Ayra Starr is no longer just the celestial voice behind Afrobeats hits — she’s now a certified digital powerhouse.
The 22-year-old songstress has made history as the most-viewed Nigerian female artist on YouTube, clocking in a staggering 811 million views, dethroning the long-reigning queen, Yemi Alade, who held 805 million.
What propelled her past the billion-view threshold? One word: “Rush.”
The global hit, which encapsulates her fearless energy and Gen Z swagger, has raked in over 395 million views alone, making it the most-watched video by any Nigerian female artist. From Lagos to London, from Swiss charts to Spotify playlists, Rush has proven to be far more than a viral anthem — it’s a cultural passport.
But Ayra’s momentum isn’t confined to YouTube. Her second studio album, “The Year I Turned 21,” has just surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify — the first Nigerian female artist to ever hit that milestone. That’s not just record-breaking; that’s genre-defining.
Despite Ayra overtaking her in total views, Yemi Alade still holds the crown for most YouTube subscribers among Nigerian women, with 2.41 million, while Ayra follows closely at 2.26 million. Still, the tide is turning, and Starr is surfing the crest.
Her meteoric rise is a reflection of Afrobeats’ evolution — unapologetically African, globally adored, and youth-driven. Whether she’s performing on international stages or smashing streaming records from a studio in Lagos, Ayra Starr is not just watching history happen — she’s writing it in bold letters.
From newcomer to industry leader, Starr’s name now sits comfortably among the greats, and if her trajectory is anything to go by, the billion-view milestone is just the beginning.
