Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr has spoken at length about personal growth, solitude and the making of her new album in a cover feature published by 66 GREENE Magazine on September 10.
In the interview, the 24-year-old artiste explained that living alone for the first time had brought about a significant shift in her perspective. She said that after spending three months filming Children of Blood and Bone in Cape Town, she moved into her first solo apartment in New York City, marking her most significant stretch of solitude after growing up in a close-knit family.
Ayra recalled that she initially relished the independence that came with living alone, describing an early sense of excitement at being able to run her own life without anyone dictating her choices. She acknowledged, however, that the adjustment was not without its difficulties, noting that she battled homesickness, endured a harsh New York winter and missed her mother’s cooking before she eventually settled into a routine that included befriending her local barista and going out at night.
66 Greene
She explained that spending extended periods alone had pushed her to reassess everything she had been taught to believe about herself, saying that solitude allowed her to discover her genuine thoughts, desires and identity, and to work out who she truly wanted to become.
Speaking on her experience joining Coldplay on the British band’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, Ayra said the experience reshaped her understanding of what it means to perform. She noted that she had grown up believing that performing centred on the artiste and on being watched by an audience, but that serving as a supporting act taught her that every night on stage amounted to a form of sacrifice for the people who had come to watch. She stressed that performing was ultimately not about her but about the audience, adding that what mattered was whether the crowd left having had a good night, having been moved, or having been made to smile.
On the making of Starrgirl, Ayra said that stepping back from the pressure of constant album cycles allowed her to rediscover the joy of making music, which in turn produced singles including Hot Body, Gimme Dat featuring Wizkid, and Who’s Dat Girl with Rema, before culminating in the new album. She said that moving to New York shifted her from viewing her life from the outside to being fully present within it, and that it was at that point she recognised she was ready to make an album, not because her label or the public expected one, but because she could hear her own voice clearly for the first time in a long while.
She described Starrgirl as a project born out of understanding herself and accepting being misunderstood, as well as embracing the many different experiences and personalities that make up who she is.
Ayra also recounted a memorable studio session with French-Congolese artiste Theodora for the track MS PAPER, revealing that the air conditioning in the studio had broken down while they recorded the high-tempo song. She said that despite the heat, the pair kept drinking, dancing and sweating through the session, and that they played the finished track back several times until everyone in the room was left delirious with excitement.
The 66 GREENE cover story features photography by Fernando Tomaz and styling by Jahulie, and accompanies the rollout of Starrgirl, Ayra Starr’s third studio album, which was released on August 14, 2026 through Mavin Records and Republic Records.
