In the past few days, people on social media have debated something Ayra Starr’s Nigerian fans could not have seen coming: “Why is Ayra Starr dressing like Tyla?” The conversation was sparked by a teaser of her upcoming single, “Hot Body,” in which Ayra wore a cropped white singlet and bum shorts, a look almost identical to Tyla’s current aesthetic.
But while the internet debates who’s copying who, her OG fans know that Ayra Starr has never shied away from carving her own unique fashion identity, heavily tapping into the re-emerging Y2K culture and modern alte fashion.
So, is she being influenced by Tyla, or has this always been her style? We dived deep into her fashion choices throughout the year to find out.
Here is Ayra Star’s fashion evolution.
2021 — Gen-Z Y2K era
When she burst on the scene with “Away,” Ayra’s early looks were classic Gen-Z coded fits, featuring crop tops, really short skirts and thigh-high boots. Everything you’d expect from a 2000s Nollywood baddie, you might see her wear.
Her sense of style also reflected her sound at the time: fresh, bold and experimental.
BTS photos of Ayra Starr on the set of the visuals for her song “SARE” in 2021
A still image of Ayra Starr from the visuals of “Away” in 2021
Ayra Starr poses for a picture in 2021
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By mid-2022, her sound was crossing borders, and Ayra had cemented herself as a true breakout star. She doubled down on the Gen-Z ambassador look, which many of her core following had come to love.
Either she was performing on stage, or on the red carpet at events, she was sure to strut out in teeny shorts, micro skirts, and cutout tops, often pairing them with funky sneakers or combat boots.
Ayra Starr at the Headies Awards in Atlanta in 2022
Ayra Starr at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever European Premiere in 2022 in London
Ayra Starr at The Fashion Awards in 2022 in London
2023 — Making fashion statements
As 2023 kicked off, her style began to mature. After all, it was the year she turned 21. She refined her look and began to rock more high-end designers. While she still donned miniskirts and crop tops while performing on stage, she was more interested in making fashion statements.
Ayra Starr shows up for an interview at SiriusXM Studios in 2023 in New York City
Ayra Starr at the 2023 REVOLVE Festival in California
Ayra Starr at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in New Jersey
2024 — The new Ayra Starr
By 2024, she had become a global star, and her fashion was beginning to reflect this. She went from attending fashion shows in Paris to walking the red carpet at big music events like the Grammy Awards. At the Grammys, she stunned in a hand-beaded turquoise JÉBLANC two-piece, a far cry from the early schoolgirl miniskirts we first knew her in. Yet the look is 100% Ayra.
Ayra Starr at the 66th GRAMMY Awards in California in 2024
Ayra Starr at Variety’s 2024 Power of Women: New York event
Ayra Starr at the Business of Fashion BoF 500 Class of 2024 during Paris Fashion Week
Ayra Starr at the 2024 Glamour Women of the Year Awards in New York
2025 — Becoming a style icon
In 2025, we see an Ayra that doesn’t need to prove anything. Her look at the MET Gala in May was proof of this. She looked more relaxed and less interested in impressing. It was a polarising look, with some expecting a stronger outfit. But ultimately, she felt comfortable enough to be at the event.
Ayra Starr at the 2025 MOBO Awards in February
Ayra Starr at the 2025 MET Gala in May
The teaser for Ayra Starr’s new single, “Hot Body”
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Ayra Starr has built a hyper-feminine pop persona, and it’s drawn the ire of many Nigerian men online. Now, as she celebrates a Platinum certification in the UK for her Grammy-nominated hit, “Rush,” an old, ridiculous rumour has resurfaced: that she smells.
If that sounds absurd, it’s because it is — but it’s also familiar. Women who defy expectations have long been slapped with the “dirty girl” label, a last-ditch attempt to shame them into silence or submission.
It’s a pattern I’ve seen play out since childhood.
At 10, I had an outspoken classmate who never let the boys dominate the “boys are better than girls” debate. Like many of us, she probably had never done her own laundry, and her uniform sometimes had oil stains. Still, it wasn’t her hygiene that made kids dub her a “dirty girl,” it was her refusal to shrink herself. Zoom out, and we were all sweaty, messy preteens, but only she got marked.
This shaming tactic isn’t confined to playgrounds — it shows up in pop culture too.
In the 2012 movie, Dumebi the Dirty Girl, Mercy Johnson plays Dumebi, a loud, proud pastor’s daughter who refuses to conform to village expectations. After she gets pregnant by a city visitor, Frank (Kenneth Okonkwo) and moves in with him, she clashes with his fiancée (Nuella Njubigbo), who sneers that Dumebi “doesn’t know how to douche.” The insult is revealing: it has little to do with actual hygiene, and everything to do with punishing Dumebi’s nonconformity and sexual independence.
