Ayra Starr Is the Globetrotting Pop Star the Industry Needs
We speak to the artist about the story behind ‘Starrgirl’, New York nights and building her global empire.
Fresh off the release of her new standout album Starrgirl, Ayra Starr’s presence is undeniable. Whether acting as the soundtrack to your social feeds, starting the latest trend of pairing purple geles with mini skirts and dresses or captivating festival crowds worldwide, the Nigerian artist’s rise to global fame is fully realized in her latest work.
There’s no escaping the Starrgirl effect right now. Drawing creative fuel from every corner of the globe, Starr returns that energy to her fans with every continent-crossing performance. From packed listening parties in New York and Los Angeles to a standout set at London’s All Points East festival — not to mention an upcoming halftime headline performance when the NFL heads across the pond this fall — this star’s shine has never been so bright and her career continues to soar to new heights.
Ahead of her All Points East set, we caught up with Starr to discuss the visual evolution of Starrgirl, setting up home in New York and the advice that keeps her moving forward. Keep reading for the full conversation.
Your fashion and visual style are as distinct as your sound. How do you decide on the visual identity for each new era or album?
Deciding on the visual identity for each new era for me is mainly about following who I am becoming, or who I am. I feel like before, I was kind of stuck because I felt like I had to be something, but now, actually with this era, I started to like purple, I started to like this — you know, I was just following the things that were natural to me, and I found Starrgirl.
Starrgirl features elements of sounds and genres from around the world, but at its core, the album is still very Nigerian and Afrobeats-focused. How much does travel inspire your music?
To me, Afrobeats is who I am — it’s at the core of who I am, and it’s my sound as an artist. It’s like my foundation. So I get inspired by everything around me when I travel, because I already know the foundation is already there. I don’t have to be anything more than I already am. When I’m in New York, sometimes I want to go to the parties and see what they’re playing, and be inspired by that. Same thing in Brazil — I want to go and see what they’re playing, you know?
Which city or culture that you’ve visited recently surprised you the most, and did any of that local energy make its way into your music?
Definitely New York. I just moved to New York. It was my first time living alone as a young woman. My first apartment, first everything. It definitely inspired my sound and inspired what I was trying to do with Starrgirl. I feel like New York was definitely the backdrop of Starrgirl.
Afrobeats has become a global phenomenon in recent years. How does performing for audiences in cities like London or New York differ from performing back home?
It’s not that different, honestly. Afrobeats listeners are Afrobeats listeners, and they support Afrobeats — it’s the same drive, the same energy. Afrobeats just has a high vibrational energy that you get everywhere when you’re around people who love the sound.
What’s one piece of advice you received at the beginning of your career that still guides you today?
I was just thinking about this. There’s this male artist I used to listen to as a child who saw me on a plane one time. He told me he worked so hard, and that I was going to have to work harder than the boys sometimes. I was like, “Okay, yeah, I’m prepared to do that.” So now I kind of carry that with me.
