Rita Ora responded Monday to criticism that her latest song "Girls" was "downright tone-deaf" by saying she has had relationships with both men and women.
"Girls was written to represent my 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," she wrote on Twitter. "I would never intentionally cause harm to other LGBTQ+ people or anyone."
The song, which features Cardi B, Charli XCX, and Bebe Rexha, dropped on Friday and controversy soon followed.
Singer Hayley Kiyoko, who often sings about relationships with women and whose fans call her "lesbian Jesus," blasted Ora over lyrics like "Sometimes I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls (oh yeah) / Red wine, I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls." Kiyoko called the song "downright tone-deaf."
She added that the song "just fuels the male gaze while marginalizing the idea of women loving women."
Kehlani, a queer musician who worked with Cardi B on the rapper's debut album, criticized the song for its "awkward slurs, quotes, and moments." She later tweeted support for the artists involved, but added, "This isn't about talent. It's about choice."
Cardi B declined to apologize for the song.
The rapper wrote on Twitter, "If I'm going to apologize for something is [sic] for not knowing what are the right terms to call people."
If I’m going to apologize for something is for not knowing what are the right terms to call people .You guys want me to be something that I’m not I’m not going to let you make me feel like I’m something that I’m not .Ya so quick to bash but not educate .
Later she appeared to apologize for past statements but not for 'Girls' specifically: "I know I have use [sic] words before that I wasn't aware that they are offensive to the LGBT community. I apologize for that."
I know i have use words before that i wasn’t aware that they are offensive to the LGBT community .I apologize for that .Not everybody knows the correct “terms “to use.I learned and i stopped using it.
Embedded in Ora's statement was an unofficial coming-out, which she had hinted at in previous interviews.
In an interview with People magazine following the song's release, Ora was asked whether she was bisexual or fluid.
"I think the way…If people look at it like that, it’s very narrow-minded, and I don’t think that’s what this record is," she said. "I don’t think that that even matters. Yeah."
Ora added that she "definitely" hopes the song becomes a bisexual anthem.
Some people expressed frustration that Ora had to come out in response to criticism.
hayley kiyoko and her minions basically forced rita ora to officially come out in a statement because of a song that represented her OWN sexuality and not theirs. yup keep that “lesbian jesus” far away from me thank you because i’m not okay with that. https://t.co/1OFKelbeoX
dislike that she's had to make a public statement on her sexuality in the day and age of fluidity where no one should have to make a big coming out, especially now as it's clear she's on her own journey with it & this song was most likely a big thing for her to do https://t.co/QyK2NJ31Aj
Some people were especially mad at Kiyoko. One person wrote that she "dragged [Ora] out of the closet."
Hayley Kiyoko really publicly shamed Rita Ora for the way she discovered her sexuality and dragged her out of the closet https://t.co/X5IBrQkrF1
One person wrote that Kiyoko and Kehlani made good points but "didn't really consider that this song was her story."
i love kehlani and hayley but their criticism, while good to consider as like...impactful to rita ora's audience, didn't really consider that this song was her story and her art that she wanted to share through a song and i can't even imagine being put in this position https://t.co/al2xOzCnF0
Ora declined to comment further. Kiyoko, Cardi B, and Kehlani did not immediately respond to requests for comment.