Ayra Starr (Nigerian singer/songwriter)

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe (listen; born 14 June 2002), known professionally as Ayra Starr (/ˈaɪrə ˈstɑːr/ EYE-rə-star), is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. She achieved international recognition in 2022 with the release of her song "Rush" which charted in several countries, including Switzerland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The song earned Starr a nomination for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Best African Music Performance. In early 2021, she released her self-titled debut EP and its lead single, "Away". Her debut EP was followed by the release of her debut studio album, 19 & Dangerous (2021). The album appeared in year-end lists by publications such as NativeMag. The lead single, "Bloody Samaritan," became the first song by a solo female artist to reach the No. 1 position in the Top 50 charts. In August of that same year, Starr was ranked No. 3 on Billboard's Next Big Sound. In 2024, Starr released her second album, The Year I Turned 21. Starr announced that her third studio album, Starr Girl, would be released on 14 August 2026. Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe was born in Benin and raised in Cotonou and Lagos, Nigeria. She is of Nigerian and Yoruba heritage, with both parents from Kwara State. She is multilingual, knowing Yoruba, French, English, and Nigerian Pidgin. She is the second of five children. She and her older brother, Damilola, played music together during their childhood. Though she gravitated toward the arts as a teen, her father often urged her to prioritize academics. She attended Les Cours Sonou University in Cotonou and received a BA degree in international relations and political science. Aderibigbe's mother supported her musical ambitions and reportedly encouraged her to pursue a singing career. Starr finished in second place on the Nigerian television talent show Maltina Dance All as a child. In August 2018, Starr signed with Quove Models, a Lagos-based modeling agency. In 2019, Starr started posting song covers by artists such as Andra Day and 2Face Idibia on social media. The stage name "Ayra Starr" is of Arabic origin, meaning “somebody that is highly respected." She also appeared in the music video for Eri Ife's song "Dear Future Wife." In December 2019, Starr uploaded an original song called "Damage" to her Instagram page. After this, Mavin Records founder Don Jazzy sent her a message expressing interest in her music and inviting her to meet. Starr's first sessions at Mavin Studios were her introduction to professional recording. Throughout 2020, she recorded at Mavin Studios in Lagos with producers Louddaaa, Don Jazzy, and Dayogrey. Her self-titled debut EP was released in January 2021 through Mavin Records. The mixing and mastering of the EP was by Ikon, Louddaaa, and Johnny Drille. Shortly after its release, the EP became the number-one album on Nigeria iTunes and Apple Music. By March 2021, the song had racked up over 15 million streams across Spotify, YouTube, and Audiomack. The EP included the track "Away", which peaked at number four on Nigeria's TurnTable Top 50 and number 17 on US Billboard Top Triller Global. Its accompanying music video also debuted on MTV Base's Official Naija Top 10. OkayAfrica included the song in their list of The 9 Best Nigerian Songs of January 2021. In early 2021, Crayon's EP Twelve A.M was released, including her as a featured artist on "In Sync." She then performed for the UC Berkeley Nigerian Students Association's Olori Awards. In July 2021, Starr performed for the season finale of Nigerian Idol. On 6 August 2021, her debut studio album titled 19 & Dangerous was released. The album marked her first time recording alongside guest artists such as Fousheé and CKay. It included two top forty hits on the TurnTable Top 50 and Starr ranked number two on Billboard's Next Big Sound. Her highest chart position was with "Bloody Samaritan," which became Starr's first number-one single on the chart. She was concurrently featured on "in the light," a track on Johnny Drille's Before We Fall Asleep. Starr was nominated for the "Best Newcomer Award" at the 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards in October. In September 2022, Starr released the song "Rush" as part of the deluxe edition of 19 & Dangerous. The song charted in several territories, including Switzerland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. "Rush" earned Starr her nomination at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Best African Music Performance. On 10 November 2022, Starr was featured on "2 Sugar," a track from Wizkid's fifth studio album More Love, Less Ego. The song reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot Trending, and debuted at number 5 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. In March 2023, she was credited on Creed III's soundtrack with "Ogogoro". Shortly after this, in July 2023, she announced her first headlining world tour, 21: The World Tour, with 40 stops across North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. The lead single from her next album, "Rhythm & Blues," was released in September 2023, exploring themes of romance and vulnerability. She was also featured on the David Guetta song "Big FU," along with rapper Lil Durk, which reached No. 23 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs and No. 18 on New Zealand Top 40 charts. The album's second single, "Commas," was released on 2 February 2024. In April, Jamaican record producer Rvssian released "Santa," a collaboration with Starr and reggaeton artist Rauw Alejandro. The track made Starr the first Nigerian female artist to reach 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify. "Bad Vibes," featuring Seyi Vibez, was released on 10 May as the final single ahead of the album. Starr's second studio album, The Year I Turned 21, was released through Mavin Records on 31 May 2024. The album explores themes of self-discovery, love, grief, and empowerment. The album features guest appearances from Coco Jones, Giveon, Asake, Anitta and Rauw Alejandro. Upon its release, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Nigerian Albums Chart and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 195, making Starr the first Nigerian female artist to achieve this milestone. Pitchfork described the album as "a bold and reflective work that redefines modern Afropop." Billboard praised the album for its "universal themes of growth and ambition that resonate across cultures." Following the album's release, she served as an opening act for Chris Brown's 2024 11:11 Tour across 26 North American cities from June to August. In June 2024, Starr made history as the first African female artist to perform on Glastonbury Festival's Pyramid Stage. She also headlined Afro Nation Detroit in August. She collaborated with Coldplay on the song "Good Feelings" from their album Moon Music and was a supporting act for the band's Music of the Spheres World Tour in Australia and New Zealand. In February 2025, Starr released "All The Love". That same month she won Best African Music Act at the MOBO Awards. On 25 April, she released "Gimme Dat" featuring Wizkid, which pays homage to Wyclef Jean and Mary J. Blige's "911". In June, Starr won her first BET Award for Best International Act. Her Summer 2025 Tour kicked off on 20 June with a performance at Summerjam Festival in New Jersey. In mid-July, Starr signed an international management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation while remaining signed to Mavin Records for music releases. On 25 July, she released "Hot Body", which Billboard called a "steamy slow-wine groove". On 27 September, Starr performed at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City's Central Park. During her performance, Starr brought out her labelmate Rema as a surprise guest, and they performed "Rush" together. Following the performance, Starr and Rema released their first official collaboration as co-lead artists titled "Who's Dat Girl" on 17 October. In November 2025, she headlined the Tidal Rave Festival at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, becoming the first major non-Ghanaian artist to headline the event. In January 2026, she was announced as a contributing