Ayra Starr

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For her eponymous debut EP, see Ayra Starr (EP).

Ayra Starr
Grayscale photo of a woman wearing spaghetti strap bikini top
Ayra Starr in 2021
Born
Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe

(2002-06-14) 14 June 2002 (age 19)
Cotonou, Bénin
Other namesCelestial Being
Alma materLes Cours Sonou University
Occupation
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • model
Years active2018–present
Musical career
OriginLagos, Nigeria
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
LabelsMavin
Associated acts
Websiteayrastarr.com

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe (born 14 June 2002), known professionally as Ayra Starr, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and model. Born in Cotonou, Ayra Starr began a fashion career at the age of 16 with Quove Model Management before deciding to pursue music. After covering several songs by popular artists on Instagram, she posted her first original song on her page in December 2019. This brought her to the attention of record executive Don Jazzy, and led to her signing to Mavin Records.[1]

In early 2021, Ayra Starr achieved mainstream recognition with her eponymous debut extended play and its hit track "Away" which spent two consecutive weeks at number four on Nigeria's TurnTable Top 50 and went to number 17 on US Billboard Top Triller Global, paving the way for the release of her first full-length studio album, 19 & Dangerous in August 2021. Categorized mainly as Afropop and R&B, the album has been met with favorable critical reception. It spawned two top forty hits in Nigeria. The lead single "Bloody Samaritan" peaked atop the Top 50 chart, becoming the first solo song by a female artist to reach the number-one position. Starr debuted on Pandora Predictions chart, and on 28 August 2021, she ranked number two on Billboard's Next Big Sound.[2]

Early life[]

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe was born on 14 June 2002 in Cotonou, Bénin and grew up there and in Lagos, Nigeria.[3] She was born to Nigerian parents from Kwara State and has three siblings: brothers Ade and Dami and a sister, Jesutunmise.[4] Her family moved frequently during her high school years because of her father's business, and as a result she had a hard time forming close friends.[3]

Having been raised in a music-loving family, her interest in singing comes mostly from her family. At the age of 10, she sang in a high school choir and began writing songs with her brother.[3] She attended Les Cours Sonou University and received a BA degree in international relations and political science. During her college years, she was often bullied by her classmates because of her age and appearance. To counter the feelings she experienced from being taunted, Ayra Starr turned to music. "I would listen to Nicki Minaj on my way to school, and I'd feel like the second Nicki Minaj."[3] Ayra Starr's mother was very supportive of her musical ambitions, and always encouraged her to pursue a singing career.[5]

Career[]

2018–present: Career beginnings, Ayra Starr and 19 & Dangerous[]

In August 2018, Starr was signed with Quove Models, a modeling agency based in Lagos. From there, she modeled for companies such as Mazelle Studio, Complete Fashion Magazine and Esperanza Woman. In 2019, she began posting covers of songs by artists like Andra Day and 2Face Idibia online.[5] She chose her stage name because, in her words, "it means woke and eye-opening and that's what I stand for."[6] She appeared in the music video for Eri Ife's song "Dear Future Wife." In December 2019, she uploaded an original song called "Damage" on her Instagram page. This was heard by thousands of people including label executive Don Jazzy and led to her first recording contract with Mavin Records.[7] [5][8]

In 2020, she started recording at Mavin Studios in Lagos with producers Louddaaa and Don Jazzy. Her self-titled debut extended play was released on 22 January 2021 through Mavin Records.[9] The album has been described as "a topsy-turvy chronicle of love or love-themed situations" and "merges elements of R&B/neo-soul with Afropop percussion."[10] Ayra Starr said her intention with the record was to make music that would resonate with both young and old listeners.[11] The mixing and mastering of the EP was by Ikon, Louddaaa and Johnny Drille. Starr wrote one of the songs on the EP alone, and co-wrote the remaining four with her brother Dami.[9] Shortly after its release, the EP became the number-one album on Nigeria iTunes and Apple Music. As of March 2021, it has reached the same position on Apple Music in 4 other countries, racking up over 15 million streams across Spotify, YouTube and Audio Mack. The project spawned the hit 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.[12] OkayAfrica included the song in their list of The 9 Best Nigerian Songs of January 2021.[13] Ayra Starr released remix versions of "Ija" and "Away" featuring Tokimonsta and Lilo respectively between March and April. Around the same time, Crayon's EP Twelve A.M was released with her vocals on the track "In Sync."[14] She performed at the UC Berkeley Nigerian Students Association virtual culture show titled The Olori Awards.[15] On 28 April 2021, the official music video for her song "DITR" was released on YouTube via Mavin.[16] In June 2021, the music video for another song titled "Sare", was released. Both music videos were directed by Afolabi Olalekan.

