Born in Benin on June 14, 2002, Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe is a Nigerian vocalist more famously known by her stage moniker Ayra Starr. Prior to embarking on a music career, she initiated a modeling journey with Quove Model Management at the age of 16.
In December 2019, she shared her initial original track on her page after performing several popular covers on Instagram. Don Jazzy, a music executive, took notice and subsequently signed her to his Mavin Records label.
At the beginning of 2021, Starr reached widespread audiences with her eponymous debut extended play and the single “Away,” which maintained a position at number four on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 50 chart for two consecutive weeks and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top Triller Global chart. This achievement opened the path for the release of Starr’s first full-length mixtape, 19 and Dangerous, later in 2021.
The mixtape, predominantly categorized as Afropop and R&B, garnered favorable reviews from critics and yielded two Nigerian top forty hits. The lead single, “Bloody Samaritan,” ascended to the top of the Top 50 chart, marking a historic moment as the first solo track by a female artist to achieve this milestone. Starr debuted on the Pandora Predictions chart and reached number three on Billboard’s Next Big Sound on August 28, 2021.
With the release of her track “Rush,” Starr soon garnered international acclaim. The song charted in various countries, including Switzerland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, where it reached number 24.
With this track, Starr made history by becoming the first African female artist under 30 to amass 100 million views on a single YouTube video. She also set a record as the sole female artist from Nigeria to place a solo song on the UK official Singles Chart.
Sarah Aderibigbe’s Early Life
Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, born on June 14, 2002, grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, as well as Cotonou, Benin. She has four siblings and was born to Nigerian parents from Delta and Kwara States. Due to her father’s career which led to frequent relocations during her high school years, she struggled to form lasting friendships.
Her passion for singing is largely influenced by her upbringing in a musically-oriented family. At the age of ten, she began penning songs with her brother and performing in a high school choir.
She pursued political science and international relations at Les Cours Sonou University, obtaining a BA. During her college years, she faced considerable bullying from her peers due to her youth and appearance. Music became a refuge for her from the emotional distress caused by the teasing. “While I listened to Nicki Minaj on my way to school, I felt like Nicki Minaj.” Her mother continually encouraged her to follow a singing career and provided significant support for her musical ambitions.
Career: Ayra Starr 19 & Dangerous, and career beginnings from 2018 to the present.
In August 2018, Starr inked a contract with Quove Models, located in Lagos. She subsequently began modeling for brands such as Esperanza Woman, Complete Fashion Magazine, and Mazelle Studio. In 2019, she initially released online covers of songs by artists like Andra Day and 2Face Idibia. She chose her stage name because it “represents awakening and enlightenment, which resonate with my principles.”
Starr appeared in the music video for Eri Ife’s track “Dear Future Wife.” In December 2019, she uploaded her original song titled “Damage” on her Instagram page. This led to her first recording deal with Mavin Records, which garnered attention from numerous listeners, including label executive Don Jazzy.
Producers Louddaaa and Don Jazzy assisted her in beginning recording sessions in 2020 at Mavin Studios in Lagos. Her self-titled debut extended play was released by Mavin Records on January 22, 2021. The album is described as “a whimsical narrative of love or love-related scenarios” and “blends R&B/neo-soul with Afropop rhythms.” Starr expressed her desire to create music appealing to both younger and older audiences with this album.
The mixing and mastering of the EP were handled by Ikon, Louddaa, and Johnny Drille. The five tracks on the EP were co-written by Starr and her brother Dami, while one song was penned solely by Starr.
The album gave rise to the successful track “Away,” which reached number four on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 50 and number 17 on the US Billboard Top Triller Global. Furthermore, the music video premiered on MTV Base’s Official Naija Top 10.
Starr performed at the season finale of Nigerian Idol on July 11, 2021. She released her debut studio album, 19 & Dangerous, on August 6, 2021, in collaboration with old friends Don Jazzy and Louddaaa, who had both contributed to her EP, along with newcomers London and Andre Vibez.
She was a guest vocalist on Johnny Drille’s track “in the light” from his song Before We Fall Asleep. On September 4, 2021, she was appointed brand ambassador for Pepsi Nigeria. The following day, she performed during a live eviction episode of Big Brother Naija. “Dangerous,” the second track on Cheque’s album Bravo, features her as a co-writer. She was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards.
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In September 2021, Starr became a brand ambassador for Pepsi Nigeria.
Starr was featured on the October 2021 issue of The Cover, published by Accelerate TV. The ODDA’s Fall/Winter 2021 edition contained a profile of Starr, and she appeared in a Notion editorial in 2021.
