listening. Love You Mean It.

This is Amanda Hirsch from the Not Skinny but Not Fat podcast. You might know me from Not Skinny Bonaput on Instagram where I spend my time talking about reality TV, celebrities, everything happening, and pop culture. I also talk to some of our favorite celebs and reality TV stars. We talk about what's going on. Tune in every Tuesday and just feel like you're talking to shit with your best friend. in your living room. Rita or is fucking here, you guys.

And I'm so happy. I cannot. I can. You can? Yeah, because I've been like manifesting this. Oh, shut up. I don't believe. I told you from me.

No, I don't believe it. I know that our team's been like trying to connect for ages. I know. listening to you and I love your chat. Stop. You make me laugh. I have good chat. I've got good chat.

You've a great banter. And actually someone I was working with was like, you have to do this show. And then I was like, wow, I'm here. I love how that happens. Yeah, I know. I don't know why I didn't want to do it before. It's not even that. It's not that I didn't want to.

It's just, I guess. Do you do pods? I just didn't think that I don't know that you'd want me on the show. Oh my God. I swear to God. I'm done with you on your lies. It's too soon. Five minutes in.

Done with you and your lies. With three minutes in. Also, I can't stop looking at myself. You look so pretty. You're feeling it. I'm feeling you're lying in here. Wait, we need to tell the people a few things. Okay, go.

She did her own makeup for a full day of press. I did. People need to know your humble. Thank you. I'm so humble, guys. For real? Like, for real, though, you think I'm joking, but I did. And I think I did a good job.

What do you think? You did an amazing job. I would have never known. I've just powdered the hell out of my face. Do you feel like you like when you do your own makeup more than when makeup artists do it sometimes? Sometimes. like if I'm working with someone new.

Yeah. But I like to keep the same gals with me. I do my face and my hair. And you said to me before you just threw it out there, you're like, I grew up in the drag community. Yeah. Yeah. I was a, well, dance music, underground in the UK.

Like you used to go to the club. To the club. To the club club. Yeah. When you were young. Dance music in the UK was like, honestly, it was just so fun. It was like sweaty, just queens and drag queens. and the trans community and the world of just beautiful, beautiful colors and acceptance.

And like ecstasy or no? And I mean, whatever they were on, it was accepted. I felt like it was just where I felt one. And they were teaching me everything about makeup, hair, clothes. And still to this day, I use it just on an everyday basis. That's why I have like three layers of powder on. Well, it looks amazing. And your skin is so good.

And your little tooth jewel is so cute. Oh, thank you. you. I'm giving, simple, I'd like to think. I'm giving you a black suit. Yeah. With gold bling. Yeah. Yeah. But still like, so it's a black suit, but it has some like fun. Because you have the gold in your hair. Yeah. And the gold in your two. Like she's still cool. I definitely wanted to like, you know, Tom Ford told me something. Hmm. And he said, he's so hot. Oh, he's perfection. Like I saw him. Oh my God. You know when I saw him. I saw him the day after the megala at St. Ambrose sitting with Anna Wintor. I mean, I can. All icons. I mean, I was like, are you the most beautiful man I've ever seen? He is.

And the most nicest as well. And the most nicest. Like the soul and the brain. What did he say to you? He just basically said that you should wear gold in the day. Yeah. This was when I was single. He said, you should go out with someone that wears gold in the day.

Oh, you should. And only transitions into diamonds at night. And if they don't, they ain't the one for you. Wait, a man that wears gold in the day and diamonds? Like if somebody, someone has to, like a man has to just basically elevate himself when the sun goes down. Oh, okay. Which I find really sexy. Yeah.

And it's such a Tom Ford way of thinking too. If you like know Tom and the smells and his incredible sort of sense of style and everything, it's kind of makes sense. He's very classy that guy. At a random thought, did you see the Jerry Hallowell, Ginger Space? Yeah. You're like, that's random. I'm like, I love. You're like, where are we going?

I'm like, where are we going? Don't vote to Jerry, but I'm here for it. Wait, who were you? Who'd you like the most, Space Girls? All of them, for different reasons. You didn't have a favor? No, I loved posh because of fashion. Yeah.

But then I loved Mel C because she just was so good at singing and everything. Yeah. Mel B as well, like they sang a lot and Emma Bunton. Yeah. Baby Spice, then was my vibe when I felt a bit more like. Baby Spice is my vibe too, yeah. I just switched. I switched.

Yeah. So Jerry Hallwell just came out with a book recently. I saw that. I don't know if you noticed she only wears white. No. Yeah. No, no. It's a thing.

She only wears white and she, there's a reason. I'm obsessed. There's a reason she says that white shows that you're, she got some shit for this, that white shows that you like aren't working in the minds, basically. Like you're so like above everything that you can't get dirty so you can just wear white. I thought it's because you just look way nicer, like a more approachable. Right. It's like a humble color.

It's like really easy. And it's like innocent. She did also say that it. it like makes life easier to just have one color. But if you go to her Instagram, you guys, and you too, you're going to be shocked because you're going to be like, oh, my God, she only wears white. First of all, ginger spice can do no wrong because I love, love a bit of ginger spice. Yeah.

