Ayra Starr on Her Secret Relationship and Teasing Stevie Wonder

Ayra Starr, the 24-year-old Nigerian singer, demonstrated remarkable resilience when she posted a photo from hospital just two weeks before the release of her third album, Starrgirl, revealing she had undergone major surgery. Despite a more complicated recovery than expected, she was back in the dance studio within seven days, her stomach still bandaged, rehearsing for forthcoming performances. She went on to complete TV appearances, fan events, and live shows, telling one American breakfast programme simply: "I have strength today."

A Record of Milestones

Starr's career is built on a series of firsts. Discovered singing covers on YouTube at 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 perform on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, closing her set by declaring she would return as a headliner. She has also modelled for Di Petsa at London Fashion Week, and is a multiple Grammy and Mobo Award nominee for songs including Rush, Commas, Sability, and Gimme Dat. Despite all this, she studied for a degree in International Relations and Political Science at the age of 14.

Teasing a Legend

One of the more memorable stories from her interview involved legendary musician Stevie Wonder, who called to congratulate her on a Grammy nomination. Rather than simply receiving the compliment, Starr drew Wonder into a spirited argument about zodiac signs. When she learned he is a Taurus, she told him plainly that Tauruses are not worth much. "I was trying to one-up him every single time," she recalls, calling it "almost like a battle." She added: "I'm sure he was like, 'Who is this? What do you want from me?' But it was a very cute conversation."

A Secret Relationship Behind the Music

Starr's new album, her first under a management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation and following her relocation from Lagos to New York, reflects both artistic growth and personal upheaval. One of its tracks, Where Do We Go, was inspired by a secretive romance that had stalled but kept drawing her back. She describes the fear of starting over — of having to answer someone's basic questions about your favourite colour all over again — as part of what kept her in it. Ultimately, she chose the music. "I picked my priorities and what was most important to me. And that relationship wasn't as important as the music," she said.

Finding Her Own Rhythm

The album, which features collaborations with Afrobeats legends Wizkid and Rema, as well as One Direction's Zayn Malik and rising R&B singer KWN, marks a deliberate break from outside expectations. After the runaway success of her debut single Rush and second album The Year I Turned 21, Starr felt pressure to produce more of the same for casual listeners. She rejected that pressure. "I'm not meant to conform. It's just not who I am. I will rebel against every single preconception and every stereotype," she said. One standout track, Ms Paper, ventures into Bouyon, a Dominican style characterised by frantic percussion, recorded almost by accident one sweltering night in Los Angeles with French-Congolese artist Theodora.