Ayra Starr Biography
Oyinkansola Born in Benin, Sarah Aderibigbe (born June 14, 2002) is a Nigerian singer better known by her stage name, Ayra Starr. At sixteen, she started working as a fashion model with Quove Model Management, but she ultimately chose to focus on her musical career. In December 2019, she shared her first original song on her Instagram profile after covering other songs by well-known musicians. Don Jazzy, a record executive, saw her because of this and signed her to his label, Mavin Records.
With the release of her first full-length mixtape, 19 & Dangerous (2021), Starr gained widespread recognition in early 2021 with the release of her eponymous debut extended play and its hit track “Away,” which peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top Triller Global chart and spent two weeks at number four on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 50 chart.
Mostly classified as R&B and Afropop, the mixtape was well-received by critics and produced two top forty hits in Nigeria. The lead track “Bloody Samaritan” became the first solo song by a female singer to achieve number one on the Top 50 chart when it reached at the top. Starr made her chart debut on Pandora Predictions and peaked at number three on Billboard’s Next Big Sound on August 28, 2021.
After the release of her song “Rush” in 2022, Starr would go on to become well-known throughout the world. The song appeared on charts in multiple countries, such as Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK, where it reached its highest position at number 24. For Best African Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, it led to Starr’s first nomination.
With the song, Starr made history by being the first African female artist to reach 100 million views on a single YouTube video at the age of just five months.
Nigerian Singer
| Born: | 14 June 2002 (Cotonou, Benin) |
|---|---|
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Category: | Nigerian Singer |
| Other names: | Ayra Starr |
| Full name: | Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe |
| Education: | Les Cours Sonou University |
| Occupation: | Singer. Songwriter |
| Years active: | 2018–present |
| Agent: | Don Jazzy |
| Spouse(s): | Not Married |
| Partner(s): | N/A |
| Children: | None |
| Awards: | African Entertainment Awards USA (2021), African Muzik Magazine Awards (2021), Mobo Awards (2021), Net Honours (2021, 2022) |
| Origin: | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Genres: | Afropop, R&B,Alté, Afrobeats |
| Net Worth: | $400,000 |
| Labels: | Mavin Records |
| Associated acts: | Asake , Camidoh , Ckay , Davido , JoeBoy , Mr Eazi , Omah Lay , Oxlade , Rema , Singah , Tems , Tiwa Savage , Wizkid |
| Website: | https://www.ayrastarr.com/ |
Ayra Starr’s measurements
The singer for Rush is 163 centimeters (5 feet 4 inches) tall. Her approximate weight is sixty kilos or 132 pounds. Her dimensions are 89-66-89 centimeters or 35-26-35 inches.
Ayra Starr’s Net Worth
Considering that she has only recently begun her music career, not much is known about her net worth. Her estimated net worth of $400,000 is merely conjectured.
Ayra Starr’s Early life
Oyinkansola On June 14, 2002, Sarah Aderibigbe was born in Cotonou, Benin, and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, as well. She is of Yoruba origin and hails from Nigeria. Because of her father’s business, her family traveled around a lot when she was in high school, which made it difficult for her to make lasting friendships.
Her interest in singing stems primarily from her family because she was reared in a musically inclined household. She started writing songs with her brother at the age of ten and participated in a high school choir. She studied at Les Cours Sonou University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations. Because of her age and appearance, she experienced frequent bullying from her peers during her time in college. Starr turned to music as a way to cope with the emotions that the taunting caused her to feel. “I would listen to Nicki Minaj on my way to school, and I’d feel like the second Nicki Minaj.” Starr’s mother always urged her to pursue a singing career and was highly supportive of her musical goals.
Ayra Starr Career
2018–present: Career Beginnings, Ayra Starr, and 19 & Dangerous
Starr secured a contract with Lagos-based modeling agency Quove Models in August 2018. After that, she posed for brands including Esperanza Woman, Complete Fashion Magazine, and Mazelle Studio. She started sharing internet renditions of songs by musicians including 2Face Idibia and Andra Day in 2019. She stated that she chose her stage name because “it means woke and eye-opening and that’s what I stand for.” She was featured in the music video for “Dear Future Wife,” a song by Eri Ife. She posted an original song titled “Damage” to her Instagram page in December 2019. Thousands of people heard this, including label president Don Jazzy, and it led to Mavin Records offering her her first recording contract.
She began recording in 2020 with producers Louddaaa and Don Jazzy at Mavin Studios in Lagos. Mavin Records published her self-titled debut extended play on January 22, 2021. “A topsy-turvy chronicle of love or love-themed situations,” the album “merges elements of R&B/neo-soul with Afropop percussion,” according to some descriptions. Starr stated that she wanted to create songs for the album that will appeal to listeners of all ages.