I used to dress up as her every single Halloween. Stop. Did you meet the spice girls? The flag and the boots with the wig and the boobs. Yeah. What? Yeah, I did a carpet with, actually, no, I did a show with them. And they were all on the same couch as me.

And I was speechless. I was like, why are you guys even interviewing me when you were sitting? sitting next to the Spice Girls. Yeah. But this was when there was four. It wasn't five. Remember there was like they did a thing with four of them? And who wasn't there?

We're posh. Oves. Wow. Why Oves? Because she's at Beckham? Hello? Did you not watch the Beckham Netflix show? I did, did you?

I was focused on David. You know what I was focused on? Who? The outdoor kitchen. How good is that kitchen outside? Did you see it? With the kitchen and him making like whatever he was making. But that whole thing, I need it in my house.

I know. Outside my house. any way it fits. Do you need the chickens too? Are you into that life? That's the dream I think like at some point I'd love to like just like retire in the countryside yeah I mean look tyco my husband he's from New Zealand so it's like and you spend time there yeah so like outdoors is their whole thing you know it's beautiful are you outdoorsy I'm I'm becoming would you like sleep in a tent I do it you do I do it every Glastonbury it's like you got to do it properly. You've got to get dirty, muddy, and just live the best life you can move.

It's your B day soon. It is. Is that exciting or no? You're so cute. You know that. Thank you. 26th of November. I'm 33. Turning. Turning. Yeah. And I honestly feel the best I've ever felt. Isn't it? 30s are so good. Like, I can't believe. I can't tell you. I feel like I look the best I've ever looked. Yeah. And I feel like I feel the best of it. Isn't that wild? Felt. Like when you turn 30, did you have the same feeling or were you bummed to turn 30? No, I was bummed. And then now you're like, wait, this is the best era ever. Well, I don't know.

I guess for me, like, I'm such an open book. And so, like, I find myself, like, really overwhelmed when it comes to birthdays because it's, like, another, like, chapter in my life. And I don't know why I get, I've never been, like, a crazy exciting. Oh, it's my birthday person. I was going to ask you, do you get, like, it's my fine birthday? No, I get more like, I don't care. Let's not make it a thing.

Let's just have dinner. but my friends love to just, like, do something for me. But, you know, my 30s was a big enlightening moment. It was like, okay, wow, I've grown, I don't know, something flipped. Like, I grew up real quick. Weirdly. I don't know if it was to do with, like, the age 30, but my 20s, kind of messy anyway, but I loved the idea of not having a responsibility.

And I think when I turned 30, I felt like, okay, it's time to just kind of put things in focus. But also, like, my body was getting, like, tired. Oh, that's the annoying part. Like my, yeah, my hangovers were like three days long. And so that's when I started to get into, like, health and stuff like that. Because I was like, okay, how can I sustain my life that I want to live? Yeah. And not have to, like, not go out.

Because I like going out. I love going out with my friends, having a couple margaritas. So I don't want to, like, stop that. Yeah. It's my face. So annoying about the hangovers. It's hell. Like, I look back and I'm like, I used to go to the club until 6 a.m.

Go to sleep, wake up. I love that you know Hot Walk, which is like one of the biggest songs back when I was growing up. I was listening to so much of that music. Wait, how old are you? 35. I was kind of the same era. 33, 35. Yeah.

I'm still with Black Widow in my head. Until you hate me. That song really good. Gloria. You know what? My other favorite song of yours, which I don't know if it's random. And it's on my shuffle and it comes on all the time in my shuffle of my like favorite music is your song. Oh, that's a happy song.

I love that song. It's a very cute song. Yeah. Yeah. Shout out to Ed Shearan, who wrote that with me. Oh, we did? Oh. That song is a very cute song.

I love that song. And it feels like it's not intimidating. Can you sing it first? I can remind the people. I don't want to hear sad songs anymore. I only want to hear love songs. I found my heart up in this place tonight. I love it.

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feelings in different parts of the world. Yeah. You know? I think like I've always been a musician, you know, but with my career, I think why it's different in all different parts of the world is because people know me for different things worldwide. Like, you know, some people may know me more as a name or the personality that like does TV and has always a fashion girl and, you know, back in Europe, for example, it's like all

about my music and in Asia and in Brazil and, you know, I think it's. it's different. And I think for me, it's because I've chosen to, like, do lots of stuff. Yeah. And so it's understandable. I've always looked at myself as like a 360, but I'm in it for like the long haul, you know, it's if you. As Kelly represent. Which is hilarious. Oh yeah. I just told you that. But like I definitely felt like I was always a 360 sort of like person with fashion and with TV and with music. I just felt like I wanted to do it all. you say always do you mean like from your career or from growing up from growing up because my idols were like Madonna share all these women that did so many things yeah and like did film

and won Oscars and one like it was just crazy I was like that's when I realized oh my gosh I can do this because I love connecting with people and so I found it really sort of like a great challenge and then it just kept going it just like a snowball it just kind of kept rolling well let's talk about that let's talk about growing up knowing you wanted to be a performer yes from like what age i don't know since i can remember i was just always well i was forced to always sing in the in the living rooms for christmas like home tapes of you sing birthdays and my mom would always sort of play really loud music and i just loved it i loved everything about it i loved feeling music and my mom had this really great thing where she would dance her troubles away and she was really good at it there's a video of us

sort of dancing in like a tiny room. I actually did it for Louis Thruh, which was, I don't know if you know who that is, Louis Thruh. He does, he's incredible. He started in journalism and now does these really intense getting to know people interviews. Okay. A bit like what Letterman does for Netflix when they do all those things, similar to that.

