After a six-year gap between albums -- during which time she was involved in a drawn-out legal back-and-forth with her former label -- English-Albanian singer
Rita Ora finally issued her sophomore effort, the aptly titled
Phoenix. Despite the behind-the-scenes drama that threatened to derail her burgeoning career,
Ora maintained public presence with a series of well-performing singles, many of which are included here. Much like contemporary releases from
Jess Glynne and
Dua Lipa, the strength of
Ora's effortless, R&B-inspired vocals carries
Phoenix, despite varying musical styles and recording periods, which stretched over two years from 2016 to 2018. As its on-the-nose title suggests,
Phoenix is duly triumphant and uplifting with nary a dud to be found on this set. The purest pop moments arrive in the form of the effervescent "Let You Love Me"; the
Ed Sheeran-penned "Your Song"; and her chart-topping duet with
Liam Payne, "For You," from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack. Meanwhile, electronic anthems with collaborators
Alesso (the uplifting "Anywhere"),
Rudimental (the skittering "Summer Love"), and
Avicii ("Lonely Together," originally found on the late producer's
AVĪCI [01]) amplify the album's brightness and energy. Fellow pop singer
Julia Michaels appears on "Keep Talking," but it's the star-studded (and controversial) "Girls" that delivers the album's big, bold statement, recruiting
Cardi B,
Bebe Rexha, and
Charli XCX on a saucy, sex-positive anthem for the 21st century. Considering for a moment that a second album's existence was in limbo for years,
Phoenix could have opted to coast by on its harrowing backstory alone. And still,
Ora delivered a confident pop gem that stands tall on its own. ~ Neil Z. Yeung