Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr has once again been selected as a Spotify EQUAL artist, this time for both the Africa and Global programs in May 2024.
This marks her second time participating in the initiative, having previously been featured in the EQUAL Africa program in November 2021.
She joins Tiwa Savage as the only other African artist to receive this prestigious recognition from Spotify.
As part of the EQUAL program, Ayra Starr, signed to Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records, will gain increased exposure through Spotify playlists, content hubs, and partnerships.
She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity, stating her desire to represent women in Afrobeats and African music as a whole.
She acknowledges the many talented women working behind the scenes and on stage and applauds Spotify EQUAL for highlighting their achievements.
“It means so much to me to be able to represent women in Afrobeats and African women in general. There are so many women in music right now and the EQUAL program is doing a great job in highlighting their hard work.”
Monica Kemoli-Savanne, Spotify’s senior artist and label partnerships manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized Spotify’s commitment to empowering women in music.
Kemoli-Savanne sees Ayra Starr’s global recognition as a testament to Africa’s immense musical talent, requiring only a platform to shine.
“Seeing artists like Ayra Starr come from the continent to gain global recognition serves as a true testament that Africa is full of talent, all that is needed is a platform. It has been a great journey to witness the growth of female artists who are also inspiring generations to come, which also speaks to our commitment to equally support female artists.”
Ayra Starr, a Grammy-nominated artist known for hits like “Bloody Samaritan,” “Sability,” “Rush,” and “Rhythm & Blues,” recently released the single “Bad Vibes” featuring Seyi Vibes.
Her debut EP and album, “19 & Dangerous,” were both released in 2021. She has also announced her upcoming album, “The Year I Turned 21,” set for release later this month.
In addition to Ayra Starr’s achievement, Spotify revealed that Nigerian artists earned over ₦25 billion (approximately $17 million) in streaming royalties on Spotify in 2023. This represents a staggering 2,500% increase since 2017.
Spotify listeners discovered Nigerian artists nearly 950 million times, and these artists dominated Nigeria’s daily top 50 charts, contributing to over 80% of the tracks.
