Sibling duo ORA offers a heartfelt approach to genre-blending, rooted in personal experience and deep family bonds. “Sometimes you just need to escape from it all… to see your own world from a new perspective,” they reflect, embodying the essence of their musical journey.
Growing up with a close family bond, Lea and Samuel have always shared a deep understanding of each other—one that fuels their music. This connection, along with the influence of their grandmother (for whom their name “ORA,” meaning sunlight, is inspired), has shaped their story, allowing them to create songs that feel deeply personal yet relatable.
Their latest release, Space Rock, is a true reflection of this energy. Blending R&B and indie-pop with hints of other genres, the track explores the idea of “escaping our problems in ways that aren’t exactly healthy,” as Lea puts it. With emotional depth and a dreamy vibe, the song dives into the messy yet beautiful experience of learning to navigate life’s highs and lows. You know, even if you can’t run away from your problems forever, stepping back now and then can open up a different way of seeing things.
In our interview, we talk about the challenges of working as siblings, the inspiration behind Space Rock, and their dreams for the future.
Photography by Olivia Krüger
I love the concept behind your new single, Space Rock. “It’s not that we dream of traveling into space, but sometimes you just need to escape from it all. Getting as far away as possible from the noise and overwhelming feelings allows you to see your own world from a new perspective.” That is so important to do from time to time. Did you draw inspiration for this from a real moment in your life?
Samuel: We both faced a few disappointing rejections, all during a pretty chaotic time in our lives. We just wanted to get away from everything. For me, that meant partying a bit too much to escape it all. Basically, running away from things in an unhealthy way.
Lea: Exactly, that’s the essence of “Space Rock” — escaping our problems in ways that aren’t exactly healthy. People might say, “Why don’t you just go out and have some fun with friends?” when really, you probably need to sit at home and let yourself feel things fully.
This is your second release. How long did you work on it?
Both: It was the first song we wrote together with Jonathan Elkær, and actually, it was the quickest one we’ve written with him. It pretty much wrote itself, since we had so much on our minds.
The single blends R&B influences with classic indie-pop vibes. Do you produce with specific genres in mind, or does it happen naturally?
Lea: For this song, I brought in mostly R&B, and Samuel leaned into indie-pop.
Samuel: Yeah, that’s usually how it goes when we make music together. It’s what makes us a good match, especially with Jonathan adding his own unique vibe. We always keep an open mind and don’t want to be locked into one genre, though R&B and indie-pop are definitely what we’re drawn to.
Lea: We have some reggae-inspired, rock-inspired, and hip-hop tracks coming out too.
Samuel: Yeah, we pull from all kinds of genres but mostly stick to R&B/indie-pop as the common thread.
“Just because we’re siblings doesn’t mean we aren’t completely different… two different minds, two different hearts.”
The name ‘ORA’ has a beautiful meaning—sunlight—and is tied to your grandmother. Can you tell us more about this connection?
Samuel: We’re really close with our grandmother.
Lea: We love her, and she’s always been a part of our musical journey, so the name just felt right.
Working with family can be both intimate and intense. What’s one lesson you’ve learned from each other that you wouldn’t get from anyone else?
Lea: I’m generally pretty closed off about my feelings and often struggle to express how I feel—except with Samuel. That makes it so easy to write with him. I don’t feel as nervous.
Samuel: Because we’re so close, it’s easy to be honest with each other.
Lea: Yeah, we dive deep into each other’s problems. Sometimes I even write about what Samuel’s going through, especially when he can’t put it into words himself. We’re around each other so much that it feels like our subconscious minds are always observing one another.
And what are some of the challenges that come with working with a sibling? (smiles)
Samuel: We’re super honest with each other because we’re siblings. When you’re dealing with vulnerable things that mean a lot to you, that honesty can sometimes hit hard. With others, we’d probably be a bit more careful with our words.
Lea: Yeah, we’re maybe a bit too straightforward with each other sometimes.
Samuel: Early on, we would sometimes get hurt because of that honesty. We’ve definitely learned over time to find a balance.
Lea: We have a song coming out that’s exactly about this, where we sing, “We’re family,” but like I could probably kill you once a week. Ha ha! But hey, we love each other.
“Sometimes you just need to escape from it all… to see your own world from a new perspective.”
Your music feels like a conversation between two worlds. When creating, do you feel it brings you closer together, or does it reveal more of your differences?
Samuel: I’m 100% sure that music has brought us even closer—and life in general, too, since we spend so much time together.
Lea: Just because we’re siblings doesn’t mean we aren’t completely different. We experience situations differently; two different minds, two different hearts—we think very differently, but still somehow alike.
Samuel: But yeah, the music definitely brings our differences together.
Would you like to share some of your future plans?
Samuel: We have big ambitions and plans.
Lea: And we set high goals for ourselves. We have a ton of songs we’re excited to release.
Samuel: Yeah, there’s a lot on the way!
What is the most important thing in life?
Lea: Our sibling relationship. That will always be the top priority.
Samuel: And our bond and our mental well-being. How we feel.
Lea: Absolutely, 100 percent.
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