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Would Kylie’s recent smash hit Padam Padam have been quite as successful if it had been sung by Rita Ora? That’s the question being asked by Ora herself, after admitting she nearly sang it.
The 2023 track, penned by Lostboy, was initially considered for Rita Ora before it ultimately became Kylie Minogue's much-lauded comeback hit. Despite this, the 34-year-old singer has expressed no ill will about not recording the song.
Speaking to the Daily Star, the British singer revealed that there were no hard feelings that the Australian pop icon ended up performing the song instead: “I've always grown up with this saying, 'What's for you won't pass you'. And that's always how I've lived my life. And it's Kylie Minogue - she's the queen of the world, in my opinion. So, of course, Kylie's going to get it and kill it and do a great job.
“And in the pop industry, that happens every day to a lot of big artists - you just don't know about it."
But Rita Ora isn’t the only musician who either turned down, or was passed over, a song that went on to become a smash hit for another pop culture icon. Check out 13 of the near hits that could have occurred if the butterfly effect had been different.
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9. Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson)
Max Martin and Dr. Luke originally offered this rock-infused pop anthem to P!nk and Hilary Duff, both of whom declined. It became one of Kelly Clarkson's most successful songs, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and reaching the top 10 in the UK, Australia, Ireland, and other territories. | Getty Images
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10. Toxic (Britney Spears)
This genre-bending hit was reportedly written with Janet Jackson in mind and then offered to Kylie Minogue before it landed with Britney Spears. Toxic was a global smash for Britney Spears, reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and topping the charts in the UK, Canada, Australia, and many other countries. | Getty Images
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11. Umbrella (Rihanna)
Written by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, this smash hit was originally intended for Britney Spears, who reportedly passed on it as she had enough material for her album at the time. It became a career-defining song for Rihanna, spending 7 consecutive weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and topping the charts in the UK for 10 weeks, along with reaching number 1 in numerous other countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, and Ireland. | Getty Images
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12. We Found Love (Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris)
This dance hit was initially offered to Leona Lewis, who passed on it. Calvin Harris then went on to collaborate with Rihanna, resulting in a worldwide smash. We Found Love spent 10 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and was a number 1 hit in the UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and numerous other countries. | Getty Images