Ayra Starr’s case fits this pattern. Her short skirts have long been a target, with critics trying (and failing) to pressure her into covering up. Now, the accusation that she smells feels like the ultimate effort to shame her into submission.
A clip from her “Gimme Dat” promo video, where Wizkid makes a funny face near her, has been offered as “proof” that she smells. An old photo with Rihanna, where the singer puts her hand over her nose, is adding fuel to the baseless narrative. Ayra, for her part, has largely shrugged off the noise, focusing instead on her music and milestones.
It’s telling (and deeply frustrating) that hours after Ayra’s major achievement, the internet rushed to humble her — not with critiques of her talent, but with schoolyard-level taunts designed to humiliate.
We’ve seen this tired script before. Tacha Akide of Big Brother Naija, known for her fiery personality, was also hit with “smelling” rumours, even getting mocked by Zlatan in a song. Activist Aisha Yesufu, after a public clash with Seun Kuti last year, was also accused of “smelling.”
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What unites these women? They are outspoken, unapologetic, and visible in public life.
Claims like “she smells” are rarely about truth. They’re about casting women as unclean, undesirable, or unfeminine — traits society weaponises to strip them of influence or credibility. Unlike critiques of skill, accusations about smell are visceral; they bypass logic and go straight for humiliation.
Many of these women — Tacha, Yesufu, and now Ayra Starr — were asserting themselves in public spaces when the accusations surfaced. That’s no coincidence. Smell accusations aren’t random; they’re reactions to women who refuse to shrink themselves.
By the end of Dumebi the Dirty Girl, Dumebi finds a new man and begins to soften. Her loud, opinionated self is finally tamed, and only then does Frank decide she’s desirable. Did the “smell” go away? Did she finally learn to douche? How did she stop being a “dirty girl”?
It becomes clear: it was never about being dirty — it was always about conformity. And as Ayra Starr’s rise shows, you can’t silence a woman who refuses to shrink.
It was Favour Iyiowo’s mother who first told her she looked like Ayra Starr. She had been watching an advert the Afrobeats musician did for a hair brand when she saw someone she could’ve sworn was her daughter.
Since then, Favour’s life has changed. A tech enthusiast, she is active online, particularly on X, where she has cultivated a following. More than once, she has been dragged for being a catfish of the “Rush” singer. She says she doesn’t lean into the resemblance, but it doesn’t help either that her name on X has been “Sabi Girl” (Ayra’s Starr’s nickname) for a while.
In an interview with Zikoko, she opened up about the ups and downs of looking like one of Nigeria’s biggest stars, why she doesn’t want to be called a catfish, and how she navigates life online.
This is Favour’s story as told to Dennis
It could have been just any other regular day at my house. My mother was watching TV in the sitting room, and I was tucked away on my phone, most likely on X (formerly Twitter). Then she called me. If I’m being honest, she didn’t just call out my name — she screamed it.
She was sure of what she was about to say. She had seen me on TV. It had to be me. She was certain.
I laughed. Because even though my mother thought it was me, and even though I stood there thinking this could be me, I knew it wasn’t.
It was Ayra Starr, and she was in an advert for the hair brand Darling Nigeria. At the time, she was still coming up. The world was getting to know her. I already knew her and was a fan of her music. That was the first time someone told me I looked like Ayra Starr. It wouldn’t be the last.
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I don’t actually see the resemblance, but I think that is common with most people who are told they look like celebrities. Many don’t see it. But from what I’ve noticed, the resemblance must be striking—so much so that it has opened doors for me.
I’ve gotten jobs just because I look like Ayra Starr. I’m currently studying Mass Communication at the University of Calabar, but I’m also an influencer on X. There have been instances where people offered me influencing gigs for looking like her. I have modelled for an eyelash technician, a lip care brand and a skincare brand. They all highlighted my resemblance to Ayra Starr. I guess they expected to sell more because I looked like her. It’s experiences like those that make looking like a celebrity worth your while.
I don’t lean into it, but I see why someone might think I do, even if just for fun. For a while now, my name on X has been Sabi Girl. It is also an expression I use frequently in tweets I post. Obviously, she sang “Sability,” and also has called herself “Sabi Girl” many times. But it is because I am a fan of her music that I use it, like some of her other fans do.
I have never met her, but I want to. I know it would be a great delight to meet her.
That being said, my experience as a celebrity lookalike hasn’t been all positive. There have been people who’ve dragged me for filth, claiming I was an Ayra Starr catfish account. I don’t mean this in a funny, wild fan kind of way. I mean dragged in the way that people get dragged on social media. I see them randomly in my replies. There have been people who have slid into my DMs claiming I was an Ayra Starr catfish. Sometimes, people don’t follow the whole story or get to the root before joining in a pile-on. So even when they realise it’s just confusion, many have already checked out of the conversation. It’s really crazy. I’m just grateful none of it has gone viral.
