Rita Ora Welcomes Solitude, Aliens in Surreal ‘How to Be Lonely’ Video

Rita Ora has learned “How to Be Lonely” on her new song, and the accompanying video sees the singer explore all the stages of going through a breakup.

Ora’s latest is a surreal visual that sees her grieving to the extreme: she walks on literal eggshells, dances with a skeleton and lets a giant bear hold her. Mostly, she sings directly to the camera with glittery tears streaming down her face. Toward the end, she is confronted by an alien and a campy, outer-space version of herself who land in a spaceship.

“This video explores abstractly the emotions one feels when going through a breakup,” director Dave Meyers explained in a statement. “It’s anger, longing, comfort, retreat, falling and of course loneliness. Ultimately suggesting that this is a necessary healing process that leads to the reawakening of one’s true self.”

“Right now, it seems we are all trying to figure out how to find strength on our own,” Ora added, referencing the many countries under total lockdown due to the quickly spreading coronavirus. “Many of us are separated from those we care about and aren’t used to being by ourselves. In a time when everything seems to be so uncertain, I hope this song brings comfort and connection to those who need it. We will get through this together. Stay home and stay safe, everyone.”

Ora released her sophomore album Phoenix in 2018 and embarked on a tour soon after. In between releasing new music, she has made a name for herself onscreen. She appeared in the Fifty Shades of Grey film series, hosted America’s Next Top Model briefly and has most recently served as a judge on the U.K. edition of The Masked Singer.