And anyway, I took him in and the video was like, just us dancing in one room, which is literally where we lived in that one room. So you grew up like? And in the beginning, it was a good. great but we you were born in i was born in kosovo yeah in albania just out just well now it's cosovo but it's part it was part of albania and the first year of your life in pristine yeah and then i moved to london when i was one and yeah that's kind of where it were both your parents albanian yes mom and dad do you speak cosovovon yeah but like fully yeah fully yeah albanians kind of

there are a lot of albanians in the industry yeah you know it's great to see when i started in 2012 there wasn't so now we have duly per and bibi rexer and do you get like compared to that i think it's a natural thing when people get compared especially because we're so like there's not a lot of us yeah not part of the world yeah but no yeah we couldn't be more different all of us three to be honest have you ever like come together yeah yeah with eva max and bibi i have oh right eva max is also yeah not so much of do it yet yeah but it would be great if we all, like, did something great together. Yeah.

Just kind of represent. Do you forget sometimes that you're from there because you moved at such a young age? Like, do you feel like you're from London? Yeah. Well, I am. Yeah. Like, my whole, like, lifestyle is from London. Like, everything I learned about fashion and my whole being is London.

But my parents definitely like to remind me about my roots. Do you go back? Do you have, like, family there? Yeah, a lot. I'm actually going back for my birthday. Really? Yeah. I'm taking my husband.

He's never been, so. Oh, my God. It has to go back to the home grounds. That's fun. I want him to just see what it's like. So you organized your birthday this year? Yeah. Okay.

I'm going to go meet the president, show face. Oh, just a little. Yeah. She's like amazing and she's a female. That's cool. So we're going to go and just show him around of it. He's never been. Do you think he's going to surprise you with a gift for your B-Day?

Well, he better. He better. Also, I send full lists of what I want. No, stop. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. By the way, it's not a surprise. Rita, you said before that you don't make a big deal

about your birthday. Now we're finding out you send lists. Like, I don't like to organize crazy big, like, birthday basches. Yeah. But I like to get good presents. So what's on your list? Because my love language is gifts. Like, for real, for real. Like I... You love buying for people. I love. And especially thinking like months in advance. Stop. No, I'm really like that person. Wow. And I want that back. Yeah. Is he good at it? Yeah, he is. Okay, good.

He's better. So what's on your list? Can you tell us if you think? I love jewelry. Yeah. So like gold. Anything gold? Yeah, you are into gold.

What if one day you're not into gold and you have all this gold? I will never not be into gold. Do you remember when Carrie Bredcha? Did you watch sex in the city? Yeah, with the name tag? Yeah. And you were about to say? Oh, my God.

Are you getting? Well, it's also because I love you and I kind of know your personality because I listen to you now. Oh, my God. So I kind of feel like I know. Oh, my God. I'm obsessed. Your vibe. But sometimes I have her in my mind when I'm deciding on gold or...

You have good hair. You should do the carrot curls. They'll be hot on you. Her hair? Like, you know when she had like those big bouncy curls? They'll look hot on you. Wita, I really don't think you're right. And if I ever try it.

But don't you ever have her in your mind? Like when she's like, no, I wear like my gold. Like, but I don't want my wedding band to be gold. Remember she said that? Yeah. Yeah. Crazy. You know, my wedding band's gold. Yeah.

Yeah. This is actually a New York jeweler, Lorraine Schwartz. That's a fat wedding band. Well, you want to know if Little Seeky? Yeah. There's actually some rose quartz in there. Can you hear it? I don't know.

Let's hear. You guys hear that? I don't know. I kind of hear it, yeah. No. Wait, what does that mean? It's just a... You can't hear it?

Is that what you think? Well, you can. You're in, like, a month. Oh, he said? Oh, he's like... Oh, he's just a little nice comforting. That's why it's thick. Because there's crystals in there.

Ah. Yeah, which is really special for me. Wait, is the diamonds, the engagement? No, this was just a band when I don't want to wear this. It's just like a... A lot of rings. I know. Do you sleep with all them?

No. Do you sleep with yours? No, I take these off. Yeah, I don't sleep with these. Because my fingers also get fat when I sleep by then. Why are you so stupid sometimes? I love me so much. But, okay, wait, Rita, we have a lot more to go.

Yeah, come on. And you're really, you know. Sorry, I'm distracting you. Okay, yeah. I want to understand how. you became this huge fucking pop star. Like, how does it happen? How does somebody make their dreams come true?

It's just bravery. What did you do? Honestly, it's just being brave. It's being able to stand up for yourself. It's about making real choices, not knowing how they're going to play out, it being better than whatever situation you're in. You know what I mean? So you knew you wanted to do it.

What were you doing to make it happen? Everything. I could. I was like, well, in the beginning, I was signed to Rock Nation and it was incredible. And I loved Jay-Z and a huge- But before that, how'd you get to Rock Nation? Oh, gosh, a demo. So I was writing music for other people and I was vocaling the demos myself. Yeah.

