How Rita Ora got stranded with Snoop Dogg

BRITISH singer Rita Ora found a way to unnerve the calmest man in music - Snoop Dogg.

rita ora

BRITISH singer Rita Ora found a way to unnerve the calmest man in music - Snoop Dogg.

Last month the pair were in Thailand, riding elephants and filming a video for their Diplo-produced collaboration Torn Apart.

The herbally enhanced rapper, now trading as Snoop Lion, almost lost his trademark cool when stranded on an island with Ora and her team after the tide went out.

"It was our Survivor moment," Ora laughs. "It was hilarious but scary at the same time. Snoop is the coolest, calmest person you're ever likely to come across. So if Snoop starts to get a bit worried you know you've got a problem."

The crisis was averted when Ora and Snoop waded through the water to a boat that took them to safety - the rapper holding Ora's hand so tight as they navigated water creatures she nearly lost circulation.

It's a turnaround for Ora, whose career began after a megastar offered her a helping hand. Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z spotted a young Ora in 2009, and summoned her to New York. A naive Ora planned to sell some of her sneakers to cover the airfare before being told her ticket would be paid for.

Signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, her debut album Ora last year spawned three UK No.1 singles - Hot Right Now, How We Do and R.I.P.

Ora's already preparing her second album (which will be her first for the US market) and there's even the possibility of recording with the latest member of the Roc Nation team - Kylie Minogue. "It's great news, I'm so happy she's part of the family," Ora says. "I know there's a lot of plans going on with her, but I'd love to collaborate with Kylie. I mean, it's Kylie Minogue, man!"

Ora has had her first experience of something the famous occasionally encounter - their face tattooed on someone's body. A British fan tweeted Ora a photo of her face on her arm. The singer invited the fan and her friends to see her show in London.

"That's the least I could do," she says. "I'd seen people with my face tattooed on them on the internet, but I'd never actually met anyone and seen it in person.

"I couldn't actually believe it. It was surreal. I didn't know what to say. And the artist did a great job, it looks good. It looks better than I do in real life!

"I signed it and she then went and got my signature tattooed on her as well, which is crazy. There have been girls who've got their hair like me, and dress like me, but a tattoo is a whole other level."

As happens these days, Ora's fans have given themselves a name, a la Lady Gaga's Little Monsters, and the Directioners.

"They called themselves the Ritabots," Ora says. "My friend came up with a really cool name, which was the Ora-cles. But we can't just change the name, they've already called themselves Ritabots."

While the Ritabots have nothing but love for their leader, Twitter has been an interesting ride for Ora so far.

Last year she became a trending topic - unwittingly - when ex-boyfriend Rob Kardashian took to social media to slate a cheating partner many assumed was Ora. The offensive hashtag "Rita Whora" went viral. Kardashian later stated he didn't mention Ora's name in the tweets. Ora kept her silence.

"Twitter is the best and worst thing for someone who does what I do," she says. "It could literally ruin you, so you have to be careful. I don't want to clear the air, I don't think it's necessary to spend energy on something that's not really worth it."

While she regularly posts on Instagram (including hanging out with mates One Direction last week), Ora simply uploads photos and moves on.

"I don't go further down, I don't look at any comments," she says. "It's easy to avoid reading stuff. It was difficult in the beginning, but now it's easy. It just blocks your brain if you fill it up with things you can't control."

Talk of a cameo in the new Fast and Furious movie ("not confirmed yet but it's a great rumour") led to Ora again being compared to Rihanna. The Barbadian popstar reportedly was offered the role first.

"Everybody gets compared to somebody when (they're) new," Ora says. "I've only been in the game a year, she's been in it about seven years. I've got nothing but respect for her. I don't mind it, but it's a new year, new album. But thank God she's hot and very successful and is amazing at what she does. Because if she wasn't I'd be really upset."

HEAR Ora (Sony) out now

SEE Rita Ora

VIC: Good Life Festival, Flemington Racecourse, March 8. Under 18's only. $85.10/$126.10, Moshtix; Future Music Festival, Flemington Racecourse, March 10. $159.40/$302.90, Moshtix.

NSW: Future Music Festival, Randwick Racecourse, March 9. $164.50/$302.90, Moshtix; Rita Ora, Enmore, March 1. (all ages). $79.90, Ticketek.

QLD: Future Music Festival, Doomben Racecourse, March 2. $155.85, ticketmaster.

SA: Future Music Festival, Bonython Park, March 11. $155.85, ticketmaster.

WA: Future Music Festival, Arena Joondalup, March 3.$155.85, ticketmaster