When I started being active on X, this was not what I anticipated. I didn’t know that people would claim that I looked like a celebrity. I’m a tech enthusiast. I may not be able to code yet, but I like having fun on social media and just learning new things. I just want to graduate from university, grow and be the best version of myself.
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Lagos, Nigeria, was a haven for music enthusiasts as it hosted a sensational four-day music festival. Nestled against the backdrop of its vibrant nightlife and rich cultural scene, Flytime Fest was a massive success, drawing 30,000 fans to its sold-out venue from December 22 to 25, with Gunna, Olamide, Davido, and Ayra Starr serving as the festival’s headliners.
Tyla, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Rema, Tiwa Savage, D’banj, Bnxn, Darkoo, Fireboy, Omah Lay, Fave, Ckay Odumodublvck, Shallipopi, Cobhams, and other performers were also on the bill. After the concert, Cecil Hammond, CEO of Flytime Promotions, reflected: “Gunna injected a new vibe for such a diverse and wide-reaching festival. It brings us so much joy to see Lagos as the new destination spot and Flytime is excited to be part of this transformation. Flytime Fest 2024 was another dream realized, and we can’t wait to see how much the movement will have grown by the time we return again in 2025.”
(Gunna performs at Flytime Fest in Lagos)
Gunna headlined the first night of Lagos’ Flytime Fest, a four-day music festival celebrating Africa and the African Diaspora that has previously hosted Megan Thee Stallion,Wizkid, Burna Boy, and more. Gunna hit the stage in front of a full crowd packing out Lagos’s Eko Convention Center, a premier entertainment venue in the bustling West African metropolis. After performing a slew of hits including “One of Wun,” “Drip Too Hard,” “Fukumean,” and “Yosemite,” the beat to “Jump” dropped as Tyla strutted out singing in a pilot’s cap, sequined mini skirt, and black bustier. “They ain’t never had a pretty girl from Joburg,” she purred as fans screamed.
Gunna headline set capped Flytime Fest’s Coca Cola Rhythm Unplugged concert that served as the festival’s first night. Rhythm Unplugged is a two-decade tradition that has helped break Nigerian talent like Tems and brought global acts like Ja Rule and Ashanti to the country.
As the show continued, the electrifying presence of Burna Boy took center stage, igniting a frenzy among fans who eagerly battled for the prime spots closest to the stage. His single, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” was met with full support from the crowd and was followed by Dave’s “Location,” “Last Last,” and an energetic performance of “Ye.” among others.
Day 2 saw Nigerian rap artist Olamide headline his three-hour long set that felt like a celebration of Nigerian music. The crowd was treated to surprise guest appearances from global superstars Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Fireboy DML,Wande Coal, Phyno, and Pheelz, turning the night into a spontaneous celebration of Afrobeats at its finest. The crowd went wild for Wizkid, who took his time and performed a slew of hits, including “Kese,” “Essence,” and Drake’s “One Dance.” Starting from the very middle of the stage on an enormous platform, he gradually moved closer to the audience with each song, to their inexplicable delight.
(Olamide performs at Flytime Fest in Lagos)
Olamide performed a medley of his chart-topping hits, including “Melo Melo,” “Durosoke,” “Triumphant” with Bella Schmurda,and the crowd-favorite “habibi.”
Davido took the stage on Day 3, delivering a set full of his biggest hits, including “Aye,” “Unavailable,” and “Kante,” his chart-topping collaboration with Fave. A mix of high-energy anthems and intimate moments kept the crowd on their feet, while Odumodublvck joined him onstage for a thrilling live rendition of “Funds.” To cap off the night, DJ Dope Caesar brought the crowd to a frenzy with her high-energy DJ set, ensuring the energy remained high long after the final act.
(Ayra Starr performs at Flytime Fest)
The final night of the festival was headlined by Ayra Starr, whose high-octane performance showcased hits like “Away” and “Sability,” along with tracks from her critically acclaimed album The Year I Turned 21. But it wasn’t just Ayra who got the crowd moving. Rema, one of the fastest rising stars in Afrobeats, made a surprise appearance, delivering pulse-pounding performances of “Ozeba” and “Azaman.” The surprises didn’t stop there – a rare duet between Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr left fans speechless, showcasing the timeless appeal of Nigerian female talent
Flytime Fest 2024 also featured an emotional tribute to the history of the festival with a special photo collage celebrating Flytime’s 20-year journey. From its humble beginnings in 2004 to becoming a global phenomenon, the images reminded the audience of how far the Afrobeats movement has come and how much it has shaped the sound of modern music.
Flytime Festival will return for its twenty-first edition in December 2025.
