Siraj Iddris
In an era where Afrobeats have attained global success and become a favorite genre of music for millions of people, there are some faces behind its global success and one of such talents is Ayra Starr. Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe who goes by monikers such as “Sabi Girl” and “Celestial Being” and is professionally known as Ayra Starr is a Beninese-born Nigerian singer, songwriter and model. She caught the attention of Nigerian musician and record executive, Don Jazzy after she posted a song on her Instagram page in December 2019 which gave her a label contract at Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records which is known for artistes such as Rema. She however received recognition in 2021 when she released her hit track “away”. She chose the name Ayra Starr because it is woke and eye-opening.
She is also known for bangers such as Bloody Samaritan, Rush, Sability among others which have been featured in numerous Instagram reels and TikTok videos and have solidified her as a household name in the Nigerian and African music scene and gained herself fans from all over the world.
Who is Ayra Starr?
Ayra Starr, whose real name is Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe who was born on June 14, 2002 is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and model who was born in Cotonou, Benin, where she grew up and later relocated to Lagos, Nigeria thus she bears a dual citizenship as a Beninese and a Nigerian. She is currently 21 years as of 2023. She is a Gemini and as a true embodiment of her zodiac sign, she is flexible and intelligent which is evident in her songs. Due to the nature of her father’s job, they moved around a lot especially during her high school days. She therefore had a hard time maintaining friends and forming close friendships.
Her parents belong to the Yoruba ethnic group and hail from Kwara state in North central Nigeria therefore she is a Yoruba girl. Her parents are of strong Christian faith as such she follows the same faith.
She grew up in a music-loving household where she picked up her passion and enthusiasm to pursue music. Her mother was very supportive and that boosted her morale to pursue music. Her siblings were also instrumental in her success as a singer today as they encouraged her when she discovered her talent and dream. At a tender age of 10, she signed up for her school’s choir and started writing her own songs with the support of her brother, Dami. During her stay in university, she was taunted and bullied a lot because of her young age. Music served as her source of solace during those hard times.
Parents.
She was born to Mr. and Mrs. Aderibigbe, entrepreneurs who hail from Kwara state in Nigeria. Her parents are from the Yoruba tribe and are pious Christians. During her childhood, her parents moved a lot due to their business.
Siblings.
Ayra Starr is reportedly believed to have three siblings, two brothers and a sister. Her two brothers go by the names Ade and Dami whereas her sister is known as Jesutunmise Aderigbe. However, her position among her siblings is unknown. Her siblings were very instrumental in her rise to stardom especially her brother Dami who writes some of her songs.
Educational Background.
Ayra star shared her primary and secondary education between Benin Republic and Nigeria attending different schools over the course of her teenage years. She however had her university education at University Institute Les Cours Sonou in Cotonou, Benin where she bagged a degree in international relations and political science.
Career.
She developed passion for singing at an early age and dreamt of becoming a superstar. However, along the line, she grew an interest for modelling and in 2018, she began her fashion career at the age of 16, she began her career with Lagos-based Quove Models. She went on ahead and modelled for other modelling agencies such as Esperanza Woman and Mazelle studios.
Her music career has been nothing short of remarkable. In 2019, she started gaining traction following the series of cover songs she posted on her Instagram page. She covered songs of artistes such as 2face. In December that year, she caught attention of thousands of people for her song “Damage” which she uploaded on her Instagram. This song blew so much that it caught the attention of Nigerian musician and record executive Don Jazzy, who signed her to his Mavin Records, a record label which is known for artistes such as Rema, Magixx among others. She spent 2020 perfecting her craft and recording a number of songs.
On January 22, 2021, she released her debut EP titled “Ayra Starr” through Mavin Records. The EP featured 5 songs: Sare, DITR, Memories, Ija and Away. The latter which spent two consecutive weeks at the number 4 spot on Nigeria’s “Turntable Top 50 chart” and number 17 on US “Billboard Top Triller Global” with its parent EP peaking number one on Nigeria’s iTunes and Apple Music. Its music video also made it to MTV Base’s Official Naija Top 10. She went on to make a remix of the song with Lilo in April 2021. That same month, she released a music video for her song “DITR” on Mavin Record’s YouTube page. The video currently has 583 thousand views on YouTube.
On August 6th that same year, she released her debut studio album “19 & Dangerous”. The album was mainly categorized as Afropop and R&B. The album was loved by fans and critics alike. Bloody Samaritan, a song from the album made it to the top of the Top 50 chart. This made Ayra the first solo female artiste to peak at number one, a feat she attained when she was only 19 years old. She was honored on the Pandora Prediction chart and was rated as number two on the Billboard’s “Next Big Sound”. She attained major fame and success and was named as the Brand Ambassador for Pepsi Nigeria.
2022 saw her achieving massive success too, on November 10,2022, she was featured on Wizkid’s “2 sugar”, a song which reached number 1 on Billboard’s Hot trending and debuted at number 5 on Billboard US Afrobeats songs charts.
On February 10, 2023, she released another banger titled “Sability” which was received with positive remarks. Her track “Ogogoro” featuring American rapper Bas was featured on track six of the Blockbuster American movie “Creed III”.
Boyfriend
It was rumored that she was dating labelmate and popular Nigerian singer Rema however there were no evidences to back the claims so it was rubbished. She has not revealed any information regarding her dating life. Likewise, there is no records of her dating profile. She separates her private life from the public domain and keeps her social media professional.
Physical Appearance.
She is a stunning young woman who has an alluring beauty. Her passion and career as a model has left a mark on her fashion sense as such she has an odd fashion taste and is most at times seen rocking short skirts and a crop top. She stands at a height of 5 feet 4 inches (163 centimetres) and keeps a healthy lifestyle and maintains a body of 60 kilograms (132 kilograms).
Net Worth.
As of 2023, with the career she has had over the years, Ayra Starr is reportedly worth $1 million.
Trivia
| Info | Answer |
| Full Name | Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe |
| Profession | Singer, Songwriter, Model |
| Date of Birth | June 14, 2002 |
| Age | 21 years |
| Place of Birth | Cotonou, Benin |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | Beninese/Nigerian |
| Ethnicity | Yoruba |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Parents | Mr and Mrs Aderibigbe |
| Siblings | Ade, Dami, Jesutunmise |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| Height | 5 feet 4 inches |
| weight | 60 kilograms |
