FEATURE: Modern-Day Queens: Ayra Star

FEATURE:

Modern-Day Queens

Ayra Starr

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ONE of this year’s…

best albums has come from Ayra Starr. Starrgirl is a sensational album that I would urge everyone to listen to. It is a major reason for including her in this Modern-Day Queens. If you have not discovered Ayra Starr yet, she is someone who is a Nigerian singer, producer, and songwriter whose debut album, 19 & Dangerous, came out in 2021. It did not get as much press and review coverage as it deserves. Starrgirl has received major widespread acclaim. I am going to end with a review of that album. Before that, there are some recent interviews I am keen to include. I want to start out with a BBC interview. Published last month. The reason for starting out with this one is that Starr was recovering from major surgery. Yet she was still promoting an album! Amazing strength and resilience:

“Two weeks before the release of her new album, Starrgirl, the Nigerian singer posted a photo from hospital, after undergoing "major surgery".

"I was hoping it would be a quick recovery, but it was more complicated than they expected," she told fans, external, without disclosing the nature of the procedure.

Within seven days, she was back in the dance studio, rehearsing for forthcoming performances with a large bandage strapped across her stomach. TV appearances, fan events and live performances followed.

"I'm healing," she told the US breakfast TV show, Today. "I have strength today. I'm so happy I was able to even be here today and be able to do this."

It's a display of the tenacity and ambition that's defined Starr's career to date.

Discovered singing covers on YouTube at the age of 18, she became the first African woman to win best international act at the Mobo Awards, and the first Nigerian woman to surpass one billion video views on YouTube.

In 2024, she was the first Afrobeats artist to play Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage – and finished her set by declaring she'd return as a headliner. Last year, she modelled for Di Petsa at London Fashion Week, closing their show in a white lace two-piece, flanked by an angel.

Over the course of her career, Starr's hooked up with Coldplay, Tyla, David Guetta, Le Sserafim and Kelly Rowland from Destiny's Child.

Her new album boasts collaborations with Afrobeats legends Wizkid and Rema, as well as One Direction's Zayn Malik and rising R&B singer KWN.

The album is her first under a new management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, and a relocation to New York. Leaving Lagos was a big upheaval, she confessed in an essay posted to her Substack last year., external

"New York is basically a walk-in freezer with rent," she wrote. "It's so cold it feels like the city is actively trying to unalive my motivation… I'm not scared, I promise."

Secret relationship

Behind the move was a desire to explore new influences and expand her sound. So you get a track like Where Do We Go, which marries a sashaying Afrobeats rhythm to a hypnotic electronic pulse.

"Like, the rebel I am, I love to juxtapose," she says.

"I don't like being normal and boring. So the idea of writing a heartbreak song on a beat like that, where you can dance to it, was just very enticing. I love things like that."

The lyrics were inspired by a secretive relationship "that was stuck in a rut but I kept coming back to it".

We've all been there. It's all too easy to settle for an imperfect partner because they're a comfortable and familiar presence.

Starr admits the thought of starting over with someone else filled her with fear.

"You're back to square one, and somebody's asking for your favourite colour again.

"I'm like, 'Oh my God! Can we, like, not do that?'"

The problem with staying in the relationship, however, was the way it affected the rest of her life.

"You keep accepting things lower than your standard, and that influences every single thing in your life - because when you let yourself go, romantically and emotionally, it affects you physically, and the music, and all of that.

"So even though I enjoyed [the romance] while it lasted, I picked my priorities and what was most important to me. And that relationship wasn't as important as the music... or anything else."

The story could act as a metaphor for the entire album. After the runaway success of her breakout single, Rush, and her second album, The Year I Turned 21, Starr was beginning to feel trapped by other people's expectations.

"Just like any other pop artist, passive listeners get attached to the songs they know - the popular songs.

"Then you're stuck between creating for the passive listeners and creating for your core fans who want you to do more.

"So that can limit you, because you stop thinking as an artist and start thinking about making music just for consumers.

"But I'm not meant to conform. It's just not who I am. I will rebel against every single preconception and every stereotype”.

Variety sat down with Ayra Starr to discuss her music and the incredible Starrgirl. How transformative it has been for her moving to New York. She also shares how she needed freedom on Starrgirl. This is her most extraordinary album yet:

“The album finds Starr at a junction in her career. Where does the Nigerian baddie go after racking up Afrobeats hits and cementing herself as a top contender in music with two Grammy nominations, touring stadiums while opening for Coldplay, and landing an upcoming debut role in the Gina Prince-Bythewood’s upcoming fantasy-adventure film “Children of Blood and Bone”? Third studio albums can often be a time for doubling down on sonic and visual identity or leaning toward a rebrand. “Starrgirl” finds Starr attempting both.

And as her sonic offering continues to expand, she still found ways to incorporate her Nigerian culture through the traditional Yoruba gele head wrap worn on the album’s cover art. Geles are typically worn at celebratory events, and Starr and photographer Axle Jozeph transform it into an Afrofuturist icon alongside sci-fi lasers. The choice shows that Starr’s evolution doesn’t require leaving her Nigerian identity behind. Instead, she is taking something traditional and pushing it into a new, futuristic context.

