Rita Ora covers the August issue of GQ UK, and I guess I just don’t understand the appeal. She’s a passable singer and seems to churn out ubiquitous club and gym tunes, but if it wasn’t for her sultry image, would anyone really be paying any attention to her? If one feels like being cynical, however, that could be the case with the vast majority of pop stars: mediocre voices and talent levels can be boosted into stardom with oodles of sex appeal. So perhaps I’m being too harsh with Rita. She might look a little bit trashy, but she doesn’t seem obnoxious or ungrateful for her success.

Anyway, Rita is flashing plenty of flesh on this cover (the unblurred sideboob can be viewed at GQ’s site). Her body just doesn’t stop, but it’s fair to say that some hefty photoshopping is at work here too because Rita doesn’t look like this in paparazzi snaps. Here are some interview excerpts:

On her boyfriend, Scottish DJ Calvin Harris: “It’s early. I’m not in love. But I’m definitely falling.”

Living on the road: “You always have to sacrifice something when you want to achieve something. ‘Of course, I get lonely and I get sad, but I made a decision to do this… I’m in an amazing position to change my life, and change my family’s life.”

On Twitter: “We control what we let out in the media. Social media is so influential now. I feel like I’m lucky to be in this position now, in this time. Because there’s nobody else to blame if it all goes t-ts up.”

[From GQ UK]

I guess we won’t know for awhile whether Rita is here to stay on the pop scene since she’s only been putting out music since 2012 (with her second album on the way), but she was nominated for three BRIT awards last year, so she’s doing okay for a party girl musician. I do think she’d look better with more natural hair, not that I’m one to talk.

Here are some pictures of Rita performing last Friday night at Glastonbury. Fringe city is fringey.

Photos courtesy of GQ UK