The EP was mixed and mastered by Johnny Drille, Louddaaa, and Ikon. One of the EP’s tracks was written by Starr alone, and the other four were co-written with her brother Dami. Not long after it was released, the EP topped the Nigerian iTunes and Apple Music charts for albums. By March 2021, it had amassed over 15 million plays on Spotify, YouTube, and Audio Mack, and it was in the same place on Apple Music in four other countries. The project produced the popular song “Away,” which reached number 17 on the US Billboard Top Triller Global and number four on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 50.
Also making its premiere on MTV Base’s Official Naija Top 10 was its corresponding music video. The song was listed as one of the top nine Nigerian songs of January 2021 by OkayAfrica. March and April saw the release of remixes of “Ija” and “Away” by Starr, featuring Tokimonsta and Lilo, respectively. Crayon’s EP Twelve A.M. including her vocals on the track “In Sync” was released around the same time. She participated in The Olori Awards, a virtual cultural event presented by the Nigerian Students Association at UC Berkeley.
The official music video for her song “DITR” was made available on YouTube by Mavin on April 28, 2021. The music video for a different song called “Sare” was made available in June 2021. Afolabi Olalekan was the director of both music videos.
Starr sang at the Nigerian Idol season finale on July 11, 2021. Her first studio album, 19 & Dangerous, was released on August 6, 2021. She collaborated on the album with new artists London and Andre Vibez as well as her longtime partners Louddaaa and Don Jazzy, who produced her EP Ayra Starr.
It was her first time recording with guests like CKay and Fousheé on the album. The majority of reviewers gave it positive reviews, describing its music as mostly Afropop and R&B. It produced two hits in the top forty on the TurnTable Top 50, with “Bloody Samaritan,” its only single, reaching the highest position and being Starr’s first number-one single on the chart. For a couple of weeks, the song rose in the Top 50, and on September 27, 2021, it peaked at number one, making Starr the first female artist to achieve this feat with a solo single.
She made her chart debut on Pandora Predictions and peaked at number two on Billboard’s Next Big Sound on August 28, 2021. The song “In the Light” from Johnny Drille’s Before We Fall Asleep included her. She was appointed Pepsi Nigeria’s brand ambassador on September 4, 2021. Starr gave a performance on a live Big Brother Naija eviction broadcast the next day. She was a collaborator with Cheque on the second song off his album Bravo, “Dangerous”. She received a nomination for the Best Newcomer category at the 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards.
Starr made an appearance on the song “2 Sugar” off Wizkid’s fifth studio album, More Love, Less Ego, on November 10, 2022. The song debuted at number five on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and peaked at number one on Billboard’s Hot Trending. Starr announced on social media on March 4, 2023, that her song was used on the soundtrack of the highly anticipated American action film Creed III.
Ayra Starr Artistry
Musical style
Despite having a varied musical background, Afropop and R&B have been identified as the main genres of Starr’s sound. According to music critics, her voice is dynamic and emotionally delivered, earning her the terms “silky”, “cozy”, “delicate”, “sturdy”, “arresting”, and “soulful”. Her lyrics, which are a blend of Yoruba, English, and Nigerian Pidgin English, frequently touch on modern subjects like independence, empowerment, and relationships.
Upon the release of her self-titled first EP, a number of observers observed a remarkable similarity between her vocal style and that of Tems. Regarding parallels to Tems, Starr said in an interview with Cool FM, “I’m a young artist and Tems is an amazing musician, so for people to compare me to such an amazing musician, it’s a compliment and I’m honored.” “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,” stated Motolani Alake in his review of the EP for Pulse.
Furthermore, according to Alake, “Tems can be more alternative while Starr is more Nigerian and more Afropop with more lamba in her soul.” The two musicians are not the same, he said. Thandie Sibanda of Schön! Magazine referred to the EP as “a coming-of-age jukebox.” As The Floor’s Karen Chalamilla put it, Starr “not only solidifies the singer/songwriter as a standout vocalist but also serves as an acute window into her artistic sensibilities.”
Oris Aigbokhaevbolo of Music In Africa lauded Starr’s vocals and called her a developing artist, noting that she “can work across genres while not quite sounding like anybody else.” Oris said this in a review for 19 & Dangerous. 19 & Dangerous features elements of neo-soul, jazz, and electronic dance music in addition to the Afropop-R&B style of her last album.
Ayra Starr Influences
Starr was raised in a home that valued music. Her early inspirations for pursuing a career in music were her brother Dami, a guitarist and songwriter, and her mother, a former vocalist. She was exposed to various cultures while growing up in Benin and Nigeria, which affected her outlook on life and her character. Starr and Dami started penning music at an early age, guided by their mother and aunt. Since she was ten years old, she had dreamed of turning singing into a serious career, but her father had always urged her to finish school.
