Ayra Starr: The bold liberation of afropop

On June 14, 2024, Ayra Starr stepped onto the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, becoming the first African female artist to perform there. At 22 years old, this child of Benin raised between Cotonou and Lagos has proven that the dream she nurtured since childhood — to become “the Nigerian Hannah Montana” — was not a teenage fantasy but a program.

In brief

Key dates

A childhood between Benin and Nigeria

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe grew up between Cotonou and Lagos in a deeply musical family. Her mother, a former singer, and her brother Dami, guitarist and songwriter, nurtured her passion early on. From the age of ten, she sang in her high school choir and composed with her brother. Facing school harassment, music became her refuge. She built a secret repertoire of influences as varied as Shakira, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Angélique Kidjo, dreaming of being “the Nigerian Hannah Montana.”

In 2018, she first pursued a parallel path in modeling, signing with the agency Quove Models and posing for Nigerian publications. But it was music that prevailed. In December 2019, she posted an original track, “Damage,” on Instagram. The video circulated, catching the attention of Don Jazzy, a legend of the Nigerian music scene and founder of Mavin Records, who immediately offered to record in the studio. The contract was signed three days later.

The meteoric rise

Her first EP, Ayra Starr, was released in January 2021. Proudly titled thus, this five-track project — entirely co-written with her brother Dami — topped the iTunes and Apple Music charts in Nigeria. The single “Away” reached number four on the Nigerian Top 50. Less than seven months later, in August 2021, her first album 19 & Dangerous arrived. A concept album about the transition from adolescence to adulthood, blending afropop, R&B, trap, jazz, and alté. The single “Bloody Samaritan” climbed to number one on the Nigerian TurnTable chart, making Ayra Starr the first female solo artist to reach this summit. The album reached seventh place in Nigeria and earned her a nomination for the African Muzik Magazine Awards.

The international turning point came with “Rush,” released in September 2022. A dance track, its choreography went viral on TikTok, quickly crossing the milestone of one billion cumulative streams across platforms. “Rush” earned Ayra Starr her first Grammy Award nomination (Best African Music Performance category) in 2024.

The assertion of a global superstar

Her second album, The Year I Turned 21, was released in May 2024. It made her the first Nigerian female artist to enter the Billboard 200 (eleventh place) and surpass twenty million monthly listeners on Spotify. The record, praised by critics, explores maturity, the grief of her father who passed away during her adolescence, ambition, and female emancipation. Followed by historic tours: opening Chris Brown’s North American tour in 2024, a performance on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, collaboration with Coldplay on “Good Feelings,” and participation in the British group’s Australian tour.

In 2025, awards continued to pile up: MOBO Award for Best African Music Act, BET Award for Best International Act. She signed in July with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s management label, while remaining with Mavin Records. In 2026, a second Grammy Award nomination for “Gimme Dat” (feat. Wizkid) confirmed her status as a global afrobeats star.

Major works

Legacy and influence

Ayra Starr embodies the new generation of African female artists shaking up the global music industry. By combining afropop, R&B, and alté — a Nigerian current that blends jazz, EDM, and hip-hop — she paved the way for unprecedented international recognition for a female solo artist from the continent. Her boldness, silky voice, and lyrics about female empowerment have made her a role model for millions of young African girls. Forbes distinguished her in 2023 with its list 30 Under 30, and the magazine Business of Fashion included her in the BoF 500, the ranking of the most influential figures in the global creative economy.

Sources and references

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2. « Ayra Starr », Wikipedia FR, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayra_Starr, accessed 20 October 2026.
3. « ‘I’m literally a superstar!’ the irresistible confidence of Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr », The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jun/28/nigerian-singer-songwriter-ayra-starr, accessed 20 October 2026.
4. « Ayra Starr — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews », AllMusic, https://allmusic.com/artist/mn0004044785, accessed 20 October 2026.
5. « 13 surprising facts about Ayra Starr’s rise to global fame », REVOLT, https://www.revolt.tv/article/13-facts-you-might-not-have-known-about-ayra-starr, accessed 20 October 2026.
6. « Ayra Starr: ‘I wanted to be an African superstar’ », Dazed Magazine, https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/64524/1/ayra-starr-autumn-2024-issue-african-superstar, accessed 20 October 2026.
7. « Ayra Starr », Universal Music France, https://universalmusic.fr/artistes/34686861716, accessed 20 October 2026.
8. « Ayra Starr Grammy Awards and Nominations », GRAMMY.com, https://www.grammy.com/artists/ayra-starr/54144/, accessed 20 October 2026.
9. « Home », Ayra Starr Official, https://ayrastarr.com, accessed 20 October 2026.