Ayra Starr Explains How Moving to New York City — And Making Her Acting Debut — Inspired Her New ‘Starrgirl’ LP: ‘I Exist in Multitudes’
The two-time Grammy nominee's new album is an audacious soundtrack for Carnival, the nightclub and beyond.
Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr, 24, has released her latest album, Starrgirl, following her move to New York City. The Grammy-nominated artist has used her music to explore her personal growth, with each project reflecting her state of mind at a particular age. Starrgirl, released on August 14 via Mavin and Republic Records, showcases Starr's versatile approach to dance music, encompassing a range of genres and sonic swings.
Starrgirl features collaborations with artists such as Leon Thomas, kwn, and ZAYN, and includes tracks like "Dangerous," "Pressure," "Midnight in New York," and "Where Do We Go." The album explores themes of Afrofuturism, personal multiplicity, and the tension between tradition and innovation. In an interview with Billboard, Starr explained how New York City inspired the sound of Starrgirl, describing it as a place that reminds her of Lagos, with its hustle and bustle and diverse crowd.
She added that being far away from home during the album's creation helped her gain a new perspective on her life and fueled her ambition. Starr also shared how the hit collaboration "Amazing" (with kwn) set a high bar for the rest of the album. The song originally titled "House Fire" was initially recorded, but Starr was dissatisfied with the result and was scared by the next iteration.
Starrgirl is Starr's first album following her eponymous debut EP in 2021 and her 2024 project, The Year I Turned 21. Next month, she will headline halftime at the London NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars, further cementing her presence on the global stage.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