And then one song got into the hands of Rock Nation. They were like, wait, who's seeing this? And it was me. And they were like, can we meet the singer? Because the voice sounds really good. Yeah. And then they met me and that was that. Did you hope that that's where it would go?

Or would you have been cool with just writing music for other people? I would have been alright because I was making music. I mean, honestly, I didn't. A girl like me, like, you don't, where I'm from in Kosovo and, like, just a girl from West London, like, this doesn't really happen. You don't get, like, picked up. But you must have believed that it could if you were working towards it in so many ways. I mean, I knew my songs were good.

I just didn't think that I was ever going to be, like, the girl fronting the songs. Really? Crazy. I know, but I didn't. Because I didn't know if I... But did you look like this? I'd like to think I did. Yeah.

Maybe less makeup at the time. No, but I'm saying, like, you have the looks, you have the voice, you have the talent. Why didn't you think that you could make it? I don't know. Maybe just a girl, like, from London that works in a sneaker store, doesn't get these chances. That's an immigrant from another country. Like, I just didn't think that that was ever going to be a real thing. But then opportunities started happening.

Yeah. And then luckily, the demo got in the hands of a label. And they said, who's this? And they were like, the voice sounds great. Like, who's singing this? And then that's when I kind of sent my photo in. Like it was before Zoom. Yeah.

Right? This was 20, we're talking 2011. And so I sent like my school photo. That's the only sort of professional photo I had. Like your book photo? Yeah. Oh my God. And that was the only professional photo I had.

Yeah. And they were like, okay, can she fly to New York? So New York, which is where we're at right now. Thank you for telling us. Hold a real special place in my heart. Because that's where. It's sort of where my dreams came true. Who came with you?

on that trip. This random woman who doesn't really work with me anymore but she's still a friend of mine and she came and we had no idea what we were doing

like you walked into an office like we walked into no rock the mic which was Jayzy's studio at the time oh you came straight to a studio yeah it was super late

I mean it's super like hip hop you know what I'm saying you walk in they're all in there was Daisy there no no they were doing a Christmas party

at his club 4040 or whatever is that yes remember I can't it was all the rage yeah yeah Yeah, so then I went straight to 40-40, and that's where I met Jay-Z for the first time. Was he, like, smoking a cigar?

No, not even. He was just being really professional, talking to his employees. Did he hear you on the demo? Did he know? At that point, I think so, because I feel like he shouldn't, like, he knew that I was coming to meet him. Yeah. I mean, I don't know, but I hope so. And from there did things like to take off?

That's where everything clicked. Yeah, they signed me the next day. And it was completely like a dream come true. was one of the best moments of my life. Oh, my God. Because it was like, finally somebody believes in me. And they did. And they still do.

And that deal went on for about nine years. And we left amicably and everyone is very, very still good friends. And they're so happy for me. And I'm so happy for them. But it was about now, like, again, back to being brave. I had to make a choice to find a group of individuals that just made me their number one priority. And that's okay. Yeah.

You know, obviously, you're talking about. about two of the biggest people in the music business as well. They have so much going on. And that's okay. And they did what they did for me. And then I had to sort of then now find my own team. Wait, so only now, though, you moved. No, no. I moved back in 2014, I think. Not to where you're currently at. No, 2018, 17. Gosh, I don't remember. Well, your last album was 2018. Yeah. So it was like before that. It was before that. Yeah. Okay. Wait, and I want to know, growing up, you had a brother and a sister? I did.

And I still do. Oh, my God. You have a brother and a sister. Can you imagine? Were they supportive of your dream? Yeah, my brother couldn't kill us. Yeah. He like does video games and doesn't give a flying shit about anything that I do, which I love.

Yeah. Like, it's his birthday on the 18th. Like, he's also in the November babies. So many November babies, by the way. I've Pete Davidson today. Oh, yeah? AP Davidson. No, you knowing everyone's both.

Do you know it's wild? He turned 30 today as we're recording. And everyone thinks he's way older. He's not older than that? You also thought that? Yeah. I wonder if people think he's older because of like him or because of... I do feel like as a comedian, you come across as that because, like, I feel like you

have to know a lot to be funny. You know what I'm trying to say? I always think that I'm like, if you're funny, then you're probably like smart. Like you have to, even if you don't play smart, like, you must know some shit. shit to like be a comedian and yeah all the greats that I've met they're really smart yeah they have to be for like a sense of humor yeah like Chris Rock so smart so you're okay your brother isn't into it no is he still not like famous people he doesn't care about anything like stuff give a flying turd and your and your sister my sister works with me oh she does she's very in it

what does she do she's kind of my like day-to-day manager wow but she's also like my business manager how does that work it's great yeah it was wasn't so easy in the beginning. Did she show interest? She's my older sister too. So there was an incredible kind of shift that happened as well because she cares so much about me as an older sister. Oh, my older sister could never work with me. Really? She would hate me. No way. Yeah. But we found older sisters are usually like hard on their younger sisters. Yeah. She still is. Oh. That hasn't changed. Yeah. But it's a good dynamic. She's safe. She's really smart. She's a Libra. Yeah. She's super balanced. She definitely has a lot more wisdom with people and numbers, you know, than I do.

