A new song of Rita Ora’s which was released last weekend called ‘Girls’ has come under fire.
The song, which also features Charli XCX, Cardi B and Bebe Rexha, and was intended to be a bisexual anthem, features the lyrics: “Sometimes I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls / Red wine, I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls.” A line from Cardi B reads: “I could be your lipstick just for one night.”
Musicians including Kehlani, Hayley Kiyoko and DJ Kittens have criticised the song, with Kiyoko saying its message is “dangerous” and “tone-deaf.”
hate to be THAT guy but there were many awkward slurs, quotes, and moments that were like “word? word”
— Kehlani (@Kehlani) May 11, 2018
mmm i never assumed it was for men lol just think certain quotes weren’t progressive. done speaking about it now tho cheers everyone happy friday. https://t.co/bRVj0tKD2j
— Kehlani (@Kehlani) May 11, 2018
No one is invalidating their identities. Bisexuality is a valid identity. This song is literally about wanting to hehe kiss girls when you’re drinking and smoking weed. That’s all we got. It’s harmful when LGBT women are fetishized and no relationships are ever taken seriously
— KITTENS (@iamKITTENS) May 11, 2018
Now Ora has replied to the backlash on Twitter, apologising for the song and revealing she has had “romantic relationships” with both men and women.
She wrote that: “Girls was written to represent a truth and is an accurate account of a very real and honest experience in my life. I have had romantic relationships with women and men throughout my life and this is my personal journey.
“I am sorry how I expressed myself in my song has hurt anyone. I would never intentionally cause harm to other LGBTQ+ people or anyone. Looking forward, I hope that continuing to express myself through my art will empower my fans to feel as proud of themselves as I’m learning to feel about who I am.”
Ora added: “I’m ever thankful to my fans for teaching me to love myself no matter what. I have strived to be a contributor to the LGBTQ+ community throughout my entire career and always will be.”
— Rita Ora (@RitaOra) May 14, 2018
You can watch the lyrics video for ‘Girls’ here.