Billboard has named 20-year-old Nigerian singer Ayra Starr as one of the most innovative and influential young artists in the music industry in its annual 21 Under 21 list.
This year’s 21 Under 21 package features the next generation of superstars who are savvier than ever — and know the importance of balancing nonstop careers while still maintaining at least a shred of privacy.
The Mavin Records star, who has garnered over 132 million total streams in the US this year, is the only African artist to make the list.
Billboard attributed Ayra Starr’s rise to fame on the global stage to Mavin Records’ savvy use of TikTok and Instagram. The label has been able to use these platforms to connect with a global audience and promote Ayra Starr’s music
Afrobeats rise to power on a global stage is something we can only hope to see continue.
Billboard Said:
Age 20
Label Mavin Records
Publisher Mavin Global Holdings
Management Mavin Records
Total Streams 138.2 million
In 2021, Afropop artist Ayra Starr scored a record deal with one of Nigeria’s most influential labels, Mavin Records, thanks to the various covers she had posted to Instagram. That same year, the Beninese-born Nigerian singer not only released her self-titled EP that included breakout hit “Away,” which reached No. 17 on Billboard’s Top Triller Global chart, but also her debut album, 19 & Dangerous, that featured Fousheé and Ckay. She has since been featured on songs by Wizkid and Libianca, and in February dropped her latest single, “Sability.” She believes “real talent, hard work and perseverance” are the biggest indicators of success in today’s music industry, adding, “Success can also be shown by how well you handle promotion on socials like Instagram and TikTok, in the way you put yourself out there and how you show a creative and entrepreneurial spirit.”
For African music 
is the Future
Congratulations Ayrastarr