Born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, the 22-year-old Starr grew up between cities, dividing her time between Benin Republic’s beach city Cotonou (where she was born) and the Nigerian metropolis of Lagos. The Grammy-nominated singer got her start in music when Mavin magnate Don Jazzy discovered her on social media and went on to sign her in 2021, propelling her into the limelight.
With the release of her record-breaking sophomore album “The Year I Turned 21” in 2024, Ayra Starr continued to trailblaze a path to global stardom. She emerged as the most streamed Nigerian female artist on Spotify in 2024 and made history by becoming the first Nigerian female artist to debut on the Billboard 200.
Ayra Starr is the voice behind “Rush”, the most streamed solo song by a female Nigerian artist on Spotify. In 2023, she became the youngest Grammy nominee in Nigerian history.