How Rita Ora's hard-working family helped her become a superstar

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Rita's family moved from Kosovo when she was just one
Mother studied medicine by day and worked as a waitress by night
Four of them lived in the same bedroom in her childhood
Rita now has a huge fortune and is still as close with family

Published: 05:40 EST, 29 June 2015 | Updated: 09:17 EST, 29 June 2015

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She's a best-selling singer, actress, fashion designer, beauty buff and one of the world's best connected stars. And now, she's occupying a coveted seat on the X Factor panel.

Rita Ora - who is only 24 - has made the transition from a Kosovan-born fledgling singer to one of the globe's most successful, wealthy and popular stars.

And aside from her manager Jay Z, who scouted the young singer and helped launched her career, Rita has four other people to thank for supporting her on the road to fame: her family.

Rita Ora, pictured with her mother Vera at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in 2013, is still fiercely close to her family despite finding huge fame in recent years

Rita is fiercely close to her parents, Vera and Besnik Sahatciu, and her brother Don and sister Elena.

Rita's parents - a psychiatrist mother and pub landlord father - fled Kosovo and moved to the UK when Rita was just one.

Speaking to the Evening Standard about her childhood, Rita said: 'We lived in Earls Court, on the Old Brompton Road. One room for all four of us, my sister [Elena] annoying me by doing her times tables when I was trying to sleep.’

Her brother Don was born in 1998 and the family upped sticks and moved North to Kensal Rise, when her father purchased the Queen's Arms pub in Kilburn.

Rita has always been close to her sister Elena, who she admits used to annoy her by doing her times tables when Rita was trying to sleep

Her brother Don, left with Rita, was born in 1998 and the family upped sticks and moved North to Kensal Rise, when her father Besnik, right, purchased the Queen's Arms pub in Kilburn

Rita was born in Pristina, Kosovo, to Kosovar-Albanian parents in 1990 before moving to London

According to the paper, Rita's parents worked hard to make ends meet, with her mother studying medicine during the day and working as a waitress by night; she now works as an NHS psychiatrist.

Rita later attended the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Her first forays into singing involved performing in her father's pub. It was around this time, when Rita was 15, that her mother was struck with breast cancer. Rita stopped going to school to support her mother, who made a full recovery.

After a few cameos on Craig David, Tinchy Stryder and James Morrison's songs, Rita hit the big time - and it's all thanks to a certain hip hop star.

Jay-Z was introduced to a young Ora through her manager, Sarah Stennett, who also counts Ellie Goulding, Jessie J and Conor Maynard among his roster of talent.

Born in Kosovo, Rita was spotted by Jay Z and whisked away to his recording studio in New York where he nurtured her talent before letting her loose on the pop industry

She was signed to the music mogul's label Roc Nation within 48 hours of her landing stateside in December 2009.

After hiding away in a recording studio in New York to perfect her vocals, Rita was unveiled to the world in 2012 singing on R.I.P featuring Tinie Tempah; the song immediately went to number one.

More smash hits followed, including How We Do, Shine Ya Light and Radioactive, as well as festival appearances and UK tours.

Her talents were recognised when she was nominated for three awards at the 2013 BRIT Awards, including the BRIT Award for British Breakthrough Act.

Her sister Elena is part of 'Team Ora' and regularly travels around the world with her, often posting supportive snaps of her big sister on her Instagram account.

Loyal Rita also took her mother to the Glamour Woman Of The Year Awards and often takes her sister along to showbiz events.

Her primary talent is singing and she's on Jay Z's Roc Nation label. Here she performs at the Sound of Change concert at Twickenham Stadium

As well as music, Rita, who has made platinum blonde locks, siren red lips and a high fashion-meets-hip-hop wardrobe her signature look, has conquered the fashion world, too.

Never afraid to push the fashion boundaries, Rita's wardrobe of pop-art inspired dresses, grungy leathers and sports-luxe tracksuits is fun and fearless.

