#SongoftheWeek: Rita Ora – ‘Anywhere’

• ARTIST: Rita Ora
• SONG: Anywhere

SO ALEX, WHY IS THIS YOUR SONG OF THE WEEK?

Rita Ora has always been something of an enigma wrapped in a riddle for me. Chiefly because I can’t think of any one artist from the last 20 years who has remained so omnipresent on the charts and in the press despite still only having one album to their name (2012’s chart topping debut ORA) whilst taking forever to record and release a follow up to that debut in a series of delays that, at this rate, will make the release of Guns ‘N Roses’ infamous Chinese Democracy album seem speedy by comparison.

I have been able to take or leave (but mostly leave) the majority of her material up until very recently. Now a change is almost certainly afoot. As following ‘Lonely Together’, her collaboration with Avicii that scaled the UK top 10 earlier this year, and now with her new single ‘Anywhere’, she’s finally made some singles I actually quite like.

A collaboration with Swedish DJ Alesso, and up & coming songwriter Andrew Watt, ‘Anywhere’ is that oh-so rare beast of a pop single nowadays, that talks of the longing for escapism, exploration and adventure – with a wonderfully addictive chorus to match.

Combined with a glorious technicolor video set in what appears to be Japan, this is quite simply one of the best things to happen to pop music this autumn. Whether Rita will top it remains to be seen, but praise be where it is due.

‘Anywhere’ is available to stream and download now on Atlantic Records. Twitter: @RitaOra

Don’t forget to let me know your thoughts of my song choice this week on my Twitter using the hashtag #SongoftheWeek!