The move to New York was a catalyst for much of the change that was to come for Starr. Now, she only asks that listeners approach it with “a clean mind” and allow themselves “45 minutes of enjoyment.”

Who is “Starrgirl”? Is she different from Ayra Starr? Is this an alter ego?

I feel like I was a different person in New York than I was in any part of the world, and I just liked who I was. I liked going to parties with my friends, waking up around like noon [laughs]. I was acting my age. I’m living my age. I just liked experiencing life, and it wasn’t just about work, work, work. It was about enjoying all the work I’ve done and just allowing myself to be, you know? And seeing myself from the lens of complete, and “I am,” instead of “I have to be.”

And that’s what “Starrgirl” is. It’s not really an alter ego, but it’s a part of me that already is complete, does not have to perform, does not have to be.

Because being a Black girl and an African girl, we grew up with, “You have to be this.” There’s a certain type of anxiety that is deep, layers, layers, layers, layers within you, that you just feel like you have to unlearn. But when you remove yourself from that and go deep, deep you start to understand that you don’t need to be anything other than what you already are.

In our last conversation you talked about having a vocal producer come in and really instruct you on how to emote and hit certain notes. How confident do you feel in terms of your vocal ability and vocal production now?

I got to be in the studio alone with just an engineer for the first time in a long time, since my first album. I was not with a lot of producers. After we made a demo, I would go back and record in a safe space. And I got to work with an engineer that just made me feel very comfortable, you know? I’d go from my house, I would dress up, wear heels. I was going to a nine-to-five. Go to the studio, have my blanket, have my shot of tequila, you know? That made me master it, and I became very free. You can hear a lot of personality in certain takes because I was having fun.

You’ve now racked up two Grammy nominations. How does it feel going through that process and receiving that recognition, especially with the Best African Music Performance category only being three years old and you’ve gotten two nominations?

It’s crazy, right? Because I feel like anytime it happens, I’m just like, “Ayee.” I’ve come a long way, you know? Coming from where I come from, getting nominated for a Grammy is crazy. I’m lowkey pushing the goalpost. So even being there and being in that environment with all these great artists and allowing myself to experience that, it’s enough”.

Prior to getting to a review of Starrgirl from NME, I will come to an interview from CLASH. Spotlighting a “A radiant beacon of feminine energy”, CLASH write how Starr’s “next chapter is rooted in truth, and good old-fashioned stubbornness”. She is one of the greatest artists in the world right now. At the top of her talent. It is going to be so interesting where she goes next:

“In spite of her success, Ayra remains remarkably unaffected. On set she’s one of the team; excitedly checking out photographs, gossiping with her nail artist, and setting the tone for the entire room. CLASH can’t help but wonder what keeps her so rooted. “My family, my God, my team,” she reels off the names without hesitation. “I’m a very grounded person in general. I don’t want my head in the clouds too much. I ground myself by doing little things; watching my favourite TV show, praying, chatting with my fans. All those little things keep me present.”

This approach extends into her creative life as well. ‘Starrgirl’ features some of her biggest collaborations to date, but it thrives on providing Ayra with a space to speak her truth. “For me to get into that creative space, I have to be around people I trust,” she says. “So if that means nobody else but the producer and the engineer, then that’s what it means. If it means having my favourite blanket or my candles lit up and the lights dimmed – or changing the colour of the lights – then that’s what I do. I have to create a safe space where I can be myself 100% without anyone watching me.”

The results speak for themselves. Huge hit single ‘Tornado’ was built on instinct, while the infectious ‘Where Do We Go’ is a radiant summer burner. At every turn, she’s working from intuition. “With this album, I wanted to understand my culture and myself, and to add to them,” she explains. “To find a way to blend tradition while existing in multitudes. I was mixing realism and surrealism, which is something I’ve never done before.”

“The best music is made when you leave your ego at the door,” Ayra points out. “As artists, having an ego can come with the territory. And that means someone can get hurt because one line gets cut. But when you’re humble to the art, you humble yourself, and understand that you’re a vessel. That’s when you make the most amazing music.”

Indeed, Ayra’s signature in the studio is being able to listen to those around her, while staying in touch with her own desires. “In the end, I have to feel it and I have to enjoy it,” she says. “I have to know, this is the time to move on, or change another colour. It works differently for different artists. For ‘Starrgirl’ I knew I wanted to explore and try new things. Whatever felt easy was boring for me because I wanted to push myself.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Florence Mann

“A lot of songs on this album are out of my comfort zone,” she adds. “With every song I had to try something new. I had to push myself. I had a lot of fear to overcome while making this album.” ‘Starrgirl’ finds Ayra ripping up the rule book once more. Much of the record was written in New York, a city she now calls home, not that relocating across the Atlantic didn’t come with its challenges, she points out. “When I moved to New York it was scary,” she admits. “I was alone in my first big girl apartment! It took me three months to even get a couch! I spent three months going to an apartment with one bed and an empty fridge,” Ayra laughs.

