Rita Ora Says Beyoncé Protected Her During “Becky with the Good Hair” Rumors: “There Was Nothing but Love”

Rita Ora finally set the record straight about her name being dragged into Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” era.

During a recent episode of the “Begin Again with Davina McCall” podcast, the British singer opened up about how Beyoncé personally looked out for her when people online accused her of being “Becky with the good hair,” the woman rumored to be at the center of Jay-Z’s alleged cheating.

Rita made it clear that the entire situation caught her off guard. She said the backlash was confusing and overwhelming, especially since she had nothing to do with it.

“I wish I had good hair. It was the first time I experienced what it means to be in a messy situation,” she explained. “I was just so confused. And I was like, ‘Why is this happening to me? What have I done?’”

The lyric that started it all came from Beyoncé’s song “Sorry,” but fans took it and ran wild with theories that Rita was “Becky,” based on a Snapchat photo she posted wearing a necklace with an “R” that many insisted was a “J.” Behind the scenes, though, Beyoncé had her back. Rita said she’ll never forget how the music icon, whom she calls a “fairy godmother,” stepped in with quiet support.

“She was my protector. That’s what’s insane because there was nothing but love. 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, and I sang ‘Say My Name’ in front of Beyoncé.”

At the height of the chaos, Rita was filming “Fifty Shades of Grey” and trying to stay out of the drama. But to shut down the rumors once and for all, she took a selfie with Beyoncé at the 2016 Met Gala. Even years later, Rita still calls Beyoncé her “big sister” and says the kindness hasn’t stopped.

Back in 2022, Rita also addressed the rumors during an interview where she laughed it off and said people need to take things with a “grain of salt.”