When Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr released her debut studio album, 19 & Dangerous, in 2021, she made her mark as the hottest singer in Afrobeats. While she's riding a wave of success, the Benin-born singer sums up her first headline world tour in one word: "bittersweet."
She explains, "There's nothing I'd rather be doing than connecting with people who listen to my music around the world and gathering new experiences, but sometimes, for a brief second, I get tired, miss home and family. But I have to keep it moving."
Two years since her debut, the 21-year-old artist has already "evolved," she tells Exclaim! "[My upcoming album] will mostly show how I have grown from when I was 19 to 21, [and this] will reflect in the songs I write and my delivery," she says.
The self-proclaimed "sabi girl" — loosely translated to "it girl" — has collaborated with her fellow Afrobeats peers and heavy-hitters like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and Rema, just to name a few. She's been featured on the soundtracks of Creed III and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and even had former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland hop on her melodic track "Bloody Samaritan."
Starr hopes her drive and tenacity can one day land her a feature with the "bad gyal" herself, Rihanna. But for now, she's happy to receive mainstream success among many Afrobeats artists who have come before her. "It feels good that we are able to tell our undiluted stories through our own music," reflects Starr.
Following in the footsteps of her dream collaborator, the "Sability" singer looks to dive into her other interests soon: "I can't wait to do more around fashion, [and] put out my own designs so people can see my expression through the things I create."
It also comes as no surprise that the casually chic singer wears her heart on her sleeve, and she discusses her future plans to give back to the community: "[I want to] do more around ADHD awareness, and also partner with more organizations working with young pregnant girls who are victims of abuse," she says.
Although she's not quite ready to reveal where she sees herself musically in the next few years, she's well on her way to shining brighter than ever.
She explains, "There's nothing I'd rather be doing than connecting with people who listen to my music around the world and gathering new experiences, but sometimes, for a brief second, I get tired, miss home and family. But I have to keep it moving."
Two years since her debut, the 21-year-old artist has already "evolved," she tells Exclaim! "[My upcoming album] will mostly show how I have grown from when I was 19 to 21, [and this] will reflect in the songs I write and my delivery," she says.
The self-proclaimed "sabi girl" — loosely translated to "it girl" — has collaborated with her fellow Afrobeats peers and heavy-hitters like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and Rema, just to name a few. She's been featured on the soundtracks of Creed III and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and even had former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland hop on her melodic track "Bloody Samaritan."
Starr hopes her drive and tenacity can one day land her a feature with the "bad gyal" herself, Rihanna. But for now, she's happy to receive mainstream success among many Afrobeats artists who have come before her. "It feels good that we are able to tell our undiluted stories through our own music," reflects Starr.
Following in the footsteps of her dream collaborator, the "Sability" singer looks to dive into her other interests soon: "I can't wait to do more around fashion, [and] put out my own designs so people can see my expression through the things I create."
It also comes as no surprise that the casually chic singer wears her heart on her sleeve, and she discusses her future plans to give back to the community: "[I want to] do more around ADHD awareness, and also partner with more organizations working with young pregnant girls who are victims of abuse," she says.
Although she's not quite ready to reveal where she sees herself musically in the next few years, she's well on her way to shining brighter than ever.