Once Ayra has closed the door, she’s able to recharge and take stock. She gives herself up completely to her art, and the continual demands can leave her depleted. “One thing about being an artist is that you give a lot, and a lot is being taken from you,” she notes during our chat. “Before I go onstage I need to have 10, 20 minutes of quiet, where I’m just present and understanding what I’m about to do. It’s almost like a good anxiety – being grateful to be anxious to be onstage! I’m literally doing what I love. Recently becoming a Global Citizen Advocate, Ayra Starr uses her position to state the case for social causes, in particular empowering communities in her native Nigeria. “I’ve been one of those children that didn’t have electricity growing up,” she says softly. “I want to lend my voice. I want to help.”

For the final look of the day, Ayra ties a gele around her head, the luxurious wraps giving her a timeless feminine feel, rooting her in West African traditions. It’s a nod to her new album artwork, and also a sign that she isn’t about to become separated from her roots. “It all boils down to the idea of me being a vessel for my art and for my people,” she says proudly. “I want to represent every state in Nigeria, and I want all the little girls there to feel represented by me. And the way to do that is to be my most authentic self.”

We close our time together by musing on that younger version of Ayra, the one who spent her childhood classes dreaming of being onstage, and scribbling lyrics on the back of her book. What advice would you give that younger version of yourself? “I’d take advice from her,” Ayra points out. “I really respect that version of myself, and how resilient she was. That’s who I am now. She had blind faith in herself and God. The advice I’d give her, though, is to not let anybody take her joy or her power away from her”.

I will wrap up with NME and their four-star assessment of Starrgirl. I am not sure whether Starr is going to tour her new album in the U.K., but there are a lot of people here who would love to catch her. Someone who I imagine is a wonderful live performer:

“When Ayra Starr first stepped onto the scene, she became a go-to for pristine, pretty music with her first two albums – ‘19 & Dangerous’ (2021) and ‘The Year I Turned 21’ (2024) – both powered by chart zingers. But on ‘Starrgirl’, the Beninese-Nigerian singer ascends, becoming an artist who knows her space in the music world and still pushes at the sides of the box to make more room. Bouncing between R&B, blues, Afropop and pure pop balladry, she is more confident, playful and sure in her own light – which shines brighter than ever on this record.

Kicking off with the enthralling, amapiano-inflected ‘Dangerous’, ‘Starrgirl’ immediately feels heavier and more physical than her earlier work. But Starr constantly morphs: from the sultry R&B of smouldering ‘Amazing’ with Kwn into the suave sophistication of the Afropop-leaning ‘Gimme Dat’, where she goes toe-to-toe with Wizkid over heartstring-plucking guitar, before ‘Pressure’ brings in Leon Thomas for a sunnier, glossy pop sound. Yet, these songs flow seamlessly into one another, bound by the same sense of uninhibited freedom – Starr finally letting herself roam, and that’s what makes ‘Starrgirl’ feel like such a step forward.

While the singer’s previous records were charming, they often remained in a polite, palatable space – but ‘Starrgirl’ gives her room to experiment. ‘Ms. Paper’ with Theodora brings a frenzied Francophone dancefloor energy that’s built to shell down a fête. That evolution is just as apparent in her songwriting, where she moves beyond the broad strokes of romance and empowerment to allow in more specificity, vulnerability and personality. ‘Letter To God’ is a moving ballad where Starr’s bluesy vocals play around on the doo-wop-y beat as she sings, “I wrote a letter to God ’bout you”. ‘Heaven Baby’, meanwhile, takes a more direct route; rather than relying on heavy imagery or abstraction, Starr and Zayn Malik shoot straight: “You could be my heaven, baby / Die for you if you let me, baby.”

Though, Starr doesn’t always hit it out of the park with her newfound penchant for pushing boundaries. ‘Where Do We Go’ is a thrilling showcase for her voice, even if her huge belts occasionally struggle to find somewhere comfortable to sit inside its fast-moving riddim: “Where do we go from here? / After I dried my tear, After I say goodbye / You never made it clear”. Meanwhile, ‘Misunderstood’ is a perfectly enjoyable dance-pop empowerment song with a 2010s sheen, but could belong to almost anyone. It works; it just doesn’t feel particularly like her.

Those rare stumbles aside, considering the polished crossover moments, ‘Starrgirl’ never loses sight of the musical ecosystem that made Starr. She doesn’t abandon the Afrobeats foundation that made her compelling nor reinvent herself with some new popstar gimmick; instead, she pushes the parameters of her style to make room for more of what’s already in her arsenal. The result is an album that feels bigger without losing who she is – Ayra’s been a star for years, but now she’s finally got room to go supernova”.

I am going to finish things off. If you have not yet listened To Starrgirl, then go and play the album now, as it is among the best of this year. From the sensational Ayra Starr, I wanted to highlight her brilliance. Someone who will put out so many other albums before her career is done, she is undoubtably one of our very best. Starrgirl is an album you will come back to time and time again. It is an absolutely…