Y’all remember the chaos back in 2016 when the internet swore Rita Ora was “Becky with the good hair” from Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade?’ Whew—that era had the timeline in a chokehold! But, fast forward to today, Rita is clearing the air once and for all. During a recent podcast appearance, Rita made it clear that the rumors were completely false, but what fans didn’t see was her relationship with Beyoncé behind the scenes.
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Rita Says Y’all Had The Wrong One
Rita Ora popped up on the ‘Begin Again with Davina McCall’ podcast and gave fans a deeper look into what really went down during the 2016 ‘Lemonade’ drama that had the internet pointing fingers.
“It wasn’t real, of course not, absolutely not,” Rita said. “I wish I had good hair. It was the first time I experienced what it means to be in a messy situation.” She added, “I was just so confused. And I was like, ‘Why is this happening to me? What have I done?’”
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The ‘Body on Me’ singer admitted she was hurt, wondering why she was dragged into the drama. And, despite the swirling gossip naming several women—including Rita, Rachel Roy, and Gwyneth Paltrow—none of them were ever confirmed as the subject of Beyoncé’s track.
How Was Her Relationship With Beyoncé?
While the internet was doing the absolute most, Beyoncé was behind the scenes, moving like a real one. Rita said Bey was actually like her “fairy godmother.”
“I was actually genuinely upset because that’s my big sister, protector, and she took it upon herself to look after me,” Rita shared. “And I still see her ‘til this day… she’s always been so nice, and proud, and checking up on my family and friends that I’ve had since childhood, remembering their names. I mean it’s crazy.”
Additionally, the two posed for a selfie at the 2016 Met Gala, putting any rumors to rest. Rita even recalled Beyoncé pulling up to her first New York show like the supportive big sis she is, saying, “I sang ‘Say My Name’ in front of Beyoncé.”
Rita Been Set The Record Straight
Back in 2022, Justin Theroux brought up the messy moment back in 2016. He specifically mentioned when Rita posted herself in a lemon bra and what looked like a “J” necklace. Fans assumed she was throwing subliminals, but Rita cleared the air during their interview.
“Oh my god, it literally was a coincidence. I didn’t even think about it, I swear. And it wasn’t a J, it was an R. They flipped it round and then it looked like a J.”
She also explained that the lemon look was part of a lingerie collab, not a shot at anyone. The rumors got so wild that Katy Perry gave her a “Not Becky” pin to help laugh it off.
Hugged up on Jay? The "J" necklace? The lemons? 👀 I wouldn't be surprise if Rita Ora was "Becky with the good hair" pic.twitter.com/SKNwBL0h5x
— Bree (@EeazyBreezy) April 26, 2016
