Ayra Starr (Nigeria-Benin)
Afrobeats' first lady

The youngest of five children, Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe was born in Cotonou but grew up in Nigeria and learned to sing at an early age in her church choir. This is said to have honed her astonishing nightingale voice. Now, at the age of 23, she is the toast of the Nigerian music scene. Her first EP, Away, was released in 2021 and topped the local TurnTable Top 50 chart for two weeks. Then the track ‘Rush’, released the same year, propelled her to fame. The song rocketed to number 24 in the UK charts. Her latest album, The Year I Turned 21 (April 2025), which again blends Afropop, R&B and traditional West African sounds, has racked up over a billion streams on Spotify. She went on to win the BET Awards and Best African Music Act, becoming the first Nigerian woman to be honoured as a solo artist. The lovely rising star is also passionate about fashion and collaborates with brands like Nike and Adidas.