Praising You
by Rita Ora (featuring Fatboy Slim)

Album: You & I (2023)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Praising You" is a re-imagining of Fatboy Slim's 1999 anthem "Praise You." Rita Ora adds additional lyrics celebrating her bond with her husband, New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi. "The way I wrote it was being madly in love with someone and having fun with that person," she said. "When you love a person you do praise them. You feel like they can do no wrong. So that's what my version of the record is about. And dancing in your feelings, because it's the best feeling in the world."
  • Speaking with Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1, Ora said she hunted down Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook) at the Glastonbury festival at 3 a.m. while he was DJing. "I was ready, waiting," she recounted. "Also a massive fan. But 3:00 am to talk business is not the right thing to do."
  • Ora gushed about how "Praise You" is a legendary track, a real rave classic that was a huge part of '90s culture. She was stoked to get Fatboy Slim's stamp of approval for their collab and excited to introduce the song to a whole new generation.
  • As for Fatboy Slim, he was thrilled to get to collaborate with Ora. The DJ told the "Let You Love Me" singer in an interview with The Big Issue: "While we're blowing smoke up each other's arses, you breathe new life into it. I've listened to that tune an awful lot and it is easy to get jaded about it, but you've definitely taken it in a different direction for me."
  • Rita Ora recorded "Praising You" for her third album, You and I. Working with executive producer Oak Felder (Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, Usher), Ora made an album that takes the listener on a journey through the different stages of a relationship. Inspired by her husband, Taika Waititi, You & I is "a high-spirited record about what it feels like to fall beautifully, instinctually in love with someone."
  • Rita Ora and Fatboy Slim wrote "Praising You" with:

    Songwriter Georgia Ku, who also co-wrote Ora's 2018 track "Soul Survivor." Her other credits include Martin Garrix's "Scared To Be Lonely" and Regard's "No Sleep."

    Karen Poole, daughter of former Tremeloes vocalist Brian Poole. She is a top-notch songwriter credited with hits like The Shapeshifters' "Lola's Theme," Kylie Minogue's "Wow," and Becky Hill and David Guetta's "Remember."

    Jon Shave, one third of the London-based songwriting and production team The Invisible Men. He has contributed to hit songs by Jessie J ("Do It Like A Dude"), Iggy Azalea ("Fancy") and Sigala ("Stay The Night").

    Romanian producer Serban Cazan.

    Camille Yarbrough also receives a credit because "Praise You" samples the vocal from the opening of her 1975 song, "Take Yo' Praise."

    Jon Shave and Serban Cazan co-produced the song with Oak Felder.
  • Taika Waititi directed the music video for "Praising You," which features Rita Ora and a group of dancers auditioning for their dream role. As Ora leads the troupe through a chaotic routine, they win over the judges and deliver a Studio 54-inspired performance with flashy costumes and impeccable choreography. The visual also includes a cameo from Fatboy Slim and pays homage to Spike Jonze's iconic 1999 "Praise You" video.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."