The #BoF500 Gala, the annual event where the Business of Fashion celebrates luminaries in the fashion world was held on Saturday last weekend and many Nigerians were in attendance.
The photographer Stephen Tayo and the founder of the streetwear community Street Souk, Iretidayo Zaccheaus, were part of the 2024 BoF500 class, its annual “list of people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.”
While the event was underway, Nigerians at Paris Fashion Week decided to seize the opportunity to pepper everybody, posting bestie photos with The Bear star Ayo Edebiri, and sharing clips of Wizkid as he performed live at the after-party.
See below all the Nigerians who made the BoF500 Gala a full-blown Naija-to-the-world affair:
Ayra Starr
Wizkid
Ayo Edebiri
Stephen Tayo
Grace Ladoja
Iretidayo Zaccheaus
Reni Folawiyo
Irene Ojo-felix
Wisdom Kaye
Swanky Jerry
Eniafe Momodu
Ugo Mozie
Elizabeth Elohor Isiorho
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Ayra Starr and Tems released their new albums, “The Year I Turned 21” and “Born in the Wild”, in the last two weeks and have since dominated most conversations in the Nigerian music scene.
Inching close to being the hottest Afrobeats artists of 2024 (so far), their new albums are meant to offer something rewarding. Here are nine subtle lessons that listeners draw from their long-awaited albums.
Dodging bad energy is serious work
You can’t avoid bad-belle people entirely. The only way to become a no-nonsense pro max is intentionally and consistently telling them off like Ayra Starr and Tems did on their new albums (“The Year I Turned 21” and “Born in the Wild”). From Ayra’s Birds Sing of Money, Goodbye and Bad Vibes songs to Tems’ Wickedest and Unfortunate, they set a big “fuck you” tone for bad energy dealers.
Rollout is MOTHER!
Your business service is a product, and to attract target users and customers, you need engaging content that not only attracts but also gets them talking. That’s what Ayra Starr and Tems did. They were in everyone’s faces. Ayra’s album appeared on Chowdeck and some Nigerian bank apps, and users were urged to listen. Tems put out announcement visuals and even threw a party for music listeners and industry players a day before her album release. These babes put their new albums on everyone’s lips.
Good kids make happy parents
Ayra’s and Tems’ mums appeared on their albums to contribute to their process and album narratives and motivate them. These emotional features prove that parental support is just as crucial as making parents proud.
Always enjoy yourself
You don’t have to be told this, but you need a reminder to enjoy what you work hard for and have a good time sometimes. Somebody play Ayra’s Commas, Control, Jazzy’s Song and Tems’ Wickedest, Turn Me Up and T-Unit and turn the fuck up.
Never leave your squad behind
Carrying all your real ones with you (including sharing opportunities) shows that you value your friendship and are proud of it. This is how Ayra Starr feels in Woman Commando.
Women are the biggest gangstas
On Bird Sings of Money, Ayra says her past experiences have toughened her up in the trait of a gangster. She even made Woman Commando, and Tems made Gangsta. When the other gender is back on top, you’ll get the memo or not. For now, new lords are in town.
Never hesitate to throw toxic lovers away
Don’t wait for your toxic partners to fly their red flags before you throw them out like bath water. You better get necessary updates from Tems’ Unfortunate and Ayra Starr’s Goodbye (Warm Up).
You’re your biggest motivator
It’s okay to be sad or cry. But when a horse knocks you to dust, pick yourself up and push yourself to be better until you can ride it with a flex like Ayra on Last Heartbreak Song and 1942 and Tems on Burning and Hold On.
Forever be a dream chaser.
Ayra wanted to be a pop star before 16, but it only happened when she turned 19. Now she’s 21 and global. Tems had a 9-5 for a while but didn’t let her music dream die.
Ayra Starr turned 21 in 2023. But like stars, her reflection is in retrospect. Hence, her second album, “The Year I Turned 21” (TYIT21), appears a year later, aligning perfectly with her birthday. In notice of this, her age-themed albums draw a specific parallel to the British music icon Adele. One can argue that Ayra Starr’s music and sonic concerns are different, but the universality of the experience of marking youth and independence is intact.
Age 21 was also a year of many firsts for Ayra. She came into 2023 with Sability and ended the year with appearances on two American movie soundtrack albums (Creed 3 and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE) and a posthumous album of the legendary Bob Marley. She went on her first world tour. She was named Amazon’s Breakthrough Artist of 2023. She climbed the O2 stage for the first time at Rema’s “Ravage Uprising” show. A title doesn’t get more specific. “The Year I Turned 21” is a more profound title than a chronological buildup on her “19 & Dangerous” debut.
Now enjoying some career moments that surpass most of her predecessors’, conversations about Ayra’s music shift her to a trajectory that may transcend her into Afropop’s matriarch. Alongside Tems, she’s the anointed leader of the new uprising of female Afropop singers. These favourable speculations are fever pitches as her quick conferment majorly rests on the merits and success of her sophomore album.