That's amazing. So it's nice to have her, like, with me. Now, we do have a conflict like normal people, but we always find a middle ground. That's amazing. I'm really lucky. Yeah. For real, for real. Wow. To work with family. Yeah. It could be really tough. It could. Yeah. And what do your parents think of your success? They're so happy. Yeah. They're so cute. Yeah. They're at their age now where it's like everything's cute. Are they like 60s? Yeah. It's like it breaks my heart. Why? Because I know that they know that they're getting older and I can see it in their face that

they don't want to like retire and they don't want to do that. And so I'm trying my best to just keep everything like incredibly positive because they've lived and worked so hard. Yeah. So hard. And it's so inspiring. Like they've really done a lot for us. Were they involved in kind of making your dream? even coming true? Yeah, in the sense of confidence. In the sense of confidence. And belief.

Yeah. My dad, more of a reality guy. Yeah. You know, coming from... Did they want you to like go to college? Yeah, because when you come from a war to one country like Kosovo, you just want safety. Yeah. A degree of safety, right? Right. So like it was for them, like, an easy way to make us feel safe. Both of my siblings have got degrees. I don't. How did you convince them that you weren't going to do that? Because I said that this is something I know I can do. Yeah. And I really were like, and they was like, okay, you have two years. And then if you can't do it, you need to go back to college.

And I did it. Wow. Well, you know what Steve Jobs always said, right? No. What did Steve Jobs always say? You can't have a plan B if you want to have plan A. Really? Like, because then you'll always feel like you haven't given your all to your plan A.

Yeah. But then you have to be really okay with failing, you know, because it will be tough. It's not like easy. You can't have a job. try and make your dreams come true. You ever really, like, jump in head first and try. That is true. Yeah.

So thank you, Steve Jobs. Yeah. The reason why I'm thinking is, like, I have this thing where I say, I say something different than Steve Jobs. I'm like, you don't have to sleep in your car. Like, meaning like the acting. You know how like Hollywood actors a lot of time they're like, I slept in my car. So my thing is like, okay, here's another way to look at the Steve Jobs thing.

do you have to sleep in your car and like everything for your dream and like or can you not plan B but like always work towards your dream but also you know do whatever you need to do to like sustain yourself or like you know what I mean but just make sure that you're that you're doing it that you are putting certain hours yeah into the dream but no but you're saying you can disagree you're saying no You have to put it all. What I'm saying from what has worked for me is that you have to put it all in. You have to put it all.

And you have to understand the struggle to get to where you want to be, in my opinion. Yeah. Because then that means you'll always feel like, okay, well, at least I have that. Right. So I don't know.

Maybe it works. I mean, I think both ways work. Yeah. It's just, again, like how much do you want to expand yourself because that's exhausting too. Yeah. You guys, you are late. You are late. I will say this. You are late. You're late on your holiday gift finding if you haven't done until now. But it's okay because I got you. If you're feeling crunch for time, you can get all the gift in Spow at Macy's Gift Finder. Macy's has a bunch of different ways to search for gifts. They have by price. So you could shop by budget. If you're being cheap skis, you could put 25. You could put 50. If you're feeling large and in charge, you could go buy Lux. You can also shop by gift lists. Macy's has curated.

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Let's talk about the new album You and I Released this summer Well a few months ago Yeah How exciting was that? Amazing. Like your last album was 2018

It was so cool. But did it take this long for this album or were you taking a break before writing again? Well, no, there was, I had a break because I was in the middle of like dealing with this really fun deal that I've got of owning my masters, owning my publishing, finding a great place for me to make music. And then like my life took off. Yeah. And that's where I met my man and I just thought it was the right time to write.

And I've always been like that. A lot of my, all my albums have a bit of a gap. Yeah. You're like Adele. I mean, thank you. Like a little a deli of you. Yeah, I just, I just do a bit. So you're owning your masters and we all know what that is.

Like, I feel like we were educated on that. Thank you. Taylor Swift's always been raving about it, which is great. Right. I feel like a few years ago, we went regular people. Normies would have not known. Like, what does that mean? But people are talking about people are selling their masters.

Crazy. Justin Bieber, I think, were like 200 million people are doing that. I just saw Bruce Springsteen just did that, which I thought was crazy. Does that mean? Does that mean that mean that now whenever. it plays he doesn't get anything no i think don't actually know it's all different like it depends what the deal is but for me like owning my masters was a big achievement yeah because i found a new lease of life in writing songs because now i'm like wow this is like my work and i own

it and so it's made me want to work 10 times harder and so everything on my new album i wrote and or co-wrote and that's why i want to do another one in january i'm going to get back in because it's me this like, wow, this is like my world now. So we have to keep delivering. Uh-huh. So there isn't going to be a big gap between this album and the next album. No. If it's not an album, we'll definitely be singles until I've finished the album. And we also talked about how it's like a lot of dance music for your hits, really. I know. I think that. So you're going back to the clip. I want to go back to the clip. You want to go back. I just always have been that girl. I don't know if you, if you know,

like if you look back on all my stuff, all my clubs are with big DJs. Yeah. That's where I started in dance music. I love dance music. And my voice, like the type of voice I have, suits it. Like the husky, soulful voice. It kind of works well on dance productions. How long did this album take? A couple months, because I stopped and started.

