Fans of singer Rita Ora expressed their shock on social media after discovering that both her parents are white.
Ora was born in Pristina, Yogoslavia, to Albanian parents. Back in April of 2020, Rita spoke to Vogue about her ethnicity, and revealed that her family fled to England to escape persecution.
"When the conflict started in what is now former Yugoslavia, my parents made the difficult decision to leave," she told the publication. "Kosovo will always be our homeland and we will forever be proud Kosovans."
Now, fans of the 29-year-old are taking to Twitter to express surprise at Ora's ethnicity, with some accusing her of "blackfishing".
"Blackfishing" is a term used to describe the process by which often white individuals use cosmetics or surgical procedures to come across as more racially ambiguous. Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Ariana Grande have all been accused of similar behavior.
On social media, people have been accusing Ora of appropriating black culture with her style and image.
"Finding out rita ora isn’t black at all and both of her parents are white albanians is so trippy. the girls BEEN blackfishing [sic]," wrote one Twitter user, alongside a photograph of Ora and her mother.
Another corroborated: "That’s what’s weirding me out like i didn’t think she was fully black but mixed at least [sic]."
Others pointed out that the singer has previously posted images of herself to Instagram where she can be seen wearing braids and an afro - choices that constitute as cultural appropriation.
One Twitter user defended Ora, writing, "I wouldn’t say blackfishin cause she’s always had those “ethnic” features. It’s just people compared her to Rihanna so much."
It is worth noting that Ora has been outspoken about her Albanian heritage for a number of years.
In an interview with Channel Four, she discussed the difficulties of starting a new life as a refugee in the UK, detailing that her parents fled to England in the 1990s.