Indeed, fashion designers are certainly taking note. Her first foray into fashion and modelling was in a Roc Nation + Skullcandy headphone advert in 2010.

She has also fronted campaigns such as Calvin Klein, Superga, Cavalli and DKNY and fashion icon Madonna even hand-picked the star to front her Material Girl Collection.

One of her biggest British fashion coups was landing a Leading Ladies role in M&S' SS14 campaign, alongside Doreen Lawrence, Emma Thompson and Alek Wek.

In January this year, Rita turned her hand to designing. Her debut range for Adidas, which is full of sporty styles, will run for three seasons.

Rita Ora shows of her midriff at British Fashion Awards

Rita hit the British Fashion Awards with Tom Ford dressed head-to-toe in his designs

The 24-year-old even has her own range of sporty clothes for Adidas and models them all herself, of course

Rita Ora: Plans to release fashion line

It took Victoria Beckham years to make the transition from pop star to fashion designer so Rita is obviously doing something right.

So respected is Rita in the fickle world of fashion that she was invited to present an award at last year's British Fashion Awards.

This year she arrived on the arm of famed designer Tom Ford - dressed head-to-toe in his luxurious designs.

And it's not just music andKate Moss had to wait almost a decade to get a look from Rimmel but not Rita, who was snapped up last year by the beauty giant.

It was this year revealed that Rita has unveiled her own range, Rimmel: Colourfest Lip and Nail Collection by Rita Ora.

The collection, which is also inspired by Rita's passion for music, is full of long-lasting lip glosses and high shine polishes in the rainbow hued colours that Rita loves.

Famous frower: On the Hunter show front row with (L to R) Stella McCartney, Nancy Shevell, Sir Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, and Jamie Campbell Bower

Leading Lady: She starred in M&S prestigious campaign alongside Annie Lennox, Emma Thompson, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, supermodel Alek Wek, designer Lulu Kennedy, chef Rachel Khoo and engineer Roma Agrawal

Cool crew: Rita Ora, Kate Moss, dressed as Cara Delevingne, and Chiltern Firehouse boss Andre Balazs at party planner Fran Cutler's party

Fashion's finest: Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, Sir Philip Green and Rita Ora hang out at the British Fashion Awards

Get the London look: It was this week revealed that Rita has unveiled her own range, Rimmel: Colourfest Lip and Nail Collection by Rita Ora

Rita Ora shows off her multicolored manicure

Clearly keen to do more than just singing and socialising, Rita has ventured into acting, too.

She landed a role as Christian Grey's sister Mia in the movie adaptation of E.L. James' popular Fifty Shades Of Grey novel and though she only has a small part, she is thankful for the opportunities it has subsequently allowed.

She said: 'For me this was such a great cameo to be involved in, and even though I'm only in it for a little bit, it's opened the door to a lot of movie things that I haven't actually announced yet.

'It was nice to be a part of it and it opened a lot of doors. I mean, definitely more roles. People have been calling a lot.'

Contrary to popular belief, this isn't her first acting role. In 2004, she had a minor role in British film Spivs.

On top of that, in 2012, she was a character in The Sims 3, had a cameo role in TV show 90210, and was a racer in Fast & Furious 6. She is also set to be a judge on the next season of The Voice.

The business-minded star, whose company is called Ora Multi Services, has got her fingers in plenty of other pies. She apparently has a global property empire, with houses in the UK, the US and her native Kosovo.

If that wasn't enough, she reportedly owns an entire Kosovan football team, the Pristina Angels. Although they haven't even started playing yet, Rita set it up to help her family out and it's run by her sister Elena.

Speaking about her money-spinners, Rita has said: 'It’s things you wouldn’t expect. Like Dr Dre – he recently finished that massive headphone deal.

'It’s not like it’s impossible, it’s just about being smart and planning it out. Like 50 Cent with his water. It’s about having good advisers. I have great people. My sister and family overview the whole thing. It’s a nice little empire - I’m trying to create something so my family can be alright.'