The music is saying…
“I learned to be gangster, way from these dark times,” Ayra shares in Birds Sing of Money, opener of “TYIT21.” She spends the rest of the album owning that fearless identity, finding and defining what it means for her to be 21. How does she separate a fugazi from true love, independent versus dependent? Does she want to express freedom or curb enthusiasm, be a baby or face adulthood, keep her guard up or be a goofy youth, be a people-pleaser or live carefree, workaholism or chill and enjoy the fruits of labour?
Ayra’s music blends styles — afrobeats, hip-hop, pop, R&B, ragga, dancehall, house, amapiano, indie folk — to probe her conflicting feelings. She plasters them all against the backdrop of her career, expanding celebrity and blooming 20s. Her lyrics can be saccharine, but don’t get to a conventional bore.
With numerous global achievements just four years into her music career, Ayra has built her universe so high that the chant on Birds Song of Money ceremoniously likens her to the stars that light up the night. Forty seconds into the song, whose also uneasy but organised violin, heavy hip-hop drums, breezy strings, chiming chords, and reggae undertones thump with a threatening assertiveness, yet it’s also calm and composed, one marvels at the pure sonic mastery. Fantastic production by London and Marvey Again.
Her melodies are flexible, as is the boomeranging flow she spins on the P2J-produced Goodbye (Warm Up), featuring Asake. Ayra shows a toxic partner the door out, while Asake plays the heartbroken, self-righteous partner who lowkey won’t let go. His verse’s almost introspective that it convinces chronic gossip blog readers that it’s likely his response to his recently broken relationship. Ayra and Asake share chemistry, but this song’s strangely a mellow track hatched for the TikTok girlies and intimate parties like aprtment life where she previewed the song in April.
The already-released Commas sports an upbeat composition, interestingly just a tone and pitch away from Tekno’s Peace of Mind. Exchange ataraxis for financial merit, and you have a testament to Ayra’s increasing multiple-stream incomes and quality mindset. Commas has joyful production and melodies, though those overshadow its simplistic message that charges listeners to fight dirty for their dreams if they have to. All there is to know about the commitment to excellence is in her lines: “Dreams come true, if na fight / Fight the fight, make you no go tire / Fire dey go.” Perhaps it’s why it took fifteen versions and three producers (Ragee, London and AOD) to get the officially released Commas, according to her revelation during a recent sit-down with Billboard.
“Commitment to excellence” is a watchword she carries to her interviews these days. An evidence of that is her passage into the global music scene that fully unlocked after her appearance at the 66th Grammy Awards, where she was an inaugural nominee for the Best African Music Performance category. Put that moment into a lyrics generator, and Drake’s “Started from the bottom, now here we here” will pop up. She was excited to be there. So were the Western press and industry players warmed up to the new African music star girl. But frankly, her trajectory to own a seat among existing envelope-pushers like Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, and Simi has taken shape since her savvy, critically acclaimed 2022 “19 & Dangerous” debut album. It has a few national hits that pushed her over to international eyesight.
In Woman Commando, featuring Anitta (Brazil) and Coco Jones (U.S.), Ayra brags about flexing her squad and carrying everyone along, sounding confident and pleased as the production reverberates Ragee’s bass-heavy house instrumental. It’s a straight jam.
The album’s upbeat energy descends as Ayra segues into a lover’s mood. She flirts in Control, which interpolates Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie, and she’s tipsy and ebullient on a potential one-night stand. She opens herself up to emotional attachment, but it soon gets tiring on the Lagos Love Story that sounds like a love song that’s trying too hard. It’s mechanical and an unnecessary segue into the lively Rhythm & Blues (produced by Sparrq). [ad][/ad]
On 21, the album’s theme song, the weight of emotional distress, adulthood, self-reliance, boundaries and (it goes without saying) enjoying the fruits of her hard work weighs on her. It’s a niggle of new baggage, not a pity cry. When Ayra’s on an R&B production, her command of her emotions grip. It’s no surprise she’s convinced she writes better sad songs. This production by Fwdslxsh, KillSept and Mike Hector is a convincing ambience. Hopefully, an R&B album is in her future.
It gets fragile on Last Heartbreak Song. Ayra throws away a one-sided love while American brittle-baritone vocalist Giveon chides himself for letting a real love slip away. This song dates back to the “19 & Dangerous” recording session with Loudaa, but is there a heartbreak song that retains the prospect of intimacy? It’s the Last Heartbeat Song.
