- Ayra Starr releases her sophomore studio album.
- She features many stars on the album, including Asake and Seyi Vibez
- The album solidifies her status as a Gen Z icon and pop star
The year 2024 might have been when Ayra Starr turned 21, but she became a global star in her own right the year before, culminating her impressive career run with a Grammy nomination. Whether it was Bloody Samaritan, Sability or Rush, the singer, born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, could not stop making hits, and it was obvious that her record label, Mavin, had unearthed a generational talent.
After the album's release, Ayra Starr's "The Year I Turned 21" has amassed over 200 million Spotify streams. With her most recent album, Ayra Starr has accomplished a huge milestone in the African music industry.
Tiwa Savage has long been acclaimed to be the queen of Afrobeats but with the explosive growth of Ayra Starr and her youthfulness, she is the apparent heir to Tiwa’s throne. Tiwa Savage entered the music limelight in her 30s, but Ayra Starr became the Gen Z poster girl in her teen years, and at just 21, she can break every ceiling available for female singers and even for her entire generation.
Ayra Starr's path is evidence of her talent and passion, not to mention having solid label backing. She has inspired a new generation of artists and pushed boundaries from her early days of being a model to her current role as an Afropop icon. Her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, solidifies her standing as a formidable music force.
Despite only making her debut in 2021, Ayra Starr has already set many records. She became the youngest female African to hit 100 million YouTube views and currently has the most monthly listeners on Spotify while commanding huge audiences in Europe and America.
The Year I Turned 21, her second studio album packed with 14 tracks, was released for public consumption on May 31, 2024 and has been gathering a lot of positive reception.
Here are our thoughts on it.
Reviewing Ayra Starr’s The Year I Turned 21
The Cotonou-born singer’s latest album is a brilliant fusion of pop, R&B, and Afrobeats, with each song exhibiting her distinct voice and aesthetic.
The album with a Fuji interlude that pays homage to the stardom of Ayra Starr. Birds sing of money establishes the mood for the remainder of the album, as Ayra Starr's reiterates her coming of age, grit, identity, and self-discovery. The track combines strings, hip-hop beats, and reggae undertones to create a tension-releasing blend.
Ayra Starr with Asake in Goodbye (Warm up). The theme of this song is saying goodbye to a previous romance. Everybody who has closed a chapter in their life may relate to this song, which combines the excitement of fresh starts with a moving narrative.
The choice of the featured artistes on the album is intentional. While Ayra Starr naturally appeal to the cool Gen Zs, Asake and Seyi Vibez give her the necessary diversity, especially on the ‘streets’. The track with Seyi Vibez, ‘Bad Vibes’, is already a hit and shapes up to be the biggest song of the album.
The “Woman Commando" track features vocals from Anitta, a Brazilian singer, and Coco Jones, an American singer. It is an anthem for all the courageous women who are leaders in their respective industries.
Apart from her exploration of diverse genres and styles, we see the human beneath the pop star on the last track, The kids are alright. Ayra Starr’s mother advises her to enjoy life to the fullest and not die unfulfilled like her dad. Her siblings all come on to talk, in what is an obvious tribute to their late dad. Anyone who has lost a parent would find the track an emotional one.
In sum, Ayra Starr delivered on her sophomore album, even though harsh critics may feel the roll-out of the album seemed a bit flattering for the album. She comes of age on the album, showcases her range, talks about her identity, and embraces her status while showing she’s still a young adult who has a personal life away from the spotlight.
Will this make her go one better at the Grammys? Only time can tell.