She said in interviews with national and international media that she was influenced by a variety of artists when she was younger, including 2Face Idibia, Wande Coal, Angélique Kidjo, Lijadu Sisters, and Tope Alabi. In college, she cited Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Sia, and Tiwa Savage as her main musical influences. Along with Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Miley Cyrus, she acknowledged Shakira as her major vocal inspiration, saying, “It was just the power I would feel listening to their music.” Not as many Nigerian female artists as we do now sang passionately about topics similar to them.” She considers Aṣa to be one of her literary heroes, noting that “she would listen to her write so beautifully and to learn how to write properly.”
Ayra Starr Other ventures
Starr joined Pepsi Nigeria as a brand ambassador in September 2021.
Accelerate TV’s The Cover, published in October 2021, had Starr. In the ODDA Fall/Winter 2021 issue, Starr was highlighted. She had an appearance in a Notion editorial in 2021.
Ayra Starr’s Personal Life
In 2018, Ayra Starr’s father passed away at the hands of the cold. Ayra was very close to her father, therefore this loss hit her deeply. She has composed and performed a few songs in memory of her father. She resides in Lagos’ mainland neighborhood with her mother and brother.
As of right now, Ayra Starr is single. “Away,” her current hit song, describes the suffering she went through after ending her previous love. She sings about finding strength in it and about being free. Additionally, she disclosed that she performed parts of the verses freestyle.
Ayra Starr Siblings
Ayra Starr has four siblings and hails from a close-knit family. Tolulope and Jesutumise Adebirigbe are her sisters, and Ade and Dami Adebirigbe are her brothers. Notably, Ayra co-writes the majority of her songs with her younger brother, who goes under the moniker Milar. He just started working as a professional songwriter at Mavin Records.
Ayra Starr Boyfriend
Ayra Starr does not currently have any romantic relationships in the public eye. About the time she signed with Mavin Records, she experienced a difficult breakup. She hasn’t disclosed any details regarding her personal life or relationship status as of now.
Ayra Starr Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Adebirigbe, Ayra Starr’s parents, live in Kwara state, Nigeria. Even if precise data about her parents are not publicly available, Ayra wants to protect her family’s privacy and keep their private information hidden.
Ayra Starr Record Label
Mavin Records, often called the Supreme Mavin Dynasty, is a well-known record label for Nigerian music that was founded on May 8, 2012, by the well-known singer and record producer Don Jazzy. Following the demise of Mo’ Hits Records, a prior business endeavor that Don Jazzy and D’banj jointly owned, Mavin Records was formed. Ayra Starr and other gifted artists, as well as label-affiliated producers and DJs, call the label home. Mavin Records is still making a big difference in the Nigerian music scene.
Ayra Starr Cars
Ayra Starr is an enthusiast for high-end vehicles and now drives a 2020 Toyota Land Cruiser that she paid a significant sum of money for. She also has a number of other sedan jeeps, demonstrating her passion for elegant yet durable automobiles.
Ayra Starr House
Ayra presently lives in Lagos, Nigeria, with her mother and siblings, though she also occasionally travels to the Mavin Mansion in Lekki Phase 1. Her private residence’s precise location and specifics are kept under wraps.
Ayra Starr Social Media
Ayra Starr maintains a highly engaged social media presence. On Instagram, she has more than 42.6k followers.
@ayrastarr is her official Instagram handle.
Ayra Starr On TikTok
@ayrastarr So grateful for this somg right here 🥹 thank you 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
Ayra Starr Discography
- Memories
- Ija
- Away
- Ditr
- Sare
- Bloody Samaritan
Ayra Starr – Rhythm & Blues (Official Music Video)
Who Is Ayra Starr
Beninese-Nigerian singer and composer Ayra Starr is well-known for her hits Rush, Away, Bloody Samaritan, and Sability. In addition, she has a large following on social media and works as a fashion model.
When Ayra Starr joined Quove Model Management at the age of 13, she began her modeling career, representing a variety of companies. Don Jazzy, the CEO of Marvin Records, saw her vocal ability and signed her. The artist has a sizable social media following and two music CDs filled with a wide variety of tracks.
Who are Ayra Starr’s siblings?
There are four siblings for the singer. Tolulope and Jesutumise Aderibigbe are her sisters, and Ade and Dami Aderibigbe are her brothers. Dami, Ayra Starr’s brother, is a songwriter, producer, and guitarist who helped inspire her to pursue a career in music.
How old is Ayra Starr?
As of May 2023, the singer is 20 years old. She was born in 2002, and she celebrates her birthday on June 14 each year. She is a Gemini by sign.
What is Ayra Starr’s net worth?
According to Vim Buzz, the entertainer is said to have a net worth of between $500k and $1 million. The proceeds from her successful music career are her main source of income. In addition, she receives payment for social media brand endorsements and modeling.
Does Ayra Starr have a boyfriend?
It appears that the singer is single right now. But there was a time when Ayra Starr and Rema’s romance made headlines. During a radio interview, she denied rumors that singer Rema is her brother in Christ when asked if they were dating.