Still laid-back, Mystro takes on the next production. Bad Vibez featuring Seyi Vibez slides us back to Afropop. It’s bouncing over a plush R&B ballad to ward off negative energy, likely the internet moralists that police her short skirts and experimental fashion. It’s an exciting collaboration that elitist listeners would enjoy if they were open-minded to the magic of street-pop. To close out the song, she rhymes that she’s still eating off her last hit. It makes an arguable case for the boldest line in Afrobeats in recent times since Asake’s “I know I just blow, but I know my set.”
The songs hop from youthful exuberance to love matters and mental well-being. As Ayra presents herself as a success model, she also grounds herself in her reality as a curious adolescent who knows she has time to learn from more mistakes and has her whole life ahead of her.
Orun is a cry to the heavens. It’s as evocative about personal longings and celebrity pressure as it’s declarative about forging ahead, past mistakes, and regrets. It’s a confessional, mezzo-forte track that draws hips into a slow whine.
Jazzy’s Song (cooked by PPriime) comes next, and it’s a turn-up song that unexpectedly samples Wande Coal’s You Bad and alludes to it as Don Jazzy’s likely favourite song rather than a tribute to her jolly label boss and influential music producer. Indeed, it’s a hit but feels out of place between two mid-tempo, emotionally charged tracks. This arrangement hardly lets listeners fully unpack and tie up emotions. It throws the listener in the middle of mood swings.
She trusts Johnny Drill to soundtrack the following 1942. It’s a delicate cut that expresses Ayra’s and her brother Milar’s fear of losing everything they’ve worked hard for. Their duality picks up here: the despair of loss drowns them in a pool of liquor, but they still hold to their faith like an anchor.
The closing track is a letter to her late dad, hoping she’s making him proud. Ayra’s mum’s voice starts the song by encouraging Ayra to live a full life. Her siblings also recount their ages and strides. One can hear the pain and pride in their voices, the kind that desperately hopes that their departed one sees what they’re making out of themselves. The song, produced by Remdolla, echoes out with a proud statement from Ayra’s mum that translates to the track’s title: The Kids Are Alright.
Conclusion
The bonus song, Santa, thematically has no place on this album. It’s just an expansion and numbers strategy that’ll drive up streams and cement Ayra as the first female Nigerian artist to hit 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Get your money, girl!
Looking outside in, being young and successful is one of the coolest things one can be, but it can also be an overwhelming position. Aside from squaring with life and the natural struggle to maintain success, being a female recording and performing artist means working multiple times harder and smarter than the other gender. If this is the evolution of the girl superstar who was once 19 and dangerous, it’s partially true. Most of her story thrives in gaiety, youthful innocence, vulnerability and self-affirmation.
With 15 songs, “TYIT21” arrives as a lengthy, nuanced moment Ayra’s having with herself. Rather than a conceptual and narrative album, it’s a string of songs linked by recurring themes: heartbreak and love, happiness and melancholy, openness and boundaries, self-promise and tributes. This is the music you get when endeavouring to memento vivere because personal moments are fleeting, fond memories become distant, and emotions get unhealthily managed. This is the music that makes Ayra feel 21. It’s tough to say the same for the listeners, though.
Compared with her coming-of-age “19 and Dangerous”, “The Year I Turned 21” is her most poignant and impressive work — an album of the year contender. Throughout the album, Ayra stays the dominant voice, in control. Its writing is sustainable, production is high-value, and there’s no Americanisation of the features. It’s just real and bad Afrobeats music. Although the arrangement could have been smoother, not moving tempo to tempo without consistently keeping the listener grounded.
“TYIT21” would garner facile praise and embrace, considering its Zeitgeist hype, convincing rollout, major anticipation, and the currently uninspiring music year. But it’d need time to find its place as that crowning sophomore. This is subjectively a premature evaluation anyway.
According to Polish poet Stanislaw Jerzy Lec, youth is the gift of nature; age is a work of art. Hopefully, Ayra Starr continues to stay alive to her feelings, with more virtuosos to craft them into songs at every juncture of her life.
No one is serving bops like Ayra Starr right now. Our sabi girl has been steady giving us back-to-back hits since 2021, and now, she drops her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, in less than 24 hours.
Since AI likes to prove it knows shit, we decided to put it to the test and asked it to rank Ayra’s biggest songs since her debut single, Away.
Diamond in The Rough (DITR)
AI decided to start with the most soul-searching number on this list. Released in 2021 as one of the singles off her self-titled EP, Ayra described this song as “An Ode to Gen Z”. It’s the kind of vulnerable track you’ll put on if you’ve exhausted your “God abeg” bundle as a young person living in Nigeria.
Sare
If you ever loved Orere Elejigbo by the Lijadu sisters, then you’d have been among those who were stunned into wonderment when Ayra sampled the song and put her spin to it in Sare, another song off her debut EP. This song is so fire, and it gave us a taste of what Sabi Girl had planned for the future. In almighty 2024, we can’t complain that it has a spot on this list.
