Rita Ora's Controversial Transformation into The Virgin Mary for David LaChapelle
RITA ORA'S CONTROVERSY ROLLS ON: SINGER CAUSES A STIR WITH VIRGIN MARY POSE, WHILE NEIGHBOURS RAGE AGAINST HER £7.5MILLION GARDEN GYM PLAN
It's been a wild week for Rita Ora, the 34-year-old pop sensation who's never afraid to push boundaries and court controversy. The singer was spotted striking a pose as the Virgin Mary during a quirky photoshoot in Los Angeles on Tuesday, but it seems she's more likely to be known for her latest faux pas.
In the cheeky snap, Ora is seen draped in flowing white robes and a floor-length veil, holding white beads in her hands and putting them together like she's praying. The image is straight out of a biblical painting, and we can't help but wonder if she was trying to channel her inner divinity or simply get some good publicity.
But Ora's been making waves for more than just her provocative photography choices. The singer has come under fire from her London neighbours, who're up in arms over her plans to rip up the outdoor features of her £7.5million Grade II listed property in Primrose Hill. According to reports, Ora wants to turn the sunken garden into a modern gym, but her neighbours claim it'll be an eyesore and shatter the peace.
In a scathing letter to Camden Council, they wrote: "The current owner has gone on record as saying she wanted to preserve and honour the heritage of this sunken garden... To destroy the natural ecology in order to build a modern gym is entirely out of keeping with the heritage and calm of this particular listed property itself."
But Ora's not one to let criticism get her down. She's been known for her outspoken views on everything from music to relationships, and it seems she's still got plenty to say. In an Architectural Digest magazine article last year, Ora gushed about her garden: "Welcome to what I like to call my little piece of heaven... this is where the butterflies stay."
However, it seems her neighbours aren't buying it. They claim that the gym plan will cause sound and light disturbances, and that Ora's already shown a disregard for her surroundings by wanting to rip up features that have been in place for nearly 150 years.
This isn't the first time Ora's clashed with locals either - she's had previous noise rows at two other London mansions. A spokesman for the singer declined to comment, but we can only assume it's business as usual for this feisty pop star.
But what about her love life? Sources close to Ora and her husband Taika Waititi claim that their relationship is stronger than ever. The couple celebrated his 50th birthday with a lavish party in Ibiza, complete with a platter of cigarettes for their A-list celebrity friends to enjoy.
The bash was the ultimate indulgence, with guests including Kate Moss, Matt Damon, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Ora and Waititi even laid out bowls of cigarettes on tables, because why not? After all, this is a party that's all about excess and indulgence.
Ora has spoken publicly about how her husband helped inspire her latest album You & I, which she described as a "diary" of sorts. She's also credited him with being the key to their romantic relationship - they're basically just best friends, she says.
But not everyone's as enamoured with Ora and Waititi's love story. Some fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment that the couple didn't wait longer before tying the knot. "It's all so hasty," one fan wrote on Twitter. "They barely know each other!"
Ora has spoken about how she was once a hopeless romantic, but now she's more interested in being realistic. "My love life has been colourful, to say the least," she told Grazia last year. "But how wicked is it that we can make those choices for ourselves?"
Only time will tell if Ora and Waititi's relationship will last, but one thing's for sure - this couple knows how to throw a party. And as long as they keep causing controversy and turning heads, we'll be right there behind them.
Sources:
- A report by TheScholarlyNote.com
- An interview with Architectural Digest magazine
- A letter from Ora's neighbours to Camden Council
- Sources close to the singer
