Rita Ora is looking back at finding herself in the middle of the “Becky with the good hair” controversy.
On her 2016 album Lemonade, Beyoncé appeared to reference the woman at the center of the Jay-Z cheating rumors on the song “Sorry.” After the album was released, many believed that Jay, 55, and Rita, 34, had an affair.
In a new interview, Rita shared how Beyoncé, 43, came to her defense during that time.
Keep reading to find out more…While appearing on the Begin Again with Davina McCall podcast, host Davina McCall brought up the “Becky with the good hair” controversy, to which Rita said that she’d been “affected worse” by other things over the years.
“Because it wasn’t real,” Rita said. “I wish I had good hair.”
“None of that was real. That was the first time I experienced what it means to be in a messy situation, I guess,” she added.
Rita also noted that “behind closed doors,” Beyoncé was her “fairy godmother.”
“She was my protector. That’s what’s insane because there was nothing but love,” Rita emphasized. “And, you know, again, being signed to Jay-Z, her husband, she being my biggest inspiration, she came to my first show in New York at The Box.”
At the time Lemonade was released, Rita was filming Fifty Shades of Grey and said she was “so confused” as to why she was being associated with the “Becky” rumors.
“I was like, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ What have I done?’” she asked herself.
Rita and Beyoncé then officially put the “Becky” rumors to rest by taking a selfie together at the 2016 Met Gala.
“Then it was gone,” Rita said. “Because there was never anything there in the first place.”
Rita also recalled being 21-years-old and performing “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child in front of Beyoncé.
“I was actually genuinely upset because that’s my big sister protector. She took it upon herself to really look after me,” Rita shared. “And I still see her to this day and she’s always been so, so nice and proud, checking in on my family and friends that I’ve had since childhood and remembering their names.”
Back in April, Rita was one of the many stars in attendance at Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter Tour stop in Los Angeles!