Fashion Killer
Have you ever seen a bad bitch who doesn’t burn you because of how dangerously hot she is? This bad bitch can’t relate, and this was exactly Ayra Starr’s message to the girlies in Fashion Killer. Off her debut EP, it remains an anthem in fashion shows across Africa. Ayra did that, and it appears AI realises the real by placing this song on this spot.
Beggie Beggie
Ayra has had many successful collabos since she blew up, but who can ever forget her insane run with C-Kay on Beggie Beggie? If Away was the “Men are trash” anthem, this track off Ayra’s 19 and Dangerous debut album was the reminder that women can in fact be desperate lovers who want all the TLC from a man. With over 10m YouTube views today, it definitely deserves to be on this list.
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Away
Is it us or is artificial intelligence actually doing a thing with this ranking? Away had a mad grip on the girlies in 2021, and was the sickest “Men are trash” anthem at the time. With rebellious lyrics like “You can never be the man I stan, You can never be the one for me. Take away your troubles. And leave me be,” Ayra ate so bad.
Away made Ayra one of the resident “landlords” of the Apple Music chart in Nigeria, butting heads with the big three. The song’s official music video currently has over 11 million YouTube views.
Rush
If there’s any Ayra Starr song that bangs with the same level of infectiousness when it dropped and now, it’ll have to be Rush. In arguably her biggest hit to date, Ayra reminds us that we should focus our energy on chasing that paper and forget the haters, with lines like “Me no getty time for the hate and the bad energy. Got my mind on my money” And boy, did we listen? Rush had such a successful run that it made history as the first solo song by a Nigerian female artist to hit 300 million views on YouTube.
Bloody Samaritan
We’ve all been waiting to see how Chat GPT will move for this spot, and it looks like it understood the assignment. Three years after Ayra blessed us with this, if Bloody Samaritan comes on right now, no one can look you in the eyes to yarn nonsense. With lines like “I’m a ticking dynamite” and “Them no fit kill my vibe”, it’s the self-empowerment anthem we didn’t know we needed.
The lead single off her 2021 debut album, 19 & Dangerous, shot Ayra into the global music space, with the iconic Kelly Rowland hopping on a remix. AI knows you can’t make a list of Ayra’s iconic songs and not include this one.
If we task Chat GPT in another year or two, Commas, Rhythm and Blues, and Sability all 2022 to 2024 songs, should better make the list.
2022 might’ve come and gone, but the music we got that year was premium vibes. From Asake’s arrival and eventual takeover to Pheelz’s turn from hit producer to hit singer, the music scene was on fire. These were the 15 songs Nigerians rinsed the most, according to TurnTable Charts.
Songwriters: Yung Willis and Anidugbe Oluwatobiloba
Produced by: Reward Beatz and Blaise Beatz
2. Bandana — Fireboy DML featuring Asake
Fireboy has been on a roll since his 2018 debut single Jealous became a national anthem. Recognising another baby legend in the making in his label mate, Fireboy brought Asake on board for Bandana, the unforgettable second single off his 2022 Playboy album.
Songwriters: Adedamola Adefolahan
Produced by: P.Prime
3. Overloading (OVERDOSE) — Mavin All Stars
With huge shoes to fill following the successes of Mavin bangers like Dorobucci, Adaobi and Looku Looku, the new school of Don Jazzy’s post-Mo’Hits project came in guns blazing on their 2022 joint effort, Overloading (OVERDOSE). Featuring standout performances from Ayra Starr, Boy Spyce and Crayon, the song proved that Don Jazzy’s pension is in safe hands.
Songwriters: Alexander Adewunmi Adelabu, Charles Chibueze Chukwu, Ladipo Eso, Oluwadamilare Aderibigbe, Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, Prince Omoferi, Treasure Apiafi Banigo and Ugbekile David Osemeke
Produced by: Don Jazzy
4. Sungba Remix — Asake featuring Burna Boy
We’ve already offered reasons why Asake’s Sungba is one of the greatest songs ever. But why settle for having a song that’s a GOAT when you could feature a GOAT on its remix? Well, that’s what Asake asked himself when he called on Burna Boy to deliver one of his best verses ever on the remix of Sungba. We’ll always remember life in two parts: life before the Sungba remix dropped and life after Burna Boy sang, “Tell me what you see when you look at me?”
Songwriters: Ahmed Olalade Asake and Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu
Produced by: Magicsticks
5. Calm Down Remix — Rema featuring Selena Gomez
We’ve only ever had two Nigerian artistes crack the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart: Wizkid with Essence and One Dance, and Tems with WAIT FOR U and Essence. But with the remix of Calm Down, Rema officially joined this elite list. While we initially had doubts about this remix, months and months of hearing it everywhere has made us forget that an original even existed, and that’s how you know a remix actually works.
