Nigerian Afrobeats sensation, Ayra Starr has described her first meeting with Rihanna as amazing.
The 21-year-old singer, who met American star, Rihanna at the Authentic Woman Event in London in May 2024, reflected on the encounter.
“The funny thing is before I met Rihanna I was literally just having a conversation with a friend four days before. I was like, ‘Do you think Rihanna knows me? Do you think she listens to me?’ I low-key feel like I make the kind of music Rihanna will like.
“I just feel like she would like my music. So when I finally met her she was like ‘I’m so happy to see you. I was like me? okay.’ I got to hang out with her and talk and vibe and it was amazing.”
Ayra Starr
The singer also confessed that she always dreamt of attaining the success she has achieved today and knew that she would become a superstar.
She recounted her early days, filled with online searches for tips on singing like her idol, Beyonce.
“I used to google how to sing like Beyonce, or how to be a Beyonce, do you understand? So things like that, I just really wanted to be a superstar and now I am.”
Ayra Starr
She also addressed the speculated rivalry between her fellow artists Asake and Seyi Vibez, asserting that she was unaware of any tension between the two.
Ayra Starr responded to whether her decision to collaborate with both artists on her sophomore album, ‘The Year I Turned 21’, was influenced by their alleged rivalry.
“I didn’t put Asake and Seyi Vibez on my album because of their rivalry. I didn’t know about the rivalry between Asake and Seyi Vibez. I just love both of them as artists.”
Ayra Starr
The singer emphasized her focus on the sonic quality of her music rather than any external factors.
“I’m really big on sonics; what would sound good sonically? My team is always thinking of the business side but I’m just thinking of who would be sonically compatible with me.”
Ayra Starr
She further shared her appreciation for Seyi Vibez’s music, specifically his track ‘Different Pattern,’ which she had been listening to for a considerable time.
Similarly, Ayra Starr praised Asake for his promptness and professionalism. “Asake, too, he sent me his verse in three days,” she added.
Singer Closes In On Tyla’s Spotify African Record
Ayra Starr is on a steady ascension as her music continues to win her fans and accolades globally.
In a landmark feat, the Grammy-nominated singer has become the second African artist with the most Spotify listeners after she reached a record-breaking 31,103,217 million listeners (as of May 28, 2024) which brings her closer to the African record held by South African international sensation Tyla who boasts 31,966,907 monthly listeners (as of May 28, 2024).
Ayra Starr’s latest feat comes just weeks after she surpassed Rema’s Nigerian record of 24.57 million monthly listeners.
Since breaking into the mainstream with her self-titled debut EP in 2021, Ayra Starr has become one of Nigeria and Africa’s biggest musicians.
In 2023, her Grammy-nominated global hit single ‘Rush’ earned her a Diamond certification in France while also becoming the most-viewed music video by a Nigerian female artist.
Ayra Starr was recently nominated in 3 categories for the 2024 BET Awards including the Best New Artist and Best African Artist in what is a testament to her stardom.
The award-winning sensation is set to release her second album titled ‘The Year I Turned 21’ on May 31, 2024. The album will feature guest appearances from Asake, Seyi Vibez, Anita, Coco Jones, Giveon, and her younger brother Milar.
Ahead of its release, the album has already surpassed 200 million streams on Spotify courtesy of the lead singles ‘Rhythm & Blues’, ‘Commas’, ‘Bad Vibes’ featuring Seyi Vibez, and ‘Santa’ her collaboration with Rvssian.
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