Yeah. And a lot of it was journal entries, too. It was all about my experience, actually, kind of finding myself and getting married and then going into the studio the next day was not the smartest move. There was like a... Wait, you got married in the next. day went into the studio? Yeah. There was like a bucket on my left. To throw up. To throw up. Could you not ever schedule? And then a notepad on my right with a pen. Yeah. I couldn't because the

producer was incredibly big and I loved him. Circuit. And he didn't have a lot of other dates. So I was like, we have to do this session. Yeah. Well, I just want to tell you, I feel like you're so in love and so happy. because I feel like you brought up your husband so many times in this interview. Oh my God, did I? I'm so, am I that person. Oh my God. That is so embarrassing. No, but not in a bad way.

Kill me now. Like, I didn't even ask about him yet. And I feel like you brought him up so many times. Oh, I'm so embarrassed. No. I'm not talking about him again. Let's stop. No.

No, that's it now. No, I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. I don't even get to my part. I'm done. Well, I just want to say that's so cute because that shows that you're really happy and in love. Oh, thanks.

You ever mentioned yours once. Bad, bad wife. Bad wife. I forget. Bad wife. Don't say. Thank God he doesn't listen to my pod. Really thank God sometimes. I'm so funny. I just posted today that he sent me this video of he gets like jealous. He gets like jealous. Is your husband? Does he get jealous? No. Oh, lucky. See, it's always like that. They get jealous. You want it? No, I'm kidding. He sent me this video of messy. Apparently messy like doesn't touch women. Like, hold like take a photo. Yeah. Like, hold. He very much doesn't want, like, any physical. So I don't know if it's because of his wife or, like, you're such a famous person, you know, like, or it's because he doesn't want people to then make a story up. That's a good man.

So my husband sent it to me as a hint. And I'm like, I literally, I'm not with men ever. You're like, I sit in my chair. Literally, I'm like, where am I meeting men and, like, touching people? That's cute. But you proposed to him. Yeah. Tell me about that.

I just thought I didn't want to. to waste any time. I just felt, you know, it's so stupid when they say like, when you know, you know, but like, I never believed it. Like, I shit you not. I really felt it. Like, I don't know. And I, I don't know the future, but I am a person that lives in the moment and in the present. And I felt like I wanted to share that moment with him. Did you plan the proposal or was it random? No, I did. You did? Yeah, I got like the rings made and stuff and I did it properly. Was it a surprise? Yeah.

But we always were joking about it. We've been friends for a really long time. And before we decided, he says this, before we decided to mess it all up. That's what he says. I kind of, we always were joking about it, like, when we got together and be like, I just got married. Like, it was always just a fun little thing. And I knew that it was the right thing to do.

And I love his kids. And it felt really good. Are you a step mama? I am. Are you? No. Oh. Oh.

I'm a real mama. Oh, are you? Yeah. Cute. I know you can't tell it because I'm not going on. And fun. Yeah, and fun. You can be fun and a mom, Rita.

How many kids do you have? One. Oh. He's three and a half. That's cute. Yeah, it's a cute age. That's good. That means you had him when you were like 33.

32 you had him. I did. Do you know that I used to do exactly that? So I know what's going through your head, Rita. That's what I used to do. Yeah. I used to think about dates like in ages that people had kids. and if they had them, you know, at this age,

I'd be like, okay, great, okay, that's... But I think that's a really normal thing to do. You're, like, comparing. No, when you're in your 30s, like, I think all women feel a little bit like... Oh, you had a baby at 36? Yeah, I just think that, like, a lot of women are... They don't know. I don't know why we have this pressure, but we always do.

You know, I don't know if it's something we've been raised to think. Yeah. It shouldn't be there. Yeah. But I just did it. It's like a natural crazy thing. No, but I think it's also not only the pressure, but also it's nice to know. that like you could do it at this age you could do it that age you could do it

whatever you want to do now there's so many I know things you can do I know but yeah but do you want your own 100% yeah I think at some point but I still have a lot I want to do like work wise well just you know yeah you can still do it yeah with a baby oh I truly believe that and I'm not trying to push you having a baby imagine if we just patent like your you're son just like on that couch just like passed out because he's so you to it. No, but I really tell them, I tell people all the time, like, you, because just because of the way you said, like, I want to do things before. And it's, you'll see that, like, you're going to even do more when you have a kid. No, I have a lot of friends that have kids

and they do a lot. Yeah. And it's just amazing. They just, like, embrace the baby in their life, which is really cool. Regarding Taika, you work together also. Yeah. What's that like? So good. Yeah. He's so fun. Like when he did, he did your music video for praise Yeah. We did it in like three hours. It's cool. He knows everything about me. He's just like, there's no like fuffing around. He's like, get your ass out here. And I'm like, my lashes are not on. He's like, get the, out here. You're not going to see your lashes. I love if you're bleeping yourself. Am I allowed to? Yeah. Oh, sorry. But that was a good self-belief. And I basically like loved the just he knew me. He knew what I wanted. And we also brainstormed the idea together like in bed when I was in Atlanta shooting a movie. And then I thought, okay. well, why don't you just do it? And he was like, yeah, why don't I just do it? And that's how it happened.