Songwriters: Alexandre Uwaifo, Divine Ikubor, Amanda Ibanez, Michael Hunter and Selena Gomez
Produced by: Andre Vibez and London
6. Peace Be Unto You — Asake
Dropping Peace Be Unto You after a string of hits with Omo Ope, Sungba and Palazzo, Asake stepped into the musical ring with the confidence and badassery of Adonis Creed himself. With this song which samples the viral “E dey carry me where I no know” clip, Asake reminded everyone that even though he was finally having his moment in 2022, he’d been around for a long time, and his reign was inevitable — “I just blow, but omo, I know myself.”
Songwriters: Ahmed Olalade Asake
Produced by: Magicsticks
7. Last Last — Burna Boy
Chopping breakfast might be sad, but who says you can’t turn your pain into a massive hit? At least, that’s what Burna Boy did with his biggest song yet since Ye. Throwing a Toni Braxton sample into the mix, Last Last became the unofficial song of summer 2022, solidifying Burna Boy’s position as a leader in the exportation of new school afrobeats.
Songwriters: Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, Fred Jerkins III, Harvey Mason Jr, James Malcolm Olagundoye, LaShawn Daniels, Mikael Haataja, Robert Laukkanen, Rodney Jerkins, Samuel Haatja and Santeri Kauppinen.
“She go chop Nigerian koboko, straight from Magodo.” We all know what “koboko” means in this context, but why is it from Magodo? We still need the association of Magodo residents to explain how and why their kobokos entered the mix. Still, there’s no denying the Davido effect on the remix to this 2022 party starter.
Songwriters: Davido and Skiibii
Produced by: Runcheck
9. Peru Remix — Fireboy DML featuring Ed Sheeran
When Fireboy DML announced Ed Sheeran would be on the remix of his hit song, Peru, many people were shocked, but not us. While the collaboration sounded a bit off on paper, true Fireboy stans could’ve seen this from a mile away. Apart from being resident musical lover boys, Need You, the opening track to Fireboy’s 2019 album, Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps, sounds exactly like Ed Sheeran’s 2014 Tenerife Sea. This collaboration was a match made in musical heaven from the very start.
Songwriters: Ed Sheeran, Fireboy DML, Ivory Scott, Klton and Shizzi
Produced by: Shizzi and Kolten Sippiboy Perine
10. Omo Ope Remix — Asake featuring Olamide
Arguably one of the biggest songs of 2022, Asake came out of nowhere and turned 2022 on its head with his smash hit, Omo Ope. Featuring the hardest working Nigerian rapper, Olamide, it was hard not to fall in love with this song, especially when those backup vocals kick-in with “Mo saare f’owo mi sh’aye”.
Songwriters: Ahmed Olalade Asake and Olamide Adedeji
Produced by: Magicsticks
11. Terminator — Asake
Is Terminator the greatest Nigerian love song of all time? Maybe. Asake was deep in his lover boy bag when he made this banger about finding someone and holding on to the romantic contract they’d signed. That’s the type of love we’re looking for on these single-pringle streets.
Songwriters: Ahmed Olalade Asake and Olamide Adedeji
Produced by: Magicsticks
12. PALAZZO — DJ Spinall featuring Asake
Hopping on the never-ending DJ Spinall train of collaborations, Asake delivered what could only be described as part club hit, part church thanksgiving anthem. Palazzo came right after the Sungba remix with Burna Boy, setting the stage for the singer’s epic year of back-to-back hits.
Songwriters: Ahmed Olalade Asake and Olamide Adedeji
Produced by: Spinall and Magicsticks
13. Don’t Call — Lil Kesh featuring Zinoleesky
Remember when Lil Kesh had us all in a shoki-hold back in the day? This guy was the reason Olamide banned Don Jazzy from the mainland, and then, he just disappeared for a while. Lil Kesh finally made a splashy return to the scene with the Zinoleesky-assisted, Don’t Call Me, and God knows we rinsed this song like there was no tomorrow. We all love a good comeback story.
Songwriters: Lil Kesh and Zinleesky
14. For My Hand — Burna Boy featuring Ed Sheeran
It’s safe to assume that a Burna Boy and Ed Sheeran song will always slap. Teaming up again after they carried Stormzy’s 2019 Own It on their backs, For My Hand is further proof that their chemistry is as potent as ever.
Songwriters: Damini Ogulu, Ed Sheeran and Richard Isong
Produced by: P2J
15. Finesse — Pheelz featuring BNXN
We’ve begged Nigerian musicians to leave Folake alone, but they’ve clearly put cement in their ears because Pheelz and BNXN continued the train with Finesse. And honestly, we were not mad at it. This song reminded us it’s okay to be broke. As a matter of fact, it encouraged us to own our lack of funds with our chests.
