Rita Ora announces new album, You and I, and shares Praising You with Fatboy Slim

Rita Ora's new album is like a diary of her relationship with movie director spouse Taika Waititi.

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'Praising You' is available to stream on all major streaming platforms today
'Praising You' is available to stream on all major streaming platforms today

Rita Ora's upcoming album 'You and I' documents the chapters of her relationship with her director husband Taika Waititi.

The pop superstar will release her eagerly-awaited follow-up to 2018's 'Phoenix' on July 14.

Rita, who has co-written each of the tracks on the record, said in a statement: “This album really means a lot to me.

“It's like my diary of the last few years, it's my sound and it just feels so true to me and who I am today.”

As well as announcing the new LP, the 32-year-old singer has also shared her and Fatboy Slim's re-working of his 90s hit 'Praise You', 'Praising You', which is available to stream on all major platforms now.

The pair's collaboration comes after they had a chance meeting in the fields of Glastonbury festival.

Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim recalled: “From a chance meeting late one night in the Naughty Corner at Glastonbury a friendship and collaboration grew that on paper may look unlikely. Yet here it is, and it has a life of its own!”

The 59-year-old 'Right Here, Right Now' hitmaker praised Rita for breathing "new life" into the song.

He told her in an interview with The Big Issue out now: "While we're blowing smoke up each other's a****, you breathe new life into it. I've listened to that tune an awful lot and it is easy to get jaded about it, but you've definitely taken it in a different direction for me."

Rita wrote from the perspective of being head-over-heels in love.

She said: "The way I wrote it was being madly in love with someone and having fun with that person. When you love a person you do praise them. You feel like they can do no wrong. So that's what my version of the record is about.

"And dancing in your feelings, because it's the best feeling in the world."

The promo to accompany the tune is helmed by Academy Award winner Waititi, 47, who Rita tied the knot with last year.

The video sees "Rita audition with a group of dancers for the role of their dreams.

"Rita leads the troupe through their haphazard routine, slowly winning over the judges in what turns into a massive Studio 54-esque number complete with glamorous outfit changes and stellar choreography."

Fatboy Slim makes a cameo in the clip, which tips the hat to Spike Jonze's original 1999 'Praise You' promo.

Fans can watch the video on Facebook as a premium music video and on Instagram today (19.04.23), before it's published on sites including YouTube from April 28.

Rita will give 'Praising You' its live debut at the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Liverpool on May 9.

The star will also perform a show-stopping medley of some of her biggest hits.

'Praising You' follows the release of Rita's solo single 'You Only Love Me' earlier this year, which marked the singer's first release on BMG, and both tracks are on the new album.

The 'Anywhere' singer poured her heart and soul into the emotional pop song about "feeling vulnerable at the very start of her romantic journey."

Her other half's voice memo is played at the start of the track.

Pre-order 'You and I' now via Rita's official store and all other major platforms.

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