On 11 July 2021, Ayra Starr performed for the season finale of Nigerian Idol.[17] On 6 August 2021, her debut studio album, titled 19 & Dangerous was released. For the album, she worked with her previous collaborators Louddaaa and Don Jazzy, both of whom contributed production on her EP Ayra Starr, and new collaborators, London and Andre Vibez. The album marked her first time recording alongside guest artists such as Fousheé and CKay. It was met with favorable critical reception with most critics characterizing its sound as primarily Afropop and R&B. It spawned two top forty hits on the TurnTable Top 50, the highest being "Bloody Samaritan", its lone single, which became Starr's first number-one single on the chart. The song climbed the Top 50 for several weeks, and, on the chart dated 27 September 2021, it reached the number one spot, making Ayra Starr the first female artist to do so with a solo single.[18][19][20] She debuted on Pandora Predictions chart, and on 28 August 2021, she ranked number two on the Billboard's Next Big Sound.[2] She was featured on "in the light", a track on Johnny Drille's Before We Fall Asleep. On 4 September 2021, she was named brand ambassador for Pepsi Nigeria. The following day, Starr performed during a live eviction episode of Big Brother Naija.[21] She collaborated with Cheque on "Dangerous", the second track on his album Bravo. At the 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards, she was nominated for Best Newcomer award.

Artistry[]

Musical style[]

Although musically diverse, Ayra Starr's sound has predominantly been categorized as Afropop and R&B. Her voice has been described in the media as "silky", "cozy", "delicate", "sturdy", "arresting" and "soulful", with music critics noting the dynamic nature of her range and emotional delivery.[10][22] Her lyrics are a mixture of English, Pidgin English and Yoruba, often exploring contemporary topics such as love, relationship, empowerment and freedom.[23]

With the release of her debut eponymous EP, some critics felt that her vocal technique bore a striking resemblance to Tems' musical style. In an interview with Cool FM, Ayra Starr spoke about comparisons to Tems: "I'm a young artist and Tems is an amazing musician, for people to compare me to such an amazing musician, it's a compliment and I'm honoured."[24] Motolani Alake, in his review of the EP for Pulse wrote that "Ayra Starr isn't exactly a replica of Tems, but when she manipulates her vocals to stress the final syllable on words, sentences and cadences by flexing her octaves, she definitely sounds like Tems." Alake also opined that both artists are different and that "Tems can be more alternative while Starr is more Nigerian and more Afropop with more lamba in her soul."[10] Schön! Magazine's Thandie Sibanda called the EP "a coming-of-age jukebox."[6] Karen Chalamilla of The Floor remarked that Ayra Starr "not only solidifies the singer/songwriter as a standout vocalist, but also serves as an acute window into her artistic sensibilities."[25]

In a review for 19 & Dangerous, Oris Aigbokhaevbolo of Music In Africa described Starr as an evolving artist and praised her singing abilities, adding that it's clear she "can work across genres while not quite sounding like anybody else." 19 & Dangerous retains the Afropop-R&B sound of her previous record, but it also incorporates influences from genres such as neo-soul, Jazz and EDM.[26]

Influences[]

Ayra Starr grew up in a musically inclined family. She considers her mother, a former singer and her brother Dami, a guitarist and songwriter as her earliest inspirations for her interest in a music career.[11] Growing up between Bénin and Nigeria, she was exposed to different cultures that influenced her perspective on life and her personality. Ayra Starr and Dami began writing songs from a very young age under the tutelage of their mother and aunt. She had wanted to make a real career out of singing since age 10 but her father encouraged her to complete her education first.[23]

In her interviews for local and international media, she stated that throughout her childhood, she had a wide range of musical influences, including 2Face Idibia, Wande Coal, Angélique Kidjo, Lijadu Sisters and Tope Alabi, and in college, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Sia and Tiwa Savage. She credited Shakira as her biggest influence vocally along with Beyoncé, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus: "It was just the power I would feel listening to their music. We didn't get a lot of Nigerian female singers singing strongly about things like them, not as we do now." Lyrically, she admires Aṣa and has said that she "wrote so beautifully [and] was one of one of those people [she] would listen to just to learn how to write properly."[27]

Other ventures[]

Endorsements[]

In September 2021, Starr became a brand ambassador for Pepsi Nigeria.

