“That's my big sister protector”- Rita Ora reveals how Beyoncé came to her help during backlash from the 'Becky with the Good Hair' rumors

Rita Ora opened up about her experience of being wrongly implicated in the 2016 "Becky with the good hair" controversy on June 28, 2025. The British singer spoke to Davina McCall on the Begin Again podcast and described the backlash she faced at the time.

She said that it was the first time she experienced what it meant to be "in a messy situation." Ora went on to clarify that the rumors linking her to Beyoncé's Sorry were entirely baseless.

The singer remembered feeling “genuinely upset” by the accusations, but noted that Beyoncé was a supportive figure throughout the controversy.

“That’s my big sister, protector, and she took it upon herself to look after me,” she said.

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More about the 'Becky with the Good Hair' rumors about Rita Ora

The speculation began in April 2016 after the release of Beyoncé’s album Lemonade, which many fans speculated had references to Jay-Z's infidelity. One lyric in the track Sorry left fans wondering who "Becky" was.

"He better call Becky with the good hair" the lyrics said.

Several people speculated that the person being referenced was Rita Ora, who clarified that "it wasn't real" during a podcast appearance on June 28, 2025.

“It wasn’t real, of course not. I wish I had good hair," Ora told McCall.

She also revealed that Beyoncé privately supported her during the media storm, describing the Single Ladies singer as her “fairy godmother.” Rita Ora recalled how Beyoncé attended her first New York show at The Box and called her "my protector."

“She was my protector. That’s what’s insane because there was nothing but love,” Rita stated.

At the time, the Your Song singer was signed to Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s entertainment company. Despite that connection, Ora said there was never any personal conflict between her and Beyoncé. The two even took a selfie together at the 2016 Met Gala, which was widely seen by fans as putting an end to the rumors.

“Then it was gone. Because there was never anything there in the first place,” Ora clarified.

According to a People article from July 2, 2025, one specific moment that sparked the rumor involved a Snapchat picture that Rita Ora shared in 2016. The picture showed her wearing a necklace with the letter "R," but many fans misinterpreted the pendant as a “J.” This led to them speculating that she was the "Becky" in Beyoncé's song.

Ora dismissed the idea in a December 2022 interview with Louis Theroux, calling it a coincidence. She added that it was an "R," but that people "flipped it around."

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Rita Ora talks about her relationship on the podcast

During the Begin Again podcast episode, Rita Ora also talked about her relationship with her husband, director Taika Waititi. She went on to credit actor Robert Pattinson for the couple's meeting.

Ora also revealed that she proposed to the Thor: Ragnarok director in 2022. She described renting a hotel room in Palm Springs and decorating it with heart-shaped balloons and cake.

“I’m holding the cake, and the balloons are all around us. He walks into the room and he’s like, ‘What the hell, is it Valentine’s Day?’”

The singer and actress said she 'got on one knee' not knowing how he would respond, and that Waititi was surprised and replied with, "Absolutely!"

The couple, who began dating in 2021, got married a few weeks later in an intimate ceremony in August 2022, with only a few close friends and family present. Waititi’s daughters from his previous marriage were also in attendance.