# Ayra Starr

> Ayra Starr, born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe in Cotonou and raised between Benin and Nigeria, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter whose path from Instagram covers to Mavin Records became one of contemporary Afropop's sharpest coming-of-age stories. Her catalog includes three studio albums, the Grammy-nominated hits "Rush" and "Gimme Dat," a 2025 BET Award, three MOBO wins, and a creative identity that folds Yoruba and Beninese influences, R&B, pop and amapiano into songs built on audacity, intimacy and meticulous self-direction.

- **Role:** Recording artist at Mavin Records and Republic Records; global management client of Roc Nation
- **Organizations:** Mavin Records, Republic Records, Roc Nation
- **From:** Cotonou, Benin
- **Nationality:** Nigerian
- **Education:** BA in International Relations and Political Science, Les Cours Sonou University
- **Known for:** Two Grammy nominations for Best African Music Performance: "Rush" at the 2024 ceremony and "Gimme Dat" with Wizkid at the 2026 ceremony., Won Best International Act at the 2025 BET Awards., Won both Best International Act and Best African Music Act at the 2025 MOBO Awards; label materials describe her as a three-time MOBO winner overall.

## Career timeline

- **2018** — Signed with Lagos agency Quove Models and began professional modeling.
- **2019** — Posted covers and then the original song "Damage" on Instagram; Don Jazzy discovered the clip and invited her to Mavin Records.
- **2021** — Released the self-titled Ayra Starr EP, followed by debut album 19 & Dangerous; "Bloody Samaritan" became the first solo song by a female artist to top Nigeria's TurnTable Top 50.
- **2022** — Released "Rush," the international breakthrough that later earned her first Grammy nomination.
- **2023** — Mounted 21: The World Tour across North America, Europe, Africa and Australia.
- **2024** — Released The Year I Turned 21, the first album by a Nigerian female artist to debut on the Billboard 200, and performed at Glastonbury.
- **2025** — Won BET Best International Act and two MOBO Awards, performed at Global Citizen Festival in New York, joined Roc Nation's management roster, and released "Gimme Dat" with Wizkid.
- **2026** — Received a second Grammy nomination for "Gimme Dat," delivered the keynote at the Yale Africa Innovation Symposium, and released third album Starrgirl.

## Achievements

- Two Grammy nominations for Best African Music Performance: "Rush" at the 2024 ceremony and "Gimme Dat" with Wizkid at the 2026 ceremony.
- Won Best International Act at the 2025 BET Awards.
- Won both Best International Act and Best African Music Act at the 2025 MOBO Awards; label materials describe her as a three-time MOBO winner overall.
- The Year I Turned 21 became the first album by a Nigerian female artist to debut on the Billboard 200.
- "Rush" became the most-streamed solo song by a Nigerian female artist on Spotify and made her the youngest African female artist to pass 100 million views on a single YouTube video.
- By June 2026, her label reported more than seven billion global streams and one billion YouTube views.
- Delivered the keynote address at the 2026 Yale Africa Innovation Symposium on creative work and Africa's creative economy.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Released the 16-track third studio album Starrgirl through Mavin Records and Republic Records, with guests including ZAYN, Rema, Wizkid, Leon Thomas, kwn, Danny Ocean and Theodora.
- **2026-06** — Released the single "Tornado"; label materials reported more than seven billion global streams and one billion YouTube views.
- **2026-04** — Delivered the keynote address at the fourth Yale Africa Innovation Symposium, reflecting on her career and Africa's creative economy.
- **2026-02** — Entered the 68th Grammy Awards with a second Best African Music Performance nomination, for "Gimme Dat" with Wizkid.
- **2025-10** — Released "Who's Dat Girl" with Rema after the two performed together at Global Citizen Festival in New York.
- **2025-07** — Joined Roc Nation for global management while remaining a Mavin recording artist.

## Links

- Website: https://www.ayrastarr.com/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/ayrastarr
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK7oVw_ftuBIwiipiBf7ogA
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayrastarr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayrastarrcentral
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ayrastarr

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ayra-starr
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-21