Exclusive: People can be “TOOO HOMO,” according to Rita Ora
Rita Ora has called people “TOOO HOMO” and “sooo HOMO” on Twitter, PinkNews can reveal.
The singer, who appeared to come out last week with the release of new song “Girls,” also tweeted: “NO HOMO hahaahaah can girls even say that??”
Since PinkNews brought the tweets to her representatives’ attention on Monday, the posts have been deleted.
The singer’s spokesperson did not respond to PinkNews’ request for comment.
Writing in 2009, when she was aged 18, Ora said: “BRUNO was crazy!!!!!!!! its TOO MUCH I SWEAR! i never thought someone could be sooo HOMO!”
It seems that she was referring to Sacha Baron Cohen’s film Brüno, a satirical film about a gay Austrian hoping to become a star in the US which came out three years after Cohen’s first star vehicle, Borat.
This also explains another tweet she sent on the same day, which read: “BRUNO IS TOOO HOMO! BORAT is much better.”
Ora appeared to come out earlier this month while promoting “Girls,” a song with Charli XCX, Carli B and Bebe Rexha which Ora has said is “definitely” a bisexual anthem.
When asked about these lyrics, Ora seemed to say she was equally attracted to different genders.
“I knew people were going to look into it like that,” said the 27-year-old star.
“I definitely said it because I can — and it was one of those things where, if I was 50/50… I’m not saying I’m ’70/30.'”
Referring to the line “I’m 50/50, and I’m not gonna hide it,” the star explained: “I’m not hiding what I am, who I am, if I wanna do this, if I wanna do that. That’s just how it’s gonna be.”
“For me and my career, this is definitely the most open-booked I’ve ever been, if that’s a word.
“I’m definitely an open book with this record, and I’m really proud of the support I’ve got with my fellow collaborators,” the “Anywhere” singer continued.
When asked directly if she was bisexual or sexually fluid, Ora declined to label herself.
“I think the way… If people look at it like that, it’s very narrow-minded,” she said, “and I don’t think that’s what this record is.
“I don’t think that that even matters.”
But LGBT singers including Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani have condemned the song.
Kiyoko, know to her fans as ‘Lesbian Jesus,’ said: “It’s important for us artists to use our platforms to move the cultural needle forward, not backwards.”
The star, who has popularised the best name for 2018 – 20GayTeen – continued: “Every so often there come certain songs with messaging that is just downright tone-deaf, which does more harm than good for the LGBTQ+ community.
“A song like this just fuels the male gaze while marginalising the idea of women loving women.
“I know this wasn’t the intention of the artists on the song, but it’s the lack of consideration behind these lyrics that really get me” added Kiyoko, who has repeatedly portrayed lesbian relationships in her songs and videos.
“I don’t need to drink wine to kiss girls; I’ve loved women my entire life,” she added.
“This type of message is dangerous because it completely belittles and invalidates the very pure feelings of an entire community. We can and should do better.”
Kehlani said sentiments contained within the track “weren’t progressive,” adding that “there. were. harmful. lyrics.”
Ora isn’t the first celebrity to have her past tweets exposed.
Last year, PinkNews found 13 tweets which Ed Sheeran sent that stated things were “so homo” or “no homo.”
Grime artist Stormzy apologised after a flood of tweets in which he repeatedly called people “a f***ing fag,” “faggot” and “gay” were discovered by PinkNews.
The two-time MOBO Award winner called his past comments “foul and offensive,” and spoke directly to the LGBT+ community when he offered his “deepest apologies”.