Rita Ora teams up with Troye Sivan for sizzling new single Heat

Rita Ora spills on her Aussie connections and why her beloved Australia is to blame for her “bikini bod” starring in her sexy new music video.

It was a blockbuster week for new music from the planet’s hottest female artists.

Sabrina Carpenter released the cheeky synth-pop diss track Manchild, which fans insist is about her ex Barry Keoghan.

The Queens made their grand re-entrances with Mariah Carey dropping Type Dangerous, her first non-Christmasy solo track in six years, and Madonna sharing a remix of her 90s album track Skin, a taster from the long-rumoured project Veronica Electronica of rare and unreleased remixes from her 1998 album Ray of Light.

Ahead of her performance at the WorldPride Festival in Washington this weekend, Rita Ora released her new single Heat.

Before her big Pride gig, Ora caught up news.com.au on her squad of famous Aussie collaborators, from the sizzling (northern hemisphere) summer anthem’s co-writer Troye Sivan to tour buddy Kylie Minogue.

The Heat video is rather steamy. You shot it on Miami beach?

“It was shot while I was on the Kylie tour in April and we had about four hours in that day to shoot it because we were seriously back-to-back with the shows. So I’m happy we were in Miami, and it was all about the beach.”

Ora cooling down diva-style with a beach-head blow-wave on the set of Heat. Picture: Supplied.

You have very strong creative connections with Australia, particularly since you did the Voice (2021-2023). How did you and Troye Sivan and his songwriting partner Leland all get together to write Heat?

“Leland, I’ve known for a long time, we have a lot of mutual friends. And I’ve constantly had their support. When we were writing together, they suggested this concept of the sexuality and the intensity of heat. And that’s what I love about Troye - he’s so good at writing really sexy, cheeky songs. Rush was one of my favorite songs of last year and working with him has been on a bucket list. He just happens to be another Australian that wanted to work with me. It was just amazing, and the song fit exactly what my mood of the album was.”

Clearly those heels aren’t fit for standing purposes. Picture: Supplied.

And what’s the mood?

“My last record was all about finding love and feeling super inspired by my relationship (with film-maker husband Taika Waititi). Whereas this one is just really inspired by having fun and being a sexy bitch. I wanted to go back to how I started in my early career of feeling really comfortable in my skin and, and celebrating being a woman. And summer is such a big part of my life, since I was a kid going around to the Eastern European beaches and seeing how they operate with plastic bags on their heads, very different to a Hawaii beach. Or Sydney.”

Pop star Rita Ora with husband Taika Waititi attend the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024. Picture: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images for Viacom International.

Is it possible you were born in a bikini?

“Everyone’s been asking me that! When I first got there to do The Voice, my health life changed drastically so I feel like I found my bikini bod in Australia, genuinely. I started exercising, sitting in the sun, seeing how fit everyone else is in Australia when they’re walking down the beach. So it’s your fault, Australia, you’ve made me just wear a bikini.”

Ora with Kylie Minogue on tour together in the US. Picture: Supplied.

You soft-launched Heat while you were doing a leg of the Tension shows with Kylie in America in April and May.

“It was everything to me. Kylie has been such an incredible inspiration to me for my whole life. And also having her as a supporter, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I haven’t toured like that for about three years and opening up for her was the best way to just get back into live shows. Her audience are just so accepting and they really showed up for me. I just never wanted it to end ... I’m just so grateful for that tour.”

Lostboy, who co-wrote Kylie’s smash Padam Padam, has said you were going to cut the song at one stage. Any regrets about him not leaving the song with you?

“I’ve always grown up with this saying, ‘What’s for you won’t pass you.’ And that’s always how I’ve lived my life. And it’s Kylie Minogue - she’s the queen of the world, in my opinion. So, of course, Kylie’s going to get it and kill it and do a great job. And in the pop industry, that happens every day to a lot of big artists, you don’t just know about it. Lostboy lives in my studio here in Los Angeles, we’re very close friends.”

Is there a Whatsapp group for The Voice Australia coaches? Keith Urban featured on the track Shape of Me from your last album You & I and you are touring Australia with Ricky Martin in November.

“During that show, I made an incredible friendship with Keith and I love him to death. He’s a big, big part of my music-making process, I ask for his advice. And I can’t wait to do this Ricky tour. It’s another reason to come to Australia. I mean, as soon as they asked me, I just said yes because it’s in Australia and it’s Ricky.”

Heat is out now and tickets to the Ricky Martin and Rita Ora tour are on sale now via www.ticketek.com.au