Spotify has crowned Ayra Starr as the top female Afrobeats artist for the year.
Her achievement shows how Nigerian Afrobeats is spreading fast and winning fans worldwide.
Nigerian singer Sarah Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, professionally known as Ayra Starr, has been crowned the number one female Afrobeats artist of the past year by global streaming platform Spotify. The announcement cements her status as one of the leading voices of Afrobeats on the global stage.
Spotify described the “Rush” hitmaker as “the pop star of Afrobeats,” noting her influence across Africa and beyond. Ayra Starr topped the platform’s new ranking of the top five female Afrobeats artists, followed by Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Tems in second place. American-Cameroonian breakout star Libianca secured the third spot, with Malian-French artist Aya Nakamura and British-Nigerian act Darkoo rounding out the top five.
Interestingly, South African star Tyla, who has dominated Afrobeats award ceremonies recently, was absent from the list.
In its separate ranking of the Top 5 Afrobeats Artists in Latin America, Nigerians also dominated: Rema led the list, followed by Ayra Starr, CKay, Burna Boy, and Wizkid.
Spotify highlighted the genre’s growing popularity in Latin America, calling Afrobeats a “cultural export reshaping the global music scene.” Ayra Starr’s rise reflects the worldwide surge of Afrobeats, pushing Nigerian music further into international mainstream success.