Do you see yourself working more in the future together? Yeah, I want to. Listen, I'm also like a fan of his. Like, I love his work, you know, and I admire him. And we have the same personality. And, you know, us working together would be so fun. Yeah. Like, so cute.

So you never know. We talked about this before we started, but your Love Island appearance. I love Love Island. Rock the world. Thank you. Everyone was freaking out. Yeah, because they said to me as well, like the producers, they were like, no one at like this level has done the show before.

Yeah, they usually bring like, and it's like someone random you never heard of. Yeah. And I was like, yeah, but I think this is what I like to do. I like to break the mold. I like to do things that people wouldn't expect me to do. And that are exciting for you as a fan of the show. And it's also the best show ever. Yeah.

And I think that they were like genuinely surprised the people and they were like, oh my God, it's Rita. It's all retoa. Yeah. I was like, what's up guys? And then we all jumped in the pool. I know you did. You jumped in the pool.

I just really wanted it. No, it was a good cameo. It was a good move. Yeah, thanks. I had the time of my life. I love them. I love the show. I'm back.

Anytime you guys want me, Love Island, listening to this, holler at your girl. Would you, like, host Love Island? No. You wouldn't? That's one step too far.

Okay. I took a too much. No, because you're, we were talking about this, too, like you do so much. You were hosting, I like the mass singer, hosting.

Oh, yeah. And I just did the year. U.S. Mask singer. Yeah. So fun. Do you, are you good at guessing? Yeah. Yeah.

I think I'm good. Here is well in America because I've listened to so many American artists. Uh-huh. And like I love the American culture of entertainment. Like, it's so amazing to me. Yeah. So I kind of had some real guesses going. And only in America would they be like, believable, like the biggest stars in the world.

Yeah. Yeah. Overseas. It's like a reality star or something. I don't know. But it could be, but like in America, it genuinely can be. It can be anybody. Yeah.

You're also headlining a music festival. This is for reality TV people. It's called Might Who. Yeah. In London. Yeah. Did you know the Countess Luanne is going to be there too? No.

No. Is she doing cabaret? Yeah. Did you watch Roney? Yes, but not as much as Beverly Hills. Oh, Beverly Hills is your favorite? Yeah. But I loved also the New Jersey one.

Is that one? The New Jersey? The New York. Oh, is that the one? Yeah. It's not just New York and then there's like Jersey. There is New York and Jersey, but the new is New York. Yeah, no, I don't know that much about New York, but I love Bethany on TikTok.

You like her, what, her makeup reviews? I like her makeup reviews. Do you like her, like eating bagels and smear? I just love her. Oh, my God, that's so funny. And then I found out she follows me back on TikTok and I was like. You got excited. I'm dead that you were fan girling over Bethany.

Yeah, and also, do you know who also? Do you know who also some fan girl in a girl? Who? Do you know who Colleen Rooney is? She's like a wag. She's married to Wayne Rooney. No. She's like my idol.

Stop. Yeah. She did this incredible documentary on Disney Plus. Yeah. And I just love her. Like, I love her. I love people that, like, just do whatever they fuck they want. So check her out, Colleen Rooney.

Yes. Oh, God. Dead that Bethany Frankel. You got excited from her follow. Oh, my God. Dead. You also did acting. Yeah.

Are you still into now that Sacksrike is over? I'm very much into it. Very much. 2024 is a big acting year for me. Yay. Yeah. It's coming, girls. I loved it.

Loved it and 50 shades. Oh, thanks. That was still like Little Rita, but you wait. There's a lot happening next year. Little Rita. You were little? Well, that was me doing cameos and things that just getting my, like, foot in the pond a little bit.

Wait, I saw that you're supposed to do a new Disney something. Yeah, we just wrapped. That's what I was doing in Atlanta. Oh, my God. Yeah, it's called, it's the Descendant franchise. guys. Yeah. And I play the Queen of Hearts. And we sing. And Brandy's also

in it. Is it going to come out in 2027? It comes out in 2039. No, it comes out next year, I think. Yeah? I don't know. Wait. It is coming out soon. Oh, my God. That's so exciting. Yeah. And I'm really proud of it. And there's going to be more acting stuff. And then there's definitely more acting stuff. More music. We're just going to keep going. This is a year. This is a good year.

And TV. as well. I love that. I want to do it all, darling. You are. You're 360. We talked about it. Yeah.

Okay. Fuck Mary Kill. Love Island. Real House Waves. America's Next Top Model, which if you guys don't know, Rita hosted for a hot minute. And I loved it.

Yeah? Yeah, I had an apartment in New York. I was like walking to work. I was like giving looks. Were you? It was like my runway. Were you like being dramatic like Tyra? Yeah.

Or did you have your own thing? I was like, no, you mean on the show? I was being dramatic walking to work because I was being dramatic walking to work because the looks were giving yeah but then the show no I was being really nice yeah yeah because it was it was cool because I loved that show yeah I watched it was I mean it was iconic and like the personalities that they had on the show and so yeah and so yeah okay Mary fuck Hill Love Island housewives America's next step model oh I would marry love island okay it's like the number one show I know you can't they'll come for you if you don't

marry them. I mean, I could live without real housewives. Okay. I know that's crazy statement to say. I mean, it's okay. Because I worked on America's next door model. Yeah. I want to pay respect to it. You want to have sex without me. So I'll have, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll do that. Because you've gone and like watch what happens live a bunch and stuff. Love Andy. And you say you love reality TV. Yeah. Me and my friends. Yeah. We literally like have Marguerite and I have just nonsense TV. I know. It's so good. By the way, Rita, it's not embarrassing anymore to love reality TV. Hello. I was on it. Love Island. Can we just remember that for eternity?