Fashion[]

She was in the cover for October 2021 issue of Accelerate TV's The Cover and an editorial titled "Ayra Starr A Starr Is Born".[28] She starred an editorial for Fall/Winter 2021 issue of ODDA.[29] Around the same time, she appeared in a Notion editorial to discuss about her debut studio album 19 & Dangerous.[30]

Discography[]

Studio album and EP

Guest appearances[]

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"In The Light" 2021 Johnny Drille Before We Fall Asleep
"Dangerous" Cheque Bravo
"Roadside" (+234 Remix) Mahalia, Rema N/A

Awards and nominations[]

Award Year Recipient(s) and nominees(s) Category Result Ref.
African Entertainment Awards USA 2021 Ayra Starr Best New Artist Pending [33]
African Muzik Magazine Awards 2021 Best Newcomer Pending [34]
Mobo Awards 2021 Best African Music Act Pending [35]
Net Honours 2021 "Away" Most Played R&B Song Nominated [33]

References[]

  1. ^ "Don Jazzy activates Ayra Starr". This Day Live. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Next Big Sound Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Obi, Ify (18 March 2021). "Nigerian Singer Ayra Starr Is Making Her Mark on Music". HYPEBAE. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  4. ^ Ajala, Hannah (15 April 2021). "Ayra Starr Is the Gen Z Voice Nigerian Pop Music Needs". amaka.studio. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Ayra Starr: Nigerian teen leading her generation's sonic revolution". NME. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b Sibanda, Thandie (25 February 2021). "interview | ayra starr". Schön! Magazine. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  7. ^ Vincent, Oladoyinbo (9 December 2021). "How I Got Signed By Don Jazzy". Mzik.cloud. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  8. ^ Onyango, Alfayo (2 April 2021). "Arya Starr: Nigerian teen music sensation". The Standard (Kenya). Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Ayra Starr - EP by Ayra Starr". Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Alake, Motolani (22 January 2021). "Ayra Starr sounds like a disruptor with a soul of 'lamba' on her self-titled debut [Pulse EP Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Ayra Starr". 1883 Magazine. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Turntable Charts". Turntable Charts. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  13. ^ "The 9 Best Nigerian Songs of the Month (January)". OkayAfrica. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  14. ^ Alake, Motolani (26 March 2021). "Rema, Ayra Starr, Bella Shmurda feature on Crayon's new EP, 'Twelve AM'". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  15. ^ Okobz, Ralph (20 April 2021). "Watch Ayra Starr's Captivating UC Berkeley Performance". NotJustOk. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  16. ^ "New Video: Ayra Starr – DITR". BellaNaija. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  17. ^ Edeme, Victoria (11 July 2021). "Ice Prince, Ayra Starr, others perform at Nigerian Idol Grand Finale". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  18. ^ Badewa, Collins (19 July 2021). "Rave News Digest: Ayra Starr Announces Album Release Date, Colin Kaepernick Writing A Book, Giroud + More". Style Rave. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  19. ^ "DNA Mix: Throwback". BBC Radio 1Xtra. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ^ Mike, Steven (6 August 2021). "Ayra Starr 19 & Dangerous Album". ivoryMP3.
  21. ^ "Pepsi unveils new ambassadors Ayra Starr and Rema #ForTheLoveOfMusic". Vanguard News. 4 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  22. ^ Chalamilla, Karen (9 August 2021). "Ayra Starr Album Review: 19 & Dangerous | THE FLOOR MAG". The Floor Magazine. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  23. ^ a b Conteh, Mankaprr (13 August 2021). "The Sharp and Swift Ascent of Ayra Starr". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  24. ^ "AYRA STARR SAYS IT'S A COMPLIMENT AND SHE'S HONOURED TO BE COMPARED TO TEMS". Cool FM - Your Number One Hit Music Station !. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  25. ^ "EP Review: Ayra Starr | The Floor Mag". The Floor Magazine. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  26. ^ Aigbokhaevbolo, Oris (7 August 2021). "19 and Dangerous: Ayra Starr unifies alté and mainstream Afrobeats". Music In Africa. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  27. ^ Wright, Andrew. "On the Rise: Ayra Starr". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  28. ^ "The Cover October 2021: Ayra Starr". AccelerateTv. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  29. ^ Perella, Vincent (13 November 2021). "The Celestial Being: Ayra Starr". ODDA Magazine. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  30. ^ Smith, Niall (15 November 2021). "Ayra Starr: Afropop's Bold New Leader | Notion Interview". Notion. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  31. ^ Crafty, Arthur. "Ayra Starr - Ayra Starr EP | Download Album - NaiJamz". naijamz.com. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  32. ^ "[Album] Ayra Starr – 19 & Dangerous". . Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Net Honours - The Class of 2021". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  34. ^ Ezeh, Mario. "Afrimma Nominees". AFRIMMA. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  35. ^ Okonofua, Odion (11 November 2021). "Rema and Ayra Starr nominated for the 2021 MOBO Awards". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 11 November 2021.

External links[]

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