Rita Ora parts ways with her record label Atlantic Records and signs with Kylie Minogue’s team at BMG
RITA ORA has landed a major new record deal after persuading industry giant BMG to allow her to own all of her future master recordings.
I can reveal the Anywhere singer has parted ways from her label Atlantic Records after six years and signed with the new team, which helped mastermind Kylie Minogue's epic comeback.
She parted ways with Atlantic last month and has jetted from Australia to LA this week to rubber stamp the deal.
It means she will own the rights to her future catalogue, meaning she will avoid the havoc which Taylor Swift went through when her masters were bought by Scooter Braun — promoting her to re-record all of her albums.
A source told me: “Rita’s battle to control her career stretches all the way back to when she was with JAY-Z’s label Roc Nation and got locked in a bitter feud with music bosses who she accused of effectively paralysing her career.
“While her time with Atlantic was really positive and allowed her to put out music again, BMG’s offer to own her own masters was too good to turn down.
“She was inspired by Taylor Swift’s decision to fight for her own masters and wanted to also make a stand as a strong woman in the industry.
“Atlantic wanted to keep her on their books but luckily there is no bad blood. At the end of the day it’s business and no one can deny that Rita is a hustler.”
In total Rita has had a whopping 13 Top Ten singles in the UK, including the No1 hits I Will Never Let You Down and Hot Right Now.
BMG VP A&R Jamie Nelson said: “Rita Ora is an exciting and enduring multi-talented artist with the ability to connect across many different platforms. We’re excited to get cracking.”
Atlantic Records said: "Rita Ora has completed her recording contract with Atlantic Records. Atlantic is very proud to have worked with such a phenomenal, record-breaking artist, and is grateful to have shared so much success with Rita."
Struggles with labels in the past meant there was a six year gap between her 2012 debut Ora and her second album Phoenix, which came out in 2018.
Last year she released an EP called Bang with IMANBEK but things have been quieter on the music front since then, with Rita splitting her time between Australia and LA with her boyfriend TAIKA WAITITI.
But this new deal should get things moving up the charts once again.
Rih's bumper figures
RIHANNA has remained popular even without releasing music for years, and this week’s pregnancy announcement has given her another huge boost.
She shared this bump-baring photo on Instagram yesterday and in just ten hours it became her most popular snap, last night racking up more than 15.2million likes.
But the snap is actually believed to have been taken well over a week ago, as she was spotted in the same outfit on January 24 while out with the father of her baby, A$AP Rocky, in New York.
Rihanna scored her second-highest single-day streaming figures since 2016 on Tuesday, with 10.5million plays of her songs, including 2.2million on her last album Anti.
With numbers like that, fans will be hoping she announces the arrival of a new album before her baby.
Liam is set for tune-up
LOUIS TOMLINSON kicked off his US tour wearing this yellow and black jumper in Austin, Texas.
But while he and 1D pal Harry Styles have been getting back on the road, don’t expect Liam Payne to do so any time soon.
He said on Instagram Live: “I need to make more songs first. I don’t think I’ve got enough for a tour yet.”
I told in November how Liam’s career hit a rocky patch after he split with his management amid fears he was partying too much.
That might be more of a problem than his lack of songs.
Jesy still Insta glam
JESY Nelson wasn’t short of admirers after posting this photo on Instagram.
The former Little Mix singer racked up thousands of likes for the snap, which showed her posing in a crop top and shorts while on a sun-drenched break in Los Angeles.
But while Jesy is more than happy to share her life with her 8.6million followers, Jordan Stephens – the boyfriend of her former bandmate Jade Thirlwall – is less keen.
The Rizzle Kicks rapper suggested in a new interview he might turn his back on Instagram for good, saying: “I don’t like the fear social media has, the grip it has on certain people now.
“I’m just going to disappear. F*** all of that s**t. Imagine what my life would be like.
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“I’ve done it once before, and I swear to God, I can feel people looking at me.
“People are sending energies and thoughts. That’s real s**t.”
Mimi's all fired up for duo with Lew
LEWIS Capaldi showed he was a fan of rising star Mimi Webb when he went to watch her live – and the feeling is mutual.
Mimi posed for a selfie with him backstage after the London show in November and now says she would love to team up with him.
In an exclusive chat, Mimi, set to release her single House On Fire within weeks, said: “I would absolutely love to work with Lewis, he’s a lovely guy.
“I have always been a massive fan and it would be so cool.”
Mimi returns to the stage tomorrow night at Omeara in London to play a Brits Week gig for War Child.
And after working on her debut album, it’s clear she is ready to let loose.
Mimi explained: “I’ve been an absolute studio rat and have been writing so much material. I’ve been in LA and some incredible songs have come out of the trip.
“I’m so excited to get back into playing shows. I love my British fans so much.”