ORA Announce Debut Album ’:(:’

Copenhagen sibling duo ORA are stepping into the light with their debut album ’:(:’, out September 12. Mixing shimmering modern pop, lush R&B, and crisp Nordic indie, Lea and Samuel have built a kaleidoscope of sound rooted in lived experience. At its heart, the record is a bold invitation for their generation to talk openly about identity, pressure, and neurodiversity.

The lead single “Limbo” sets the tone: a reggae-tinged, vulnerable anthem about chasing balance between emotional highs and lows. “It’s about accepting that when you’re living with ADHD — which both my brother and I do — you may never experience life in a ‘normal’ middle ground,” Lea explains. “And that’s okay. We wrote this as a celebration of that difference.”

A Multi-Colored Soundtrack to Healing

The album’s title, ’:(:’, is a bittersweet smiley — a reminder that joy and darkness can coexist. Produced with Jonathan Elkær of Phlake, each track has its own color, from the orange glow of “Under The Influence” to the prismatic soap-bubble hues of “Time Lapse.” Samuel admits he began the album at his lowest point, but found the process itself became healing: “During the process, it became natural for me to talk about how I’m really feeling – and that’s why I stand here today, feeling better than I ever have.”

With their Danish radio hit “Life Witness,” ORA have already proven their ability to resonate across borders. Now, ’:(:’ looks set to turn their raw honesty into a sonic language for anyone searching for light in the dark.