Rita Ora covers the December issue of Self, which is just bizarre to me. She’s promoting her upcoming second album, which has been delayed at least once and for which I could find no exact release date online, and the brands she’s representing (Calvin Klein, Roberto Cavalli, and Adidas line she designed). You have to admire her hustle. Rita is a legend in her own mind, and she’ll tell you about it. She also talks about herself in the third person, which I appreciate as it’s an easily mocked trait. Here’s some of what she told Self:

On her eventful year
This year has been eventful, that’s for sure. I finished my album and I’m so proud of it. And this was the first time I’ve done a show like X Factor UK, where it’s all live. I’ve just expanded as an artist.

On her album
I’m treating this as if it were my debut. It’s like I’m starting from scratch. This is the first time everyone will see who Rita Ora is. Artistically, I felt like when I first got signed, it was a race. I was just trying to please everybody, not realizing that it really should be about knuckling down to who you are as an artist.

On working hard and staying positive
Our parents taught us to respect the people around us. So my work ethic and the way people perceive me—it’s very important to leave a good impression. If I do have a bad day, I don’t like putting it on other people. It’s important to be positive.

On “feeling like a superhero”
I feel my strongest onstage. I still, to this day, do not know anything better. And when I’ve been really good with my body—no alcohol, no late nights, watching my diet, drinking water … I start feeling like a superhero!

Sleep is important, but she still indulges
I’ve never been more grateful for sleep than I am at this point. I used to hate it. It took a lot to mentally calm me down. But now I travel with a candle and a little lavender pillow. Obviously, I’m like any other twenty­something: I like to have a drink after my show and things like that, but it’s in moderation. It’s one of those things where the band goes out later and gets hammered, and you’ve got to be the one who just goes to bed.

On the rigors of her profession
It’s like you’re an athlete. I’m not running a marathon, but I’m doing it in my own way. You really have to take care of your body so you can survive.

She wants to do it all
I see myself as a 360 artist, not just one-laned. I like to do everything. I have this vision of building an empire and leaving it to my family.

[From Self]

She dreams big and she’s getting a lot of press, I’ll give her that. We “see who Rita Ora is,” as she put it, and she’s got an inflated sense of self for sure. I guess that’s what it takes to be successful in her industry. There aren’t a lot of wallflowers who become singer/actresses.

As for what she says about feeling like a superhero when she’s sober and on stage, if she’s talking about performing as an exercise and specifically choreographed dancing on stage I can understand that. I love to do Zumba, it’s so fun and doesn’t even feel like you’re working out, and my latest fitness kick is doing dance games on the Xbox and Playstation. (Just Dance 2014 on the XBox 360 is better and less glitchy than the JD games on the Playstation 4.) I can’t imagine how much of an adrenaline rush it must be to dance and sing on stage in front of a live audience. It would be terrifying as well, but I doubt that much can scare Rita.

PopSugar has some of Rita’s workout moves, straight from her trainer. They involve planks, squats and burpees. I hate burpees so much.

photo credit: Self and WENN.com