Rita Ora. You and I. ★★★★
Rita Ora has come a long way from her family’s exodus from Yugoslavia (now Kosovo) when she was a baby. She grew up in London and started to make her mark in the music world in her mid-20s. You and I is her third album. She’s spent the past two years working on it. And it sure has paid off. Firstly, there’s Ora’s rich and high-energy vocals. Second, there’s the high-class production, with some really interesting instrumentation highlights. What really struck me about You and I is the almost sound-bite approach to the 12 songs. Each one perfectly crafted, shortish and direct, each a classy story all on its own. While they are mostly short in length, they are exquisitely arranged and her voice is unique and masterful.
By Tony Nielsen