We will never forget it. Until you hate me. My gosh, what else do we talk about? There's so much we should talk about. Okay. Okay. I wanted to say, I saw you at Leonardo DiCaprio's birthday party. How was it? Living. It was like Madam Two Swords. Stop. In what way?

Just everyone you could possibly. Oh, seeing everybody famous. It was just the... Does that still excite you? But what's amazing is that they all love Leo so much. Like, who doesn't love Leo? Like, he is the nice. He's so nice.

And he's so like one of the dudes, like one of the lads. Like you feel like you've known him forever. Really? Like you just, you know, and you know when you meet someone, you just really want them to win all the time. I mean, I feel like he's winning, babe. He is, but like. I feel like he doesn't need our good, wait.

Like, he's fine. He doesn't need all goodwill. Yeah, he's on a yacht. I think with him, though, it's like, he just, he's so nice. Like he's deserving, you're saying. Yeah, he deserves it. Yeah. He, like, saves the ocean.

And it was so fun. It was. I was like, the last. one there. You were one of the, it was like every headline was like, Rita Orra and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, at Leo's birthday. Yeah, but I don't, I think you ended up just being me and the cleaners. Oh, you dance the night away? Like, yeah. Yeah. So you're saying you like going out still and so. I just make a good choice. It's like if I'm going out, I'm going out. Yeah. And you're going to go to like the good, like Leo's party. You're not just going out. Yeah. But even if I was just like at a dive bar.

Yeah. You know, it's like my friends are like Rita, you can literally talk to a wall. It's like, You'll start talking to Randos? No, I don't. But I just love to socialize. I never get to go out as much anymore. Yeah. Because I'm kind of like work modey. You were like super busy.

Yeah. You also were Fiona from Shrek for some reason. Myself casted myself. Yeah. And I don't know why she was a partnership with Airbnb? They like definitely gave us that place and it was a dream of mine. And I sent a text to Brian who runs, who owns Airbnb. he started it, Brian Chesky.

Shout out to Brian. We love him. Shout out of Brian. And he was like, I don't know how we're going to get you in because like it was crazy booked up. But I love Shrek. Tiker didn't know how much I actually loved Shrek. I love Shrek too.

You needed to get to this Airbnb. So I basically had, there was this like one pop-hop swamp and I love Shrek. And so I didn't tell my partner. I was like, let's just get all these outfits and I packed them. So you didn't have to do this. No. I did this because I'm crazy. It wasn't Halloween.

I know. When I saw this, I was like, October 31st, like, it wasn't the 7th of November. So didn't have to do that, wanted to. I wanted it because I liked the idea of just like making my dream come true. And I painted myself green. And Tyco was like, oh, this is pretty. He turns around and I'm like, green. And he's like, why are you green?

And I'm like, put this on because we need to take some pictures. And he was like, wow, you're crazy. Like, you're borderline insane. And then you did a Scottish accent. And I don't, yeah. And then I did a Scottish accent. because I'm in Scotland and Fiona's not even Scottish, which made it even funnier. And then people were like, her scat, like some people were judging the accent.

Couldn't careless. Yeah. Don't care. I know I have a bad Scottish accent. That's not the point. Get with it. Yeah. And I like had a good time.

I know. You were bringing Fiona. I just love being a kid, you know, and I've always been a kid. And like, anyone that knows me knows, like, I'm just, I don't care. And Tyca is the same. Like, he's a big kid. And it's just, he did it for me. He didn't want to do it really.

sweet. Yeah. He cared about me. The point is, I just wanted to create memories. I love, love, love doing things like that. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know if I'll do that again, though, for a while. It was a lot of effort. Oh, looked like a lot of effort. Anyway, Rita, that's it for you, babe. No. Yeah. Is it over? Black Widow. One more time. One more time, babe. Go on, you do it. You do it. You do it. Together, ready? Okay, yeah. Like a black quiddle, babe. Oh, it's not until you hate me. Oh, okay.

Okay. I've got to love you until you hate me. There we go. Fucking, yeah. Rita, you're an icon. Thank you so much for coming on the show. Thanks for having me. I can't wait for 24.

Yeah. All the exciting stuff. I know, me too. It's going to be good. Keep an eye out. Thank you for having me. And I love your show. Keep doing it.

Thank you, Rita. Don't stop. And if you guys haven't listened to all the jams on you and I, get on it. Oh. Go to Spotify and listen up now. Thank you. Love you. Love you.

guys so much for listening to this episode of Not Skinny but Not Fat. Follow me on Instagram at Not Skinny but Not Fat. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any episodes. Rate the podcast that you love so much on Apple Podcast and write a little review. If you tell me you did, I'll

give you a big virtual smoocheroo. Thank you guys so much for listening. And I'll